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The U.S. government is at it again, hyping meaningless records in a parameter that does not exist in order to frighten us about something that doesn’t matter. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced this week that according to their calculations, July 2015 was the hottest month since instrumental records began in 1880.… Continue reading Global warming: Deceptive temperature record claims |
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Typhoon Goni Makes Landfall In Japan, Injures At Least 26
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Typhoon Goni made landfall in the southwestern Kumamoto prefecture on the Japanese island of Kyushu Tuesday. The typhoon damaged buildings and cars, and flooded streets before barreling toward the Sea of Japan. While no deaths were recorded, at least 26 people were injured, Japan’s fire and disaster management agency said, according to the Associated Press (AP).… Continue reading Typhoon Goni Makes Landfall In Japan, Injures At Least 26 |
Washington Fire Now Is the Largest in State’s History
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The fierce group of fires burning in north-central Washington since Thursday morning has grown to be the largest blaze in the state’s history, a fire spokesman told the Associated Press. The Okanogan Complex consists of five wildfires that are burning within Washington’s largest county. Authorities believe the out-of-control fire will continue to burn throughout the week.… Continue reading Washington Fire Now Is the Largest in State’s History |
August 23 to August 29: This week in Denver weather history
Quite the interesting week in Denver weather history. Swarms of grasshoppers are the most unusual item we see but there is plenty of standard severe weather including tornadoes, landspouts, hail, lightning and much more.
From the National Weather Service:
19-30
In 1875…grasshoppers appeared in great numbers at 10:00 am on the 19th. Thousands landed on the ground. The streets were literally covered with them. Swarms of grasshoppers were seen on each day. All gardens in the city were devastated…and in the countryside the grasshoppers were very destructive to ripened grain. On the 30th the grasshoppers were so numerous as to almost darken the sun.
22-24
In 1987…some locations in metro Denver had a total 3-day rainfall of 2 to 4 inches. Rainfall totaled 0.96 inch at Stapleton International Airport.
23
In 1900…northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 49 mph.
In 1921…a thunderstorm cloudburst produced 2.20 inches of rainfall in an hour over downtown Denver. This is the greatest 1 hour rainfall on record at the official observing site in the city. Precipitation totaled 2.93 inches…which is the greatest calendar day precipitation ever recorded in august.
In 1941…one man was killed by lightning about 2 miles from the official weather station in downtown Denver.
In 1962…a home near Boulder was destroyed by a lightning- caused fire.
In 1968…strong winds buffeted Boulder briefly during the early morning hours. At the National Center for Atmospheric Research…winds averaged 55 mph with gusts to 85 mph. Damage was minor. Northwest winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1977…lightning damaged at least 6 homes in Aurora.
In 2008…a landspout touched down near Westcreek in Douglas County. One man was seriously injured when he tried to escaped several falling trees in his ATV. One of the trees struck his back and broke two vertebra. Another camper narrowly escaped injury. Seconds after he back up his truck…a tree came down where it had been parked.
24
In 1880…a thunderstorm produced vivid lightning and heavy rainfall…which caused flooding over the eastern part of the city including the brick yards. There was no rainfall recorded in downtown Denver.
In 1910…an apparent dry cold front caused a remarkable drop in temperature. From 3:00 pm until midnight the temperature fell from a high of 93 degrees to a low of 40 degrees. Northeast winds were sustained to 44 mph during the late afternoon.
In 1946…heavy rain near Idledale caused flooding on Bear Creek at Morrison…which resulted in one death when a woman was swept from her stranded car and drowned.
In 1973…strong winds blew down a few power lines and hail up to 3/4 inch diameter fell in southeast Aurora.
In 1984…heavy rain hit the south Denver area. Over an inch fell in less than an hour at both Castle Rock and Sedalia.
In 1992…heavy rains caused flash flooding across parts of metro Denver. Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches fell with the hardest hit areas being the southwest and central parts of metro Denver. Bear Creek rose above bankfull near Idledale with flood waters moving into southwest metro Denver. Mud and rock slides along Colorado highway 74 west of Morrison were reported. The confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River in downtown Denver also went out of its banks…flooding bike paths. Rainfall totaled 1.98 inches at Stapleton International Airport where light to moderate rain fell most of the day. Heavy rain and fog briefly reduced the surface visibility to 1 1/2 miles. The temperature climbed to a high of only 58 degrees…which was a record low maximum for the date.
In 2002…hail to 7/8 inch in diameter was measured in southwest Denver.
In 2008…several landspout tornadoes developed along a boundary to the southeast of the Denver metropolitan area during the democratic national convention. In northwest Elbert County… Minor damage was reported. The damage consisted of downed power lines…broken windows and an out building. Severe thunderstorms also produced very heavy rain and large hail… Up to one inch in diameter. In southwest Douglas County… Heavy rain caused flash flooding near the town of Westcreek. A mudslide closed State Highway 67. The road in the YMCA camp shady brook was also washed out and some bridges were damaged.
24-26
In 1910…the lowest temperature ever recorded in August…40 degrees…occurred on each of these days and on August 22… 1904. The unusually cold weather for so early in the season brought sub-freezing minimum temperatures to much of the Colorado northeastern plains.
25
In 1951…a microburst produced a southwest wind gust to 50 mph at Stapleton Airport. Only a trace of rain was observed.
In 1964…thunderstorm winds gusted to 59 mph and caused some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1994…lightning struck a power pole in Louisville and caused a two-hour power outage.
In 2008…an unoccupied home was struck by lightning in Aurora… Causing 75 thousand dollars in damage to the roof.
26
In 1944…one of the most destructive hailstorms in the city in a decade caused damage estimated at nearly one million dollars. The storm occurred within a period of 10 to 30 minutes…between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm. The hail varied in size from very small to as large as 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Hail covered the ground to a depth of 5 to 6 inches in some sections of the city. Several people were cut by broken glass. The hail and heavy rain flooded underpasses to a depth of 6 feet…and the occupants of stalled autos had to be rescued. Sewers were unable to handle the sudden amount of water and water backed up and flooded a number of basements. A few first floors of buildings were flooded. The water department had a busy time replacing manhole covers that had been displaced by the water pressure. Trees were stripped…one was severely broken…and telephone lines were downed. Roofs…windows… Automobiles…awnings…and gardens were severely damaged. Flowers and gardens in some sections of the city were a total loss. Greenhouses were extensively broken with an estimated 20 carloads of glass shattered. Vegetable and truck crops in and around the city were severely shredded. The next day the American Red Cross was designated by the War Agency to grant any and all priorities needed to obtain materials and supplies to replace and repair the damage. In downtown Denver…the thunderstorm produced 0.95 inch of rain and heavy hail along with sustained northwest winds to 25 mph.
In 1961…strong winds blew in the walls of a warehouse under construction in Denver. Two workmen suffered a fractured foot and body bruises.
In 2014…two men in central Denver were struck by lightning as they sat under a tree to avoid a heavy downpour. One of the men was unconscious and had no pulse when emergency responders arrived. He was immediately taken to Denver Health was listed in critical condition. The other victim suffered less severe injuries. He was treated at the scene and hospitalized…then released a few hours later.
Continue reading August 23 to August 29: This week in Denver weather history
Wildfires Prompt Evacuation Alerts In Pacific Northwest
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A sprawling wildfire in southwestern Canada, just north of the border with Washington state, prompted evacuation alerts Saturday for 183 homes in the area. Canadian and U.S. firefighters have been battling a series of raging fires in the Pacific Northwest that has destroyed dozens of homes amid dry conditions and gusty winds. A fire near Testalinden… Continue reading Wildfires Prompt Evacuation Alerts In Pacific Northwest |
At Least 7 Perish As Typhoon Goni Slams Philippines
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At least seven people were killed and two missing Saturday after typhoon Goni battered the northern Philippines with strong rain and winds that triggered landslides and flooding, authorities reportedly said. The typhoon, which has slightly weakened, is expected to move away from the country without making a landfall. Among the deceased were two brothers who reportedly… Continue reading At Least 7 Perish As Typhoon Goni Slams Philippines |
Western wildfires: Growing flames charge across dry states
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Wildfires picked up their destructive pace across the drought-choked West on Friday, leading residents to flee their homes and authorities to scramble for resources to beat back the flames. Blazes in Washington state that killed three firefighters and injured four others have exploded in size, while other fires charged toward populated areas in several states amid… Continue reading Western wildfires: Growing flames charge across dry states |
August 16 to August 22: This week in Denver weather history
August is usually considered one of the calmer weather months in Denver but as our look back in weather history for this week shows, that isn’t always the case. Thunderstorms and all their associated dangers – lightning, flooding, tornadoes and more – all present a very real danger even this time of year.
From the National Weather Service:
16
In 1902…a thunderstorm produced west winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 60 mph…but only a trace of rain.
In 1952…a thunderstorm wind gust to 50 mph was recorded at Stapleton Airport.
In 1960…lightning struck a warehouse in central Denver… Causing 8 thousand dollars in damage to the building and stored electrical equipment.
In 1975…large hail…1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches in diameter…fell about 4 miles north of Castle Rock. Hail caused some minor damage in Aurora. A funnel cloud was reported 25 miles east of Denver near Bennett.
In 1981…a tornado touched down briefly in open country just to the east of Aurora. No damage was reported.
In 1982…a thunderstorm wind gust to 61 mph was recorded at Buckley Field in Aurora. At the same time almost an inch of rain flooded and closed streets in south Aurora. A women was hit by lightning just north of Denver. A house in the area was also struck.
In 1985…a thunderstorm produced strong wind gusts over southern metro Denver. One strong wind gust hit Cheery Creek Reservoir…capsizing a boat and drowning a man. The wind gusts…clocked as high as 50 mph…also downed a few trees.
In 1989…1 3/4 inch diameter hail fell at Intercanyon in the foothills of Jefferson County.
In 1990…lightning caused minor damage to a south Aurora home. No injuries were reported.
In 1994…strong thunderstorm winds caused damage in southern Weld County near Hudson and Fort Lupton. Two mobile homes were destroyed and a few lost their roofs. Up to 20 downed power poles and the destruction of two 115 thousand-volt towers caused widespread power outages. Thunderstorm gust front winds from the north gusted to 48 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 2000…lightning ripped most of the roof from a home in southeast Aurora. The bolt sparked a fire which destroyed the residence. Damage was estimated at 250 thousand dollars.
In 2002…the temperature climbed to a maximum of 100 degrees setting a new record high for the date.
In 2003…a teenager was injured when he was struck by lightning while camping at Herman Lake…13 miles northwest of Georgetown. The boy was knocked unconscious and suffered minor injuries.
16-19
In 1979…heavy thunderstorm rains on each of 4 consecutive days dumped a total of 2.62 inches of rain on Stapleton International Airport. The heaviest rain…1.05 inches… On the 19th was accompanied by 1/4 inch diameter hail.
17
In 1953…a tornado was sighted 8 miles east of Castle Rock. An unconfirmed tornado was sighted between Denver and Strasburg. No damage was reported.
In 1963…heavy rain in southeast Denver…Englewood…and Littleton caused flooding of basements and streets. Over 3.00 inches of rain fell at Cherry Creek Dam. Lightning caused power failures. The hardest hit areas were in north- central Denver. A 12-year-old boy was swept into a conduit by a 3-foot high crest of water. He was carried 125 feet through the waterway…but was unhurt. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled only 0.24 inch at Stapleton Airport.
In 1972…a thunderstorm wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport. Strong winds also occurred in the Littleton area where several trees and utility poles were blown over and a number of windows broken.
In 1978…1 3/4 inch diameter hail was reported in Thornton.
In 1982…heavy rain occurred in the foothills southwest of Denver where 4.50 inches fell in 75 minutes between Evergreen and Conifer. Nearby…2.66 inches of rain drenched the North Turkey Creek Canyon area in just 15 minutes.
In 1984…scattered slow moving thunderstorms dumped heavy rain across southern metro Denver. The heavy rain caused some road washouts in Jefferson and Douglas counties. A bridge was washed out in Douglas County. Three inches of rain fell in just an hour at Castle Rock…causing heavy silt damage to a home and to nearby drainage ditches.
In 1988…a thunderstorm dumped 2 to 3 inches of rain in southeast Denver and adjacent areas of Arapahoe County in less than 90 minutes. There was widespread street flooding…and I-25 was closed by 4 feet of water near its intersection with I-225 just south of Denver. A flood control project in Arapahoe County at greenwood village sustained over 10 thousand dollars damage. Up to 4 feet of water flooded some basements in the area. Only 0.44 inch of rain fell at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1990…heavy thunderstorm rains over the Boulder creek and St. Vrain creek drainage basins caused many creeks and drainage ditches to rise in eastern Boulder and southwest Weld counties. The high waters punched three 30-foot holes in the embankment of a drainage ditch…which traversed through the town of firestone…20 miles north of Denver. A sheet of water 2 to 3 feet deep rushed out onto the streets of firestone…forcing the evacuation of a trailer park and residents from 50 neighboring homes. No injuries or serious damage occurred except for mud and water damage. Lightning struck and injured 4 construction workers standing in an Aurora field. They received treatment for minor injuries at a local hospital. Lightning also struck the roof of a Methodist church in central Denver… Knocking down the highest peak of the steeple. A half dozen people were in the building…but no one was injured. Slow moving thunderstorms dumped 2 to 3 inches of rain over southeast Aurora in 90 minutes. The heavy rain accumulated on the roof of a condominium clubhouse…causing the roof to collapse under the weight of the water. Nearly 300 residents were evacuated from the 200-unit complex because of the structural damage. The residents were allowed to return to their homes when it was determined the damage was confined to the clubhouse. No injuries were reported.
In 1993…just west of Fort Lupton…thunderstorm winds blew the tin roof off a cattle shelter into a mobile home… Causing considerable damage to the mobile home.
In 1997…lightning struck a home in Castle Rock sparking a fire. Damage was estimated at 20 thousand dollars.
In 2000…thunderstorms producing very heavy rain…up to 3.50 inches in spots…caused flooding and flash flooding across metro Denver. In Commerce City…a 37-year-old firefighter drowned while attempting to rescue a stranded motorist on a flooded street. The firefighter was wading through the water when he lost his footing and was sucked into a 10 foot deep culvert. He was swept away before anyone could reach him. Extensive flooding was also reported throughout Littleton and north Denver.
Continue reading August 16 to August 22: This week in Denver weather history
Denver sets second consecutive record low temperature
For the second day in a row, the Mile High City has set or tied a record low temperature. The events certainly bring to mind the quickly approaching fall.
This morning, as measured at Denver International Airport, Denver’s temperature officially dropped to a low temperature of 47 degrees. This bests the previous record low temperature for August 19 of 48 degrees last set in 2002.
Here in Thornton we actually were a bit cooler as we dipped to 45 degrees, our coldest reading since May 30. This was also the coldest temperature on August 19 we have recorded in Thornton since ThorntonWeather.com came online in 2006.
Today’s record-setting temperature follows on yesterday’s record-tying low temperature of 47 degrees. Additionally, highlighting the extremes we experience here in Colorado, it was just the previous Saturday that we tied the record high for the date (98 degrees).
Denver ties record low temperature for August 18
From record heat to record cold. As measured at Denver International Airport, the temperature in the Mile High City dropped to 47 degrees at 5:17am. This tied the record low temperature for the date last set in 1960.
It was just a few days ago that Denver tied a record high temperature on August 15. Ironically, that record was previously hit in 1960 as well.
Here in Thornton we managed to stay a bit warmer with a low of 49.7 degrees. This was our coldest temperature reading since May 31 (49.4 degrees).