Category Archives: National Weather

National Weather

Washington D.C. prepares to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival

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The Washington Monument is framed by blossoming cherry trees this week. View our slideshow below. (Photo: Jim Schuyler)
The Washington Monument is framed by blossoming cherry trees this week. View our slideshow below. (Photo: Jim Schuyler)

At about this time of year an extraordinarily beautiful event takes place when the cherry trees that line the Tidal Basin in our nation’s capitol blossom.  For those that haven’t seen it first hand, the blossoms coupled with the sights and monuments is incredible.

The entire blossom event lasts for a relatively short two week period during which bright pink blossoms cover the trees.  Wednesday, the trees reached their peak bloom period for this year and this coming weekend the event will be highlighted with the annual parade and street festival – all part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. 

The history of how the cherry trees came to the capitol goes back nearly 100 years.  According to the National Park Service: 

The plantings of cherry trees originated in 1912 as a gift of friendship to the People of the United States from the People of Japan. In Japan, the flowering cherry tree, or “Sakura,” is an exalted flowering plant. The beauty of the cherry blossom is a potent symbol equated with the evanescence of human life and epitomizes the transformation of Japanese culture throughout the ages.

As we wait for our own trees to blossom here in Colorado, take a look at this incredible slideshow of images taken just the other day of Washington D.C.’s trees.  Thank you to Jim Schuyler for sharing the photos as well as to Justin Berk, the Baltimore Weather Examiner for passing them on to us.

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National Weather, Severe Weather, Weather History

A look at Super Bowl weather history and some interesting tornado statistics for it

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The biggest sporting event of the year is of course the Super Bowl and no doubt this year’s matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals is sure to be no different.  Super Bowl XLIII will be held in Tampa Bay, Florida and the weather forecast is looking to be just about perfect – see our game day forecast below.

What about Super Bowl’s in the past?  Was there ever any notable weather during the big game?  You bet there was.  Here are some fun facts (courtesy wx-man.com):

  • 17 of 42 Super Bowls played indoors
  • 16 of 42 Super Bowls had a trace or more of rain nearby
  • 2 Super Bowls had snow on game day (1982,2006)
  • 1 Super Bowl played during an ice storm (2000)
  • Warmest high temperature of 82° (1973,2003)
  • Coldest high temp for dome game 16° (1982)
  • Coldest high temp for non-dome game 49° (1985)
  • Wettest Super Bowl .92 inches (2007)
  • Outside games with high wind gust (1980, 1984, 1989,2007)

You will notice there isn’t really any mention of severe weather in those statistics. The NFL has been pretty fortunate on that front with nothing particularly notable – rain always seems to be the biggest threat. 

For a more in depth look at severe weather in February in Florida, the Super Bowl forecast and some interesting tornado statistics, please visit our Examiner.com story.

For all the details, read the rest of this story on our Denver Weather Examiner page. Examiner.com - Get inside Denver weather 
Colorado Weather, National Weather

White Christmas for half the country as travel woes continue

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Old Man Winter brought a white Christmas to much of the northern half of the United States which may be a blessing or a curse depending on your point of view.  Images released by the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center  show that many areas that wouldn’t normally expect snow are covered in a blanket of white this Christmas.

Much of the country west of the Continental Divide will have snow or rain Christmas Day.  Areas of the Sierra Nevada and southwestern Colorado will be measuring the snow in feet.  Salt Lake City is expecting 4 to 8 inches while here in Denver we remain dry and will actually have a pretty mild day. 

In the northeast they will have a cold and blustery holiday.  Lake Erie and Lake Ontario will generate some lake-effect snows from Pennsylvania through New York and into northern New England. 

The latest cold blast to hit the nation has caused travel woes across much of it.  In Chicago, 500 flights were canceled on Tuesday stranding many travelers, some of whom won’t be able to reach their destination until today.  100 flights were canceled at O’Hare Wednesday but delays improved as the day went on.  Sadly the weather did have a more serious toll as between Tuesday and Wednesday at least 30 people were killed in crashes on rain- and ice-slickened roads across the nation’s midsection. 

Out west in Washington and Oregon, residents and government officials were wishing for a return to their normal rainy weather as they were unprepared for the snow that has fallen in recent days.  In Portland, Oregon many side streets were impassable without chains or four wheel drive.  Wednesday more snow fell followed by rain which most likely will add to the problems when it freezes tonight.

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire declared a statewide winter storm emergency saying, “A number of counties and cities are struggling to meet the problems posed by this month’s onslaught of snow and winter weather.  Snowfall has reached record or near-record level in 30 of the state’s 39 counties.”  Her proclamation will allow state agencies to support local operations including the activation of the National Guard. 

Active weather watches and warnings on Christmas Day.Here in Colorado, much of the western slope is under various types of winter weather advisories.  A Winter Storm Warning covers the western half of the state and Blizzard and Avalanche Warnings cover some areas south of I-70.  Needless to say, Christmas Day travel in the high country will be greatly impeded by these storms.  

Good weather along the eastern part of Colorado has allowed Denver International Airport to operate normally for the most part.  However, some delays were experienced for flights heading to other parts of the nation affected by the winter weather. 

Colorado Weather, National Weather, Thornton Weather

Weather gifts for the weather geek in your life

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ThorntonWeather.com has some great ideas for Santa Claus for the weather enthusiasts he may be bringing gifts to.
ThorntonWeather.com has some great ideas for Santa Claus for the weather enthusiasts he may be bringing gifts to.

Is there someone on your shopping list that looks out at a blizzard with glee on his or her face?  Someone who jumps and runs to the window at hearing thunder or seeing the flash of lightning?  Maybe a person for whom the weather warning beep on the TV or radio is music to their ears?  Well then this posting is for you.  Here are some great gift ideas for the weather geek on your list.  If you have any questions about any of these, leave a comment and we will answer them.  Also be sure to check out our list of great places to shop for weather gifts.

Books – There are books about every type of weather condition out there.  We recently wrote about some of our top picks for weather related books for grownups and adults.  Click here for some specific ideas. 

  • Cost:  $10.00 and up
  • Where to buy:  Amazon.com

Storm Chasing and Weather Clothing – Any proud weather geek will be happy to not only tell someone about their hobby but also to wear it!  Shirts and clothing with tornadoes, hurricanes or even ones that proclaim the wearer as a “Weather Geek” or “Weather Diva” are a big hit.  Kids love the stuff too.

Weather Radios – You don’t have to be a weather enthusiast to appreciate or need a weather radio – these are great gifts for anyone.  These radios are relatively inexpensive and allow you to listen to and monitor the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) system. NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, and forecasts as well as other hazard information like earthquakes, avalanches, chemical spills, and even AMBER alerts.  Be sure to get one with SAME coding so it automatically turns on when something is happening in your area.

Emergency Kits – Most folks interested in severe weather are also quite likely a bit survivalist by nature.  They know the dangers that the weather presents and want to be prepared for it.  An emergency kit for the house or car are not only practical but potentially life saving. 

GPS Systems – Handheld GPS systems like those from Garmin and Magellan are a must have for any storm chaser.  Models can be had for less than $100 for a basic unit to $600 for ones with 3D mapping capability.  Spend the extra money to get one with at least basic, non-3D mapping capability. 

  • Cost:  $100 and up.  Look to spend between $200 and $300 to get a good one with mapping. 
  • Where to buy:  NewEgg or GPS City

Binoculars – Low tech but effective.  You don’t want to get too close to the action and binoculars are a great way to see things from a distance.  You’ll want to look for ones that allow plenty of light in but also aren’t so big the user can’t make a run for it if needed.

Personal Weather Stations (PWS) – Amateur meteorology is a surprisingly popular hobby as you will learn if you take a look.  A basic $50 station will provide outdoor temperature and humidity.  Stepping up a notch to one for around $200 will get you all that plus wind and the ability to hook it up to a computer to archive statistics and create your own weather website like ThorntonWeather.com.  $450+ gets a Davis Instruments weather station which is considered about the best an amateur can buy.

Digital Cameras and Camcorders – Pictures and video help to capture the weather conditions as they happen and make for lasting memories.  With either of them, ones with powerful zoom lenses are a must in order to capture far away action (you don’t want to get too close to a tornado!).  Don’t skimp on quality.

  • Cost:  $400+ for a good one.
  • Where to buy:  NewEgg or Amazon

Storm Chasing Vacation – For a weather geek, what could be better than spending a week on the Great Plains hunting down hail storms, supercell thunderstorms and of course tornadoes!  Storm chasing as a hobby is growing by leaps and bounds and there are many tour operators that seek to fulfill the dreams of those that want to see extreme weather. This is the ultimate gift!  Are you listening to me, Santa?

For more info: Do you have any questions about specific items your weather enthusiast might want or questions about any of the above ideas?  Post a comment and we’ll do our best to answer!

Climatology, National Weather, Severe Weather

ThorntonWeather.com sneak peek – Storm Chasers episode 4 preview

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Now that is heavy metal! The TIV 2 is a machine designed specifically for driving into a tornado. Image courtesy Discovery Channel.
Now that is heavy metal! The TIV 2 is a machine designed specifically for driving into a tornado. Image courtesy Discovery Channel.

The 2008 tornado season was historical for its ferocity.  Record breaking numbers of twisters struck Tornado Alley with a frequency not seen in years.  In June, north central and western Kansas were ground zero for tornado outbreaks that went on for days. 

ThorntonWeather.com continues to be granted special access to the Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers (Sunday’s @ 8:00pm MST) footage.  In this coming Sunday’s episode, the crew finds itself right in the thick of things.  The episode guide says:

No Place Like Kansas – Nov. 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
With the DOW and all the chase vehicles up and running again, the team finds themselves hunting in the same territory as the rival TVN crew. Tornadoes are forming all over western Kansas on what looks like the biggest day of the season.

This week’s sneak peak – A funnel cloud begins to form in the skies over Quinter, Kansas as the the Storm Chasers scramble to approach it.

Climatology, National Weather

Global warming? Not this year in the U.S.

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Global warming? Not this year in the U.S. Thus far most of the United States is experiencing cooler temperatures in 2008.
Global warming? Not this year in the U.S. Thus far most of the United States is experiencing cooler temperatures in 2008.

According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), much of the United States is experiencing below normal temperatures thus far in 2008.  In all, through the end of October, over 80% of the continental United States is experiencing normal or below normal temperatures.

This news comes on the heels of some other interesting “cool weather” recently.  The Swiss lowlands received the most snow for October since 1931 and areas of Florida broke 150 year record temperature lows.  Perhaps in a somewhat ironic event, London experienced its first October snow since 1922 on the same day the House of Commons was debating Global Warming.  🙂

Certainly we cannot draw any real conclusions about manmade climate change or global warming from these isolated incidents but they do have to make you wonder. 

National Weather

Hurricane Ike death toll could take years to finalize

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Searchers go through houses in Crystal Beach, Texas on Monday in the wake of Hurricane Ike. Smiley Pool / Houston Chronicle
Searchers go through houses in Crystal Beach, Texas on Monday in the wake of Hurricane Ike. Smiley Pool / Houston Chronicle

Recovery efforts from Hurricane Ike continue in Texas in the wake of the devastating storm.  The death toll in the state stands at 17 however tens of thousands of people chose not to evacuate and officials are concerned the actual toll is much greater than that.  It could take years for a full accounting of the missing to happen as it is thought that some that stayed behind and chose to ride the storm out were simply washed away into the Gulf of Mexico.

Search and rescue personnel have completed a search for survivors and the Red Cross is now performing welfare checks on people named by relatives.  An estimated 90,000 people stayed behind and accounting for them will be virtually impossible.  The death toll will of course not climb to that high of a number but it is expected that at least some of that number will never be accounted for.
 
In the coastal town of Crystal Beach, the stench of rotting animals and livestock permeated the air where dozens stayed behind.  One account told of a survivor seeing a friend pulled out to see when she couldn’t hold onto the rafters of a home.

Seabrook, TX police officer Jeff Galyean hugs his 4th grade teacher, Sue Harral, on Tuesday in front of her home. The house was swept into the middle of the street and was several hundred feet from its foundation. Mark Wilson / Getty Images
Seabrook, TX police officer Jeff Galyean hugs his 4th grade teacher, Sue Harral, on Tuesday in front of her home. The house was swept into the middle of the street and was several hundred feet from its foundation. Mark Wilson / Getty Images
National Weather

Hurricane Ike strikes and passes; Recovery efforts begin

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A TV cameraman tapes the wreckage left by Hurricane Ike In Galveston. Bob Pearson / EPA
A TV cameraman tapes the wreckage left by Hurricane Ike In Galveston. Bob Pearson / EPA

With the passing of Hurricane Ike, emergency responders in the Houston and Galveston area begin the task of aiding and rescuing the approximately 140,000 people who chose not to evacuate the area as the storm approached.  Debris and flooding made the task extremely difficult and hazardous for those tasked with helping recover from the devastating storm.

Texas Governor Rick Perry expressed frustration at having to put rescuers’ lives on the line for those that chose to ignore the warnings.  Thousands of 911 calls poured in as the storm struck Friday night and into Saturday morning.  As of Saturday night the governor’s office said 940 people had been saved. Another 600 were rescued from Louisiana floods.

More than 3 million people in Texas were without power at the height of the storm.  180,000 in Louisiana face the same problem.  Power providers in the region say it could take weeks before power is fully restored. 

Hurricane Ike made landfall over Galveston at 12:10am MDT on Saturday and was over 900 miles across at one point.  As the storm moved inland, it continued to produce hurricane condtions for over 100 miles.  As damaging as the storm was, it could have been much worse.  Authorities had predicted storm surges of 20 to 25 feet but thankfully that did not bear out.  The greatest surge occurred at Sabine-Pass near the Texas-Louisiana border and was measured at 15 feet.

National Weather, Natural Disasters

Hurricane Ike makes landfall; Fear for what daybreak will bring

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Houston radar image as of 3:45am MDT on Saturday, September 13 as Hurricane Ike moves ashore. The eye of the storm is about 17 miles east of the city. Click for larger image.
Houston radar image as of 3:45am MDT on Saturday, September 13 as Hurricane Ike moves ashore. The eye of the storm is about 17 miles east of the city. Click for larger image.

The eye of Hurricane Ike made landfall Saturday morning as a category 2 storm with winds of 110 mph at 1:10am MDT.  Long before that though the effects of the storm were being felt as the winds and storm surge began to batter Galveston Island and the Texas coast.  Now the waiting for daybreak begins as no one is sure exactly what will be found once daylight comes.

The sheer size of this massive storm has wreaked havoc across much of the Texas and Louisiana coast.  Measuring 900 miles wide, Ike’s tropical storm-force winds extended out to 275 miles – effectively the length of the Texas coastline – from its center.  Evacuation orders were issued for over 1 million people but tens of thousands are expected to have taken the chance and tried to ride the storm out raising fears of potentially massive counts of dead.  Area officials were telling those that stay behind to write their social security numbers on their arms so their bodies could be identified in the worst case scenario. 

Satellite image of the continental United States at 3:45am MDT on Saturday, September 13 as Hurricane Ike moves ashore. You can see the massive size of the storm. Click for larger image.
Satellite image of the continental United States at 3:45am MDT on Saturday, September 13 as Hurricane Ike moves ashore. You can see the massive size of the storm. Click for larger image.

The Galveston County Office of Emergency Management has said on its website, “Much of the Galveston Island is currently flooded and there are several fires in that area.”  Emergency management officials have reported receiving numerous calls asking for help but rescuers will be unable to aid anyone for hours until the storm subsides.  In perhaps one of the most dramatic moments, early yesterday evening a distress call was received from a 584-foot Cyprus-flagged freighter that was adrift without power 90 miles from the center of the storm.  The Coast Guard sent planes and helicopters to attempt a resuce of the 22 people on board but were forced to turn back due to the conditions.  The ship was told they would simply have to ride it out. 

Now the world waits for daybreak to see what sort of devastation Ike has brought to Texas.

National Weather

Hurricane Ike closes in on Galveston & Houston; 1 million evacuate

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Color enhanced satellite image of Hurricane Ike as of Friday, September 12, 2008. Click for larger view.
Color enhanced satellite image of Hurricane Ike as of Friday, September 12, 2008. Click for larger view.

Potentially the most devastating hurricane since Hurricane Katrina three years ago is nearing the Texas Gulf Coast Friday morning.  Hurricane Ike is currently 265 miles southeast of Galveston, Texas and expected to make landfall very near that coastal island city around midnight tonight.  Ike is so large though that the outer bands of the storm are already starting to be felt along the coast and conditions will deteriorate there throughout today long before the eye makes landfall.  Minor flooding along the barrier islands south of Galveston have been reported this morning as well.

Hurricane hunter aircraft have measured winds in Hurricane Ike at 105 mph making it a category 2 storm at the current time.  The sheer size of the storm can be seen in the wind measurements which show hurricane force winds extend outward up to 120 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 275 miles.  As the storm nears the coast, it is expected to continue to strengthen and make landfall with category 3 winds of 115 mph. 

Make no mistake – this is going to be a major storm.  The National Weather Service office in Houston / Galveston has issued a very dire warning:  “All neighborhoods … and possibly entire coastal communities … will be inundated during the period of peak storm tide.  Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single-family one- or two-story homes will face certain death.”

Satellite image and forecast path for Hurricane Ike as of Friday, September 12, 2008. Click for larger image.
Satellite image and forecast path for Hurricane Ike as of Friday, September 12, 2008. Click for larger image.

The last time the National Weather Service used such strong language was with Hurricane Katrina and this simply serves to highlight the danger this storm presents.  As always, the greatest danger with hurricanes is not the wind but the rain and storm surge that accompany it and Hurricane Ike has both of those in spades.  Coastal storm surge up to 20 feet and large, dangerous battering waves are expected.  5 to 10 inches of rain are expected in eastern Texas, possibly up to 15 inches in some areas. 

Over 400 miles of Texas coastline is under a hurricane warning now with nearly 1 million residents under evacuation orders.  Galveston Island, population 280,000 is expected to take a near direct hit and is being evacuated.  Mandatory evacuations remain in effect for low-lying coastal areas northeast and southwest of Galveston, in Chambers, Matagorda and Brazoria counties including parts of Houston. 

National Weather Service meteorologist Kent Prochazka said, “Don’t stay…  This is not a storm that people who have lived down here have probably experienced unless they’ve been here for more than … 70 or 80 years.”

For the latest on the storm’s location, please visit the ThorntonWeather.com Hurricane Tracker.