All posts by Thornton Weather

ThorntonWeather.com is your local source for live Thornton, Colorado weather conditions and news!
Local News

Thornton residents launch petition to put retail marijuana on the ballot

Leave a comment
A majority of Thornton City Council has chosen to allow drugs into our community but a group of citizens is working to reverse that.
A majority of Thornton City Council has chosen to allow drugs into our community but a group of citizens is working to reverse that.

What to do when your elected officials ignore the will of the people?  The people take it into their own hands.

Last month, Thornton City Council voted to allow retail and medical marijuana stores in the city despite overwhelming opposition by citizens.

What they should have done, if not reject it, is at least put it on the ballot so the people could have their say.

Now a group of citizens is trying to do just that – let the people have their say. It will take 6,900 signatures to get the issue on this November’s ballot and the signatures must be turned in by Monday.  It is a tall order but not impossible.

  • Editor’s note: While we wholly support the effort to put this issue on the ballot (and deliver a slap down to city council), Thornton Weather is not involved with the effort.  We are merely getting the word out.

Below are details on where you can go to sign the petition.  With time so short, the community needs you to seek out the petition and get your name on it.  Please visit one of the locations below!

Dear fellow Thornton citizens,

About three weeks ago, in a five to four vote, our City Council passed an ordinance allowing marijuana stores and test facilities within our city. This is a link to the ordinance.

Due to the significance of this issue, we think it should be put to a citywide vote. Therefore, we are sponsoring a petition that, with enough signatures, would enable you, the voters, to have a voice in the matter.

Time is short. If the petition containing at least 6,900 signatures of registered voters living in Thornton is not submitted by September 22nd the ordinance becomes law. If you want the council to reconsider, it is imperative that you EXERCISE YOUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS AND SIGN THE PETITION ALLOWING THE MATTER TO BE DECIDED BY THOSE MOST AFFECTED – YOU. Make your voice heard.
(See end of message for locations to sign petition.)

Finally, PLEASE email this open letter to anyone you know who might also oppose the idea that the nine members of the city council will have final say over the future of the 100,000 people in Thornton. PLEASE give everyone a chance to exercise their constitutional rights.

You are also welcomed to visit our Facebook page for more information,https://www.facebook.com/ThorntonsVoice.

Thank you,
Arend Visher
Charles Peraino
Thornton, CO

Places to sign petition:

· THURSDAY, 15 September from 9 – 11 AM; WHERE: Carpenter Rec Center (main entrance) on 112th Ave and Colorado Blvd, Thornton, CO
· SATURDAY, 17 September, Pretty much all day; WHERE: Trailwinds Park at 13385 Holly St, Thornton, CO
· SATURDAY, 17 September in the Evening; WHERE: Crossroads Church Northglenn at 10451 Huron St, Northglenn, CO
· SATURDAY, 17 September in the Evening; WHERE: Crossroads Church Thornton at 53 E 128th Ave, Thornton, CO
· SUNDAY, 18 September in the Morning; WHERE: Crossroads Church Northglenn at 10451 Huron St, Northglenn, CO
· SUNDAY, 18 September in the Morning; WHERE: Crossroads Church Thornton at 53 E 128th Ave, Thornton, CO

Natural Disasters

Moon Phases Affect Earthquakes, Study Says

Leave a comment

What causes earthquakes? Seismologists and other scientists have been trying to understand the geological phenomenon for centuries in a bid to come up with some sort of an effective early warning system that could save many lives. And while our understanding of earthquakes is still relatively poor, a new study links the intensity of quakes to… Continue reading Moon Phases Affect Earthquakes, Study Says →
Natural Disasters

Japanese Volcano ‘25 Years Away’ from Major Eruption

Leave a comment

Scientists are warning that one of Japan’s most active volcanoes could erupt within the next 30 years due to a buildup of magma, the BBC reports. The Sakurajima volcano is situated on Japan’s Kyushu island, only 49km from a nuclear plant and not far from the city of Kagoshima. A report by experts from the U.K.’s… Continue reading Japanese Volcano ‘25 Years Away’ from Major Eruption →
Natural Disasters

Japan, Taiwain, Hong Kong In Path Of Monster Tropical Cyclone

Leave a comment

Taiwan and mainland China were in the path of a monster tropical cyclone Tuesday night that was expected to bring heavy rains and gusts of up to 225 mph. The massive Super Typhoon Meranti grew from a Category 1 equivalent storm to a top-scale Category 5 seemingly overnight, bringing winds of 185 mph barreling toward the… Continue reading Japan, Taiwain, Hong Kong In Path Of Monster Tropical Cyclone →
World Weather

North Korea Floods Kill 133, Displace 107,000: U.N.

Leave a comment

More than 130 people have died and 107,000 have been forced to flee their homes in North Korea after flooding near the border with China and Russia, according to the United Nations. Flooding of the Tumen River in the country’s northeast has killed 133 people and left 395 missing, said a U.N. statement dated Sunday, AFP… Continue reading North Korea Floods Kill 133, Displace 107,000: U.N. →
Weather History

September 11 to September 17: This Week in Denver Weather History

Leave a comment
This Week In Denver Weather History
September 11 to September 17: This Week in Denver Weather History

Severe weather is less common as we enter the fall season but it is not entirely unheard of. As we see in our look back at this week in Denver weather history, we have seen everything ranging from torrential rains to tornadoes and even heavy snow.

11

In 1910…west winds were sustained to 42 mph.

In 1951…a vigorous Canadian cold front produced a dust storm across metro Denver. Northeast wind gusts to 43 mph reduced the visibility at Stapleton Airport to as low as 1 1/2 miles for nearly 5 hours. The temperature dropped 47 degrees in 8 hours…from a high of 92 degrees to a low of 45 degrees.

In 1967…a microburst wind gust to 52 mph produced blowing dust and briefly reduced the visibility to 1/2 mile at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1974…a trace of snow…the first of the season…ended the shortest period without snow…94 days from June 9th through September 10th. A trace of snow also fell on June 8th.

In 1995…strong post-frontal winds associated with a fast moving pacific cold front knocked down power poles and trees as it moved through metro Denver. Numerous power outages affected nearly one thousand people in Denver and Jefferson counties. West winds gusted to 34 mph at Denver International Airport.

11-16

In 2013…a deep southerly flow over Colorado… Ahead of a nearly stationary low pressure system over the great basin… Pumped copious amounts of monsoonal moisture into the area. In addition…a weak stationary front stretched along the Front Range foothills and Palmer Divide.  This resulted in a prolonged period of moderate to heavy rain across the Front Range foothills…Palmer Divide…urban corridor. By the 14th…storm totals ranged from 6 to 18 inches… Highest in the foothills of Boulder County. The headwaters then moved down the South Platte River and caused widespread flooding with record flood stages at several locations as it made its way downstream.  The record high flood stages resulted in widespread flooding along the South Platte River basin. The flood damage encompassed 4500 square miles of the Front Range…left 7 dead… Forced thousands to evacuate…and destroyed thousands of homes and farms. Record amounts of rainfall generated flash floods that tore up roads and lines of communication… Leaving many stranded. Nearly 19000 homes were damaged… And over 1500 destroyed. Colorado department of transportation estimated at least 30 state highway bridges were destroyed and an additional 20 seriously damaged. Preliminary assessments of the state`s infrastructure showed damage of $40 million to roads and $112 million to bridges. Repair costs for state and county roads ran into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Miles of freight and passenger rail lines were washed out or submerged… Including a section servicing Amtrak`s iconic California Zephyr. The town of Lyons was isolated by the flooding of St. Vrain creek…and several earth dams along the Front Range burst or were over-topped. Floodwaters swept through Estes Park; damaged hundreds of buildings and destroyed large sections of U.S. 34 from Loveland and U.S. 36 from Lyons to Boulder. U.S. 34 suffered the most damage… With 85 percent of its roadway and bridges destroyed. In Weld County…about nearly two thousand gas wells were damaged and had to be closed off as the floodwaters inundated entire communities. Sewage treatment plants and other utilities were knocked out in a number of towns. Governor Hickenlooper declared a disaster emergency on September 13th…in 11 counties across northeast Colorado including:  Adams…Arapahoe…Broomfield…Boulder…Denver…  Jefferson…Larimer…Logan…Morgan… Washington and Weld. By the 15th…federal emergency declarations covered those counties as well as Clear Creek County. Projected losses from the flooding statewide was nearly two billion dollars in property damage…according to Eqecat… A catastrophe modeling firm.  The damage was most severe in and around Lyons and Boulder.  More than 11 thousand people were evacuated…reportedly the largest since Hurricane Katrina. President Obama declared a state of emergency for Boulder and Larimer counties.  An additional 10 counties were added on the 16th and included: Adams… Arapahoe…Broomfield…Clear Creek…Denver…Jefferson…  Morgan…Logan… Washington and Weld counties. The president also declared a major disaster specifically for Boulder County.  There were six fatalities directly attributed to flash flooding. Two 19-yr old teenagers died on the 11th…after they were swept away by floodwaters after abandoning their car on Lindon Drive in Boulder. In Jamestown…a 72-yr old man was killed when the building he was in collapsed. An 80-yr old Lyons resident died in the early morning hours of the 12th…when his truck was swept into the St. Vrain River near his home. Later on the 12th…a 79-yr old Larimer County resident was killed when she was swept away while trying to climb to safety from her home in Cedar Point. A 61-yr old cedar point resident died when her home was swept down the Big Thompson River by the floodwaters. An 80-yr old Idaho Springs resident drowned in Clear Creek when the embankment he was standing on collapsed. In Boulder…some of the monthly records broken included: one-day all-time record: 9.08 inches which shattered the previous wettest day of 4.8 inches set on July 31… 1919; one-month record of 18.16 inches…which broke the previous all-time monthly record of 9.59 inches set in May of 1995; wettest September on record which broke the previous record of 5.5 inches set in September of 1940; one-year record of 34.15 inches broke the previous wettest year of 29.93 inches set in 1995. At Denver International Airport…the total precipitation for the month of September was 5.61 inches…which was 4.65 inches above the normal of 0.96 inches. This is the most precipitation ever recorded in Denver for the month of September. Daily precipitation records included 1.11 inches on the 12th and 2.01 inches on the 14th.

11-12

In 1974…post-frontal rain changed to snow overnight for the first snow of the season. Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 40 mph on the 11th. High temperature of only 46 degrees on the 12th set a new record low maximum for the date.

Continue reading September 11 to September 17: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Thornton Weather

August 2016 weather recap: Thornton enjoys cooler than normal temps but little precip

Leave a comment

Our August weather was a bit of a mixed bag by the two biggest standards.  On one hand, it was cooler than normal which was nice.  On the other, we saw less than half the amount of precipitation we normally see during August.

August typically is when the monsoon kicks in and we see healthy doses of precipitation.  This year however, the monsoonal flow was regularly disrupted by troughs digging in from the north and west.

  • August 2016 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

We certainly started the month hot with three days of temperatures near or above 95 degrees.  Things then cooled down for a few days as the first trough moved through.  Warmer temperatures then returned with readings not too far off of normal for the next two weeks.  The final 10 days or so of the month then saw cooler conditions with the majority of days recording readings below normal.

Thornton’s overall average temperature for the month came in at 69.5 degrees.  That was three degrees cooler than Denver’s long term average of 72.5 degrees.  Out at the airport where Denver’s official measurements are taken, the airport split the difference with an average of 71.2 degrees.

Temperature ranged from a high of 97.2 degrees on the third of the month down to a cool 46.7 degrees on the 25th.  Denver saw a maximum of 97 degrees on the 9th and a low of 47 degrees on the 25th.  Thornton saw 14 days with highs at or above 90 degrees while Denver recorded 15.

Officially, one temperature record was made.  On the morning of the 27th the mercury at DIA dropped to 48 degrees typing the record low for the date.

In terms of precipitation, Denver averages 1.69 inches during the month of August.  Thornton saw only 0.76 inches in our rain bucket.  The airport fared even worse with only 0.22 inches making the month the eight driest August on record in Denver.

Click here to view Thornton’s August 2016 climate report.

Thornton, Colorado's August 2016 temperature summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado’s August 2016 temperature summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado's August 2016 precipitation summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado’s August 2016 precipitation summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)

From the National Weather Service:

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
848 AM MDT THU SEP 1 2016

................................... 

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2016... 

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2016

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................ 
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH             105   08/08/1878
 LOW               40   08/26/1910
                        08/25/1910
                        08/24/1910
HIGHEST            97   08/09                         98  08/15
LOWEST             47   08/25                         43  08/23
                        08/20
AVG. MAXIMUM     86.3              87.2    -0.9     89.8
AVG. MINIMUM     56.2              57.9    -1.7     58.3
MEAN             71.2              72.5    -1.3     74.0
DAYS MAX >= 90     15              11.5     3.5       19
DAYS MAX <= 32      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MIN <= 32      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MIN <= 0       0               0.0     0.0        0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM         5.85   1979
 MINIMUM         0.02   1924
TOTALS           0.22              1.69   -1.47     1.18
DAILY AVG.       0.01              0.05   -0.04     0.04
DAYS >= .01         4               8.6    -4.6        9
DAYS >= .10         1               4.3    -3.3        4
DAYS >= .50         0               1.2    -1.2        1
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.3    -0.3        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.12   08/24 TO 08/24           08/11 TO 08/11
                                                          08/10 TO 08/11

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL      15                10       5       13
 SINCE 7/1         15                16      -1       18
COOLING TOTAL     218               244     -26      304
 SINCE 1/1        762               688      74      713

FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/08/1962
 LATEST       06/08/2007
EARLIEST                        10/07
LATEST                          05/05
.................................................. 

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              9.9
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   2/173
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    43/010    DATE  08/19
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    55/020    DATE  08/19

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            4
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             22
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          5

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     47

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM             11     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                0     RAIN                       1
LIGHT RAIN               10     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                0     SNOW                       0
LIGHT SNOW                0     SLEET                      0
FOG                       5     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      3
HAZE                      4

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
Climatology, Thornton Weather

September preview: The end of summer brings one of our most pleasant months

Leave a comment

Following on what was a cool but dry August, some are certainly hoping for a bit of precipitation.  The month can bring plenty of rain and even our first snow of the season but more often than not, it is one of the most pleasant along the Colorado Front Range.

As temperatures start to drop, September usually reminds us that summer is at an end and fall is now here. Sunshine is predominant though as the month actually has the highest percentage of sun out of any month. Sunny days and clear, cool nights are the standard weather pattern for the month.

The month can bring extremes however.  We will of course forever remember last year’s devastating floods brought on by record-setting rain.  Longtime residents might remember September 1971 which brought over 17 inches of snowfall.

Get a complete look at September’s weather and more details as to what we can expect this year here.

Weather History

September 4 to September 10: This Week in Denver Weather History

Leave a comment
This Week In Denver Weather History
September 4 to September 10: This Week in Denver Weather History

The first full week of September sees us start one of the most pleasant times of year in Denver. While less common this time year, severe weather can and does occur. Our look back at this week in Denver weather history includes hail, damaging wind and even smoke from wildfires hundreds of miles away.

From the National Weather Service

1-5

In 1995…record breaking heat occurred on the first 5 days of the month when the temperature climbed into the 90’s on each day. Record high temperatures of 97 degrees on both the 1st and 4th equaled the all-time record maximum for the month. High temperature of 95 degrees on the 3rd was a record for the date. High temperatures of 94 degrees on both the 2nd and the 5th were not records. The low temperature of 64 degrees on the 4th equaled the record high minimum for the date.

1-7

In 1978…the temperature reached 90 degrees or more on seven consecutive days with the highest temperature…94 degrees… Recorded on both the 4th and 6th.

3-6

In 1909…rainfall for the 4 days accumulated to 3.97 inches in Boulder…while in Denver rainfall totaled 2.45 inches on the 4th…5th…and 6th.

4

In 1909…apparent post-frontal heavy rainfall totaled 1.94 inches in downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 19 mph.

In 1944…a trace of rain fell. This together with a trace of rain on the 9th…10th…and 30th was the only precipitation for the month. The total of a trace of precipitation for the month equaled the driest September on record first set in 1892.

In 1960…the highest recorded temperature in September…97 degrees…occurred. The same temperature also occurred on September 5…1899…September 1…1995…and September 4… 1995.

In 1989…a strong thunderstorm wind gust flipped a plane taxiing on a private runway in Adams County east of Denver. Two people were slightly injured and the plane was heavily damaged.

In 1992…strong winds developed across metro Denver behind a pacific cold front. Sustained winds above 40 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph were recorded mainly in and near the foothills. Pre-frontal south winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1995…two people were injured when lightning struck their home in Lakewood. The lightning entered the attic where it started a small fire. It then traveled through the walls… Exploding a mirror and spraying glass on the residents. Lightning also sparked small grass fires near Aurora…Denver International Airport…and Bennett. The highest recorded temperature in September…97 degrees…occurred. The same temperature also occurred on September 5…1899…September 4…1960…and September 1…1995.

In 2000…thunderstorm winds gusted to 64 mph in Castle Rock.

5

In 1899…the highest recorded temperature in September…97 degrees…occurred. The same temperature was also reached on September 4…1960…and September 1 and 4…1995.

In 1940…a severe wind and hail storm confined mostly to the west and north parts of the city occurred shortly after 4:30 pm. Hail stones ranged in size from 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter. In north Denver…hail piled to a depth of 4 inches. Flooding occurred in one underpass…which stalled 2 cars. One girl was injured when the weight of the hail flattened a porch on which she stood. Northeast winds were sustained to 29 mph with gusts to 32 mph in downtown Denver.

In 1987…a thunderstorm complex produced hail as large as 1 3/8 inches in diameter…2 miles east of Buckley Field in Aurora. No damage was reported.

5-9

In 1988…layers of smoke aloft from large forest fires in Yellowstone National Park completely obliterated the sun at times. At Stapleton International Airport…surface visibility was reduced at times to 5 and 6 miles in smoke.

6

In 1940…a thunderstorm pelted the city with small hail. The storm produced some lightning damage. One woman was stunned by a bolt which struck near her. Heavy rain from the storm raised the level of Cherry Creek by more than 3 feet during the height of the storm. Rainfall downtown was only 0.26 inch.

In 1988…strong winds blew down two houses that were under construction in Castle Rock. Northwest winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1993…a man was struck and killed by lightning while standing outside his home in unincorporated Arapahoe County 11 miles south of Denver. Lightning also struck a cabin in Marshdale…20 miles southwest of Denver…which started a fire and damaged one room and a portion of the roof.

In 1995…hail as large as 3/4 inch in diameter fell in Coal Creek Canyon in northern Jefferson County.

In 2001…a thunderstorm dropped 3/4 inch diameter hail in Aurora near Cherry Creek.

7

In 1875…the creeks were running dangerously high during the night from heavy rains in the mountains.

In 1885…a thunderstorm produced very white hail of irregular shape and about the size of beans. Precipitation was only 0.10 inch.

In 1971…a vigorous cold front accompanied by a thunderstorm produced wind gusts to 48 mph at Stapleton International Airport and much upslope cloudiness and light rain across metro Denver.

In 1989…widespread thunderstorms produced lightning strikes that knocked out power to about 13 thousand homes in Boulder County. In a rugged area stripped of vegetation by a forest fire earlier in July…heavy rain triggered mud slides that destroyed one home and severely damaged another in Boulder Canyon 10 miles west of Boulder. In one home…the mud caved in an exterior wall and poured into the residence only seconds after 2 people had evacuated the premises. Rainfall totaled 1 to 3 inches. Hail 1 3/4 inches in diameter fell in Nederland…Idaho Springs…and Golden Gate Canyon. Hail 1 inch in diameter was measured 10 miles north of Golden.

In 1993…thunderstorm winds toppled an overhead sign onto the intersection of I-70 and I-25 in Denver…causing considerable damage to 4 vehicles. The winds also caused a police car to be blown off the road northeast of Denver. Thunderstorm winds gusting to 66 mph damaged the siding of a residence southeast of Brighton. A thunderstorm wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport. Hail to 7/8 inch in diameter fell at Kittredge in the foothills of Jefferson County.

In 1994…lightning severely damaged a public television transmitter atop Squaw Mountain west of Denver.

Continue reading September 4 to September 10: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Thornton Weather

August 2016 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

Leave a comment
August 11, 2016 - An evening thunderstorm brings a gorgeous rainbow. (Shannon Dizmang)
August 11, 2016 – An evening thunderstorm brings a gorgeous rainbow. (Shannon Dizmang)

As the calendar turns to August, the summertime heat begins to fade and that makes it easier to get out and enjoy all of the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer.  From a walk in a park to afternoon thunderstorms to an abundance of wildlife, photo opportunities abound as is seen in our slideshow.

Our monsoon season typically arrives about now and that means better chances for moisture.  However with limited instability, the intensity of storms are more sedate.  That doesn’t mean however that the weather is any less photographic.

  • Slideshow updated August 31, 2016

By the end of the month some of our seasonal feathered friends will be looking to leave the state giving our last chance to see them till spring.  Larger mammals are gearing up for the rut (mating season) and that can make for some intense scenes.

Showcasing images captured by ThorntonWeather.com readers as well as some of our own, our monthly slideshow covers the entire gamut of weather and nature related imagery. Sunsets, sunrises, wildlife and of course every type of weather condition are vividly depicted.

To learn more about how to send your photo to us for inclusion in the slideshow, see below the slideshow.

[flickr_set id=”72157669403542203″]

What is missing in the slideshow above?  Your photo!

Our monthly photo slideshow is going to feature images that we have taken but more importantly images that you have captured.  The photos can be of anything even remotely weather-related.

Landscapes, current conditions, wildlife, pets, kids.  Whimsical, newsy, artsy.  Taken at the zoo, some other area attraction, a local park, a national park or your backyard.  You name it, we want to see and share it!

Images can be taken in Thornton, Denver or anywhere across the extraordinary Centennial State.  We’ll even take some from out of state if we can tie it to Colorado somehow.

We’ll keep the criteria very open to interpretation with just about any image eligible to be shown in our slideshows.

What do you win for having your image in our slideshow?  We are just a ‘mom and pop’ outfit and make no money from our site so we really don’t have the means to provide prizes.  However you will have our undying gratitude and the satisfaction that your images are shared on the most popular website in Thornton.

To share you images with us and get them included in the slideshow just email them to us or share them with ThorntonWeather.com on any of the various social media outlets.  Links are provided below.

So come on, get those camera’s rolling!