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

What does that weather warning mean?

What does that warning mean?  Knowing what the various advisories mean is important part of winter weather preparedness.
What does that warning mean? Knowing what the various advisories mean is important part of winter weather preparedness.

We all are familiar with the crawls on the TV screen or the announcements on the radio for winter weather advisories such as Winter Storm Watch, Blizzard Warning, Freeze Warning and more.  But, how many of us really know what those mean?  There is very specific criteria the National Weather Service follows in issuing these watches and warnings and there are important differences between all of them. 

In this second in a series on Winter Weather Preparedness from the National Weather Service, ThorntonWeather.com helps you understand what all of these mean so you can be better prepared. 

Part 1 Winter travel safety
Part 2 Watches…warnings…and advisories
Part 3 High winds
Part 4 Wind chill temperatures and hypothermia
Part 5  Avalanche safety
Review  Winter Weather Preparedness Week review

From the National Weather Service:

What does that warning mean?

The National Weather Service will inform you about critical weather with outlooks, watches, warnings and advisories.  Do you know what they mean?  Now is the time to find out during this Colorado winter preparedness week.

This list has the watch, warning and advisory criteria for Colorado east of the continental divide.  Save this list throughout the winter. 

Continue reading What does that weather warning mean?

Winter travel safety – Ensure you and your vehicle are ready

The Holiday Blizzard of 2006 highlighted the need for winter travel preparation.
The Holiday Blizzard of 2006 highlighted the need for winter travel preparation.

ThorntonWeather.com presents the first in a series from the National Weather Service (NWS) on Winter Weather Preparedness.  Before hitting the road, Coloradoans need to ensure that they and their vehicles are prepared should inclement weather strike. 

Today’s message from the NWS and ThorntonWeather.com highlights the importance of having a proper emergency kit in your vehicle and should the worst-case scenario occur where you get stuck, what you should do to survive. 

Part 1 Winter travel safety
Part 2 Watches…warnings…and advisories
Part 3 High winds
Part 4 Wind chill temperatures and hypothermia
Part 5  Avalanche safety
Review  Winter Weather Preparedness Week review

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 600 AM MDT Mon Oct 20 2008

Winter Travel Safety

Winter Weather Preparedness Week continues through Saturday, October 25 as proclaimed by Governor Bill Ritter. Before winter weather arrives in earnest it is highly recommended that you prepare your car or truck for winter travel.

Continue reading Winter travel safety – Ensure you and your vehicle are ready

Governor proclaims Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado

Governor Bill Ritter has proclaimed the week of October 19th through October 25th as Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado.
Governor Bill Ritter has proclaimed the week of October 19th through October 25th as Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado.

Winter weather in Colorado can be an inconvenience but more than that it can be deadly.  Emergency preparedness for major winter storms – as well as for other types of severe weather – is an important part of living in a state where conditions can change wildly from one moment to the next.  To help raise awareness of the need to be prepared for these occassions, Governor Ritter has proclaimed the week of October 19th to October 25th Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado

The National Weather Service will be issuing Public Information Statements each day this week to highlight the dangers of winter weather and how best to be prepared.  ThorntonWeather.com will be posting these notices here in our news section to help you be prepared.  Please take the time to read and heed these messages – your life could depend on it. 

Continue reading Governor proclaims Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado

This week in Denver weather history – October 19 to October 25

October 19th to October 25th - This week in Denver weather history.
October 19th to October 25th - This week in Denver weather history.

Snow and wind seem to dominate a look back at Denver weather history for this week.  Perhaps most notably, the October blizzard of 1997 occurred this week in history, one of the deadliest storms in Colorado history. 

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MDT SAT OCT 18 2008

…THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…

17-19 IN 1908…A MOIST…HEAVY…WET SNOWFALL TOTALED 13.0 INCHES IN
        DOWNTOWN DENVER OVER THE 3 DAYS.  RAIN FROM EARLY MORNING
        ON THE 17TH CHANGED TO SNOW BY LATE AFTERNOON AND CONTINUED
        THROUGH THE LATE MORNING OF THE 19TH.  DUE TO TEMPERATURES
        IN THE 30`S AND MELTING…THE MOST SNOW ON THE GROUND WAS
        ONLY 5.0 INCHES AT 6:00 PM ON THE 18TH.  NORTHWEST TO
        NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED BETWEEN 12 AND 20 MPH DURING
        THE STORM.  PRECIPITATION TOTALED 1.82 INCHES.
18-23 IN 2003…AN EXTENDED WARM SPELL RESULTED IN 5 NEW TEMPERATURE
        RECORDS.  THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 84 DEGREES ON THE 18TH
        EQUALED THE RECORD HIGH FOR THE DATE.  HIGH TEMPERATURES
        OF 86 DEGREES ON THE 19TH…83 DEGREES ON THE 21ST…AND 84
        DEGREES ON THE 22ND WERE RECORD HIGHS FOR THE DATES.  LOW
        TEMPERATURE OF 49 DEGREES ON THE 23RD WAS A RECORD HIGH
        MINIMUM FOR THE DATE.  LOW TEMPERATURES DURING THE PERIOD
        WERE IN THE 40`S AND LOWER 50`S.

Continue reading This week in Denver weather history – October 19 to October 25

Storm Chasers premieres tomorrow night – New promo video released

Our favorite show, Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers, premieres its second season tomorrow, October 19th.  We of course have touted this show before and cannot say enough good things about it.  The new season chronicles the tornado hunters’ as they chase storms across the plains this past summer.  The season was record breaking in the number of tornadoes and the number of deaths and the Storm Chasers team was right in the thick of it. 

Be sure to check out the show if you can.  Here is a new trailer to help get you excited.

Super Science Saturday at NCAR on October 25th

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder will host Super Science Saturday on October 25th.
The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder will host Super Science Saturday on October 25th.

I just read about this on channel 7’s website.  Super Science Saturday is an annual event held at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder that gives teachers, students and families a chance to get up close and personal with the weather experts.  From the NCAR website:

Every October NCAR hosts Super Science Saturday. This free public event for students, teachers, and families combines science education with Halloween fun from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

This year on October 25, visit Super Science Saturday and see NCAR scientists starring in live demonstrations, participate in hands-on activity tables, and take part in special science workshops.

This is a great opportunity and a lot of fun!  This year the event is on October 25th from 10:00am to 4:00pm at NCAR in Boulder.  More information including photos from previous years’ event can be found here:

NCAR’s Super Science Saturday

Information from Channel 7 

October 12th to the 18th – This week in Denver weather history

October 12th to the 18th - This week in Denver weather history.
October 12th to the 18th - This week in Denver weather history.

Looking back into the Denver weather history books shows Denver can receive just about any kind of weather this time of year.  From heavy snow to gale force winds to 80 plus degree temperatures, it can all happen this week.

10-12 IN 1969…THE SECOND HEAVY SNOWSTORM IN LESS THAN A WEEK
        DUMPED NEARLY A FOOT OF SNOW ACROSS METRO DENVER AND
        PLUNGED THE AREA INTO EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES FOR SO
        EARLY IN THE SEASON.  SNOWFALL TOTALED 11.0 INCHES AT
        STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.  NORTH WINDS GUSTING TO
        26 MPH PRODUCED DRIFTS UP TO 2 FEET DEEP.  TEMPERATURES
        DIPPED FROM A HIGH OF 52 DEGREES ON THE 10TH TO A RECORD
        LOW FOR THE DATE OF 10 DEGREES ON THE 12TH.  THERE WAS
        ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER AND TELEPHONE LINES
        FROM HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND ICING.  TRAVEL WAS
        RESTRICTED OR BLOCKED BY DRIFTING SNOW IN BOTH THE
        MOUNTAINS AND ON THE PLAINS EAST OF DENVER.

Continue reading October 12th to the 18th – This week in Denver weather history

Do certain weather conditions scare you?

Scared of the weather?  Maybe you have a weather phobia!
Scared of the weather? Maybe you have a weather phobia!

As recently reported in the Washington Times, if you find yourself suffering anxiety or fear from hurricanes, tornadoes or other weather phenomena, you are not alone. 

In 2006 researches at the University of Iowa surveyed 139 adults.  Of those more than half felt panicked by big storms and only a quarter felt no fears at all about the weather.  During severe weather season it is not unusual to be quite concerned and touched by a bit of fear when you live in an area that is in danger such as along the Gulf Coast during hurricane season or closer to home here in Colorado when a tornado warning is issued.  Most anyone would experience anxiety over an approaching storm that threatens to damage life and property. 

Certainly one can help limit stress about severe weather by being knowledgeable about the type of weather and by extension, remaining calm.  Oftentimes fear is caused by the unknown and if you are more aware and learned on the topic, you are more able to deal with the stress.  Further, a bit of fear can help you survive a situation simply because you are more in tune and aware of what is going on. 

A true phobia though is by definition, “an uncontrollable, irrational, and persistent fear of a specific object, situation, or activity.”  Professional help of course is most likely the best way to deal with phobias.  We have all heard about extremely odd phobia such as the fear of drinking (Dipsophobia) or the fear of lice (Phthiriophobia).  As it turns out there is an entire range of phobias specifically related to weather as well. Davis Weather Instruments recently compiled a list of some of the weather-related phobias including:

  • Ancraophobia or Anemophobia – Fear of wind
  • Astraphobia, Astrapophobia, Ceraunophobia, Keraunophobia – Fear of thunder and lightning
  • Auroraphobia- Fear of Northern lights
  • Chionophobia- Fear of snow
  • Frigophobia, Cheimaphobia, Cheimatophobia, Psychrophobia – Fear of cold or cold things
  • Homichlophobia or Nebulaphobia – Fear of fog
  • Lilapsophobia – Fear of tornadoes and hurricanes
  • Ombrophobia or Pluviophobia – Fear of rain or of being rained on
  • Pagophobia- Fear of ice or frost
  • Phengophobia- Fear of daylight or sunshine
  • Tonitrophobia- Fear of thunder

For more information:  Washington Times – Storms brewing in our heads

Book review: The Colorado Weather Alamanac by Mike Nelson

The Colorado Weather Almanac by Mike Nelson.  Simply the best Colorado weather book out there.
The Colorado Weather Almanac by Mike Nelson. Simply the best Colorado weather book out there.

The Colorado Weather Almanac came out last year and I have added this to my short list of “must read” books for anyone interested in weather, particularly for those in Colorado.  Everyone here in Colorado is well aware of the author, Mike Nelson, 7News’ chief meteorologist, and he does an extraordinary job covering the entire gamut of weather conditions we receive here.

The best part of the book is described in one of the words in the title – Colorado.  This is all about our weather.  It starts out with what is probably in my opinion the single most interesting section, Colorado climate.  Mr. Nelson explains all the ins and outs of how our topography and our geography greatly impact the weather we have and why weather varies so greatly over short distances, even within the confines of the metro area and Front Range.

There is of course discussion about standard weather terms we all have heard such as dew point, pressure, fronts, El Nino, La Nina and on and on.  The key though is that the book ties all of this into Colorado and how these things directly impact us.  Other terms associated with our weather like upslope, downslope, Chinook and more are also covered; things that we hear on the news every day but may not fully understand.

Continue reading Book review: The Colorado Weather Alamanac by Mike Nelson

This week in Denver weather history – October 5th to October 11th

This week in Denver weather history - October 5th to October 11th
This week in Denver weather history - October 5th to October 11th

In our weekly look back at Denver weather history, we see a wide range of weather has occurred in the past.  From thunderstorms to rain to big time snowstorms, we can and have seen it all.

3-5   IN 1984…THE REMNANTS OF PACIFIC HURRICANE POLO PRODUCED
        HEAVY RAIN OVER NORTHEASTERN COLORADO.  MOST LOCATIONS
        RECEIVED BETWEEN 1.00 TO 2.50 INCHES OF RAIN…BUT 3.45
        INCHES FELL IN LITTLETON.  RAINFALL TOTALED 1.73 INCHES
        AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT…WHERE NORTH WINDS
        GUSTED TO 24 MPH. 
4-5   IN 1997…UNUSUALLY WARM WEATHER RESULTED IN TWO TEMPERATURE
        RECORDS.  HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 87 DEGREES ON THE 4TH EXCEEDED
        THE OLD RECORD SET IN 1922 BY ONE DEGREE.  HIGH TEMPERATURE
        OF 86 DEGREES ON THE 5TH EQUALED THE RECORD SET IN 1990 AND
        PREVIOUS YEARS.

Continue reading This week in Denver weather history – October 5th to October 11th