Thornton and the Front Range are under a Red Flag Warning until 8:00pm Saturday.
Thornton, the Front Range and most of southeastern Colorado are under a Red Flag Warning through 8:00pm tonight. The snow last week is a distant memory and winds and warm temperatures have created very dry conditions.
Winds have been increasing throughout the day and will continue to do so for the next few hours before they gradually ease. Humidities are exceptionally low, below 20% in many areas, and temperatures remain mild. These conditions have dried ground fuels and create a potentially hazardous situation.
Remember, a Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are occurring or imminent. The National Weather Service said the warning will remain in place until 8:00pm this evening.
Grassfires are not uncommon this time of year and if they get started they can quickly spread thanks to the gusty winds. It was 47 years ago yesterday that winds helped to quickly burn 25,000 of land in southern Weld County near Roggen.
April marks a transition between winter and summer for most of the country but for Denver it is especially true as we can see a stunning variety of weather. The proverbial April showers are certainly a possibility for Denver. Snow? Tornadoes? Thunderstorms? You bet – all can happen! For good measure throw in a chance for hail and even dust storms and April gives every type of weather condition you could like – or hate.
The good news is that sunshine and warmer temperatures are usually in abundance as the normal highs during the month move up from 57 degrees on the first to 65 degrees on the 30th. It is not unusual to have a number of days well into the 70’s and the low 80’s. We also see the normal lows move above freezing from 30 degrees at the start of the month to 39 degrees by the end. Temperature extremes can hit both ends of the spectrum with a record low of 2 degrees below zero on April 2, 1975 and a record high of 90 degrees on April 30, 1992.
Many rivers were experiencing major (purple) or moderate (red) flooding according to the National Weather Service. (NWS / AHPS) Click the image for a slideshow of the flooding.
Record breaking rains across the Northeast turned into flooding the likes of which haven’t been seen in the region for more than 100 years. As hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate yesterday, authorities have warned that the worst is yet to come.
Earlier this month many of the same areas were struck by flooding but that event pales in comparison. Rainfall amounts have been staggering in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. From New York to Maine, widespread flooding is expected.
The nation’s smallest state, Rhode Island, has suffered the most with rainfall in some areas approaching 10 inches. 120 homes in Cranston were evacuated and in Warwick 300 apartments and 100 businesses fled the rising floodwaters.
Interstate 95, the main route between Boston and New York was closed and may remain so for days. Amtrak was forced to cancel some train service through the region due to water on its tracks.
Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri said, “None of us alive have seen the flooding that we are experiencing now or going to experience. This is unprecedented in our state’s history.”
The governor gave all non-essential state personnel the day off and officials asked schools and businesses to consider closing as well.
The Pawtuxet River crested early Wednesday in Cranston at 20.79 feet – more than 10 feet above flood level and almost six feet above the record level.
Other rivers in the region were already above flood stage and some may not crest for days leading officials to warn that the worst is yet to come. The Charles River in Dover, Massachusetts and Merrimack Basin tributaries in New Hampshire and Massachusetts were at ‘major flood stage’ according to NOAA’s Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service.
State of emergencies were declared in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts and governors in those states called out the National Guard to help with relief and recovery efforts.
President Barack Obama had already declared Major Disasters for Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts from the flooding earlier this month.
A British Parliament committee has largely absolved scientists involved in the Climategate email scandal but also accused them of a 'culture of withholding information.' (Examiner.com)
A formal inquiry by the British Parliament’s Science and Technology Committee into the Climategate email scandal has largely absolved the British scientists involved of the most serious allegations against them. The panel did however also conclude that there were issues that needed to be addressed in order to allay public doubts about the scientists’ work.
Among the issues the committee discussed were the charges of manipulation / suppression of data, UAE’s / CRU’s practices for information dissemination and its compliance with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
In a 63 page report (link above), the British MP’s outline the case against those involved and the conclusions they reached. For most critical issues including the charges of data manipulation that were brought about by emails discussing a ‘trick’ to ‘hide the decline’, the panel concluded Jones and his colleagues had not done anything untoward.
It further concluded that the climate data generated by CRU is in line with other datasets from NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS) and the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). “We therefore conclude that there is independent verification, through the use of other methodologies and other sources of data, of the results and conclusions of the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia,” the report said.
A statement accompanying the report, the panel said that, “The focus on Professor Jones and CRU has been largely misplaced.” It notes that Jones’ limiting of access to the underlying data of his conclusions about manmade climate change were ‘standard practice’ in climate science.
However, all was not perfect in the report at the panel slammed the scientists and university for their lack of action on Freedom of Information Act requests. Get all the details at the Climate Change Examiner.
Denver set a new high temperature record for today, breaking a 131 year old record.
Following on last week’s wintry blast, residents of the Mile High City were anxious for spring-like weather and they received it today. Denver has officially set a new record high temperature for the date breaking a 131 year old record.
The National Weather Service reported that at 3:32pm the mercury reached 82 degrees at the official measuring station at Denver International Airport (DIA). This breaks the previous record of 81 degrees set in 1879. The service noted that Rutherford B. Hayes was our 19th president at the time.
Here at ThorntonWeather.com, we reached a high of 81.7 degrees at 4:01pm.
Other area stations reported similarly warm temperatures. Longmont reached a high temperature of 83 degrees breaking its old record of 81 degrees set in 1986. On the Rocky Mountain Weather Network, Arvada reached 84 degrees, north Denver 83 degrees, Littleton 81 degrees and Broomfield 83 degrees.
As seen from space, snow covers the Mid-Atlantic from Washington D.C. through Baltimore and Philadelphia to New York City. (NASA) Watch the amazing time lapse video below.
The northeastern United States has seen a winter of historical proportions as a seemingly endless stream of storms brought record setting levels of snowfall. NASA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) captured a series of these storms as they struck in February.
The amazing time lapse video released by NASA covers the period from February 1st to February 16th. During that time, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington D.C. all saw major winter snowstorms that ranked in each city’s ‘top 10’ and gave way to terms like ‘Snowmageddon’ and ‘Snowpocalypse.’
Baltimore recorded an astounding 24.8 inches from February 5th to the 6th and 19.5 inches from February 10th to the 11th. The nation’s capital received 17.8 inches of snow during the February 5th / 6th snowstorm. The City of Brotherly Love was similarly buried under 28.5 inches from February 5th to the 6th and 15.8 inches from February 10th to the 11th.
The February storms added to already hefty seasonal snowfall totals across the northeastern United States that actually got a start in December. Baltimore, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Atlantic City have all seen seasonal snowfall records.
In a statement accompanying the video which compressed 16 days into two minutes, NASA explains these “Nor’easters”. “The counter-clockwise circulation around a low pressure system on the Atlantic coast pushes moist sea air from the north-east into arctic air over the land. This windy mixture creates a very efficient snow-making machine from Boston to Washington,” the agency said.
This story was originally published on Examiner.com. For all the latest on all types of natural disasters from snowstorms to sandstorms to earthquakes, please visit the Natural Disasters Examiner.
March 28 to April 3 - This week in Denver weather history
Looking at historical weather records can oftentimes provide insight into what weather we can expect over a given period of time. As we saw this past week, while the calendar says spring, Old Man Winter can return very quickly. Our look at this week in Denver weather history we see much of the same – major snowstorms and blizzards that impact travel and knock out power to residents. Also, these spring snowstorms are often moisture-laden and their sheer weight can be damaging.
27-28
In 1951…heavy snowfall totaled 6.5 inches at Stapleton Airport where north winds gusted to 38 mph on the 27th and 41 mph on the 28th.
In 1972…heavy snowfall of 6.2 inches was measured at Stapleton International Airport…where northeast winds gusted to only 21 mph.
In 1980…a major blizzard struck the northeastern Colorado plains…closing both I-70 and I-76 to the east of Denver for a time. Some areas received 1 to 2 feet of snow. Drifts were 4 to 8 feet high. The storm killed many young livestock. At Stapleton International Airport…snowfall totaled 6.7 inches from the storm and north winds gusted to 29 mph.
In 2002…high winds developed in the foothills west of metro Denver. Winds gusted to 81 mph near Fritz Peak…72 mph at Rollinsville…and 70 mph at Blackhawk. West winds gusted to 51 mph on the 27th and to 45 mph on the 28th at Denver International Airport where the temperature warmed to a high of 69 degrees on the 28th.
27-29
In 1948…high winds raked Boulder. A wind gust to 75 mph was recorded at Valmont. Sustained winds in excess of 35 mph were estimated in Boulder. Minor damage was reported.
In 1961…heavy snowfall totaled 9.5 inches at Stapleton Airport over the 3 day period. Most of the snow…5.3 inches…fell on the 28th. Winds were generally light and gusted to only 22 mph from the north.
28
In 1886…the lowest recorded temperature in March…11 degrees below zero…occurred.
In 1911…a thunderstorm produced snowfall of 0.4 inch…which was the only measurable snowfall of the month…making the month the second least snowiest March on record.
In 1962…a vigorous cold front produced strong winds across eastern Colorado. North winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton Airport where visibility was briefly reduced to 3/4 mile in blowing dust. A construction worker was injured in Aurora when he was struck by a windblown piece of plywood.
28-29
In 1891…rain changed to snow and totaled 9.7 inches in the city. Northeast winds were sustained to 12 mph with gusts to 28 mph on the 28th.
In 1910…a strong cold front brought much wind…rain…and snow to the city. Rain on the 28th changed to snow early on the 29th. Snowfall totaled only 2.8 inches…but north winds were sustained to 50 mph on the 29th. Precipitation from the storm totaled 0.96 inch.
In 1994…moist upslope winds combined with an upper level system to dump 5 to 7 inches of snow along the eastern foothills and across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 6.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 39 mph. Thirteen inches of new snow were measured at the Eldora Ski Area west of Boulder.
A fissure in the earth nearly one half mile long has opened and continues to experience heightened activity.
In addition to the dangers presented by the ash and lava, Eyjafjallajokull sits beneath a massive glacier of the same name. Should the eruption spread, it could begin to melt the glacier creating massive flooding.
Eyjafjallajokull last erupted in 1821, an event that lasted for more than a year but was relatively minor in nature. Prior to that, an explosive eruption occurred on the mountain in 1612.
NASA’s Terra satellite flew over the area on Wednesday and from its perch in space, it captured images clearly showing the flowing lava, steam and plume of smoke.
March 24, 2010 - Early morning look as the snowstorm comes to an end.
Colorado was slammed with an early spring snowstorm on Tuesday, March 23, 2010 that left the Mile High City buried in a blanket of white. Widespread poweroutages were reported, the evening commute was a mess and residents worked to dig themselves out from the heavy, wet snow.
Across the nation there are thousands of Personal Weather Stations (PWS) that are owned and operated by weather enthusiasts. These stations provide valuable services to their communities and their data is oftentimes used by local news media and even the National Weather Service.
ThorntonWeather.com is proud to be one of these stations providing local weather to residents of the City of Thornton. Our site has become extremely popular as we are the most comprehensive source for Thornton weather.
Our webcams followed the storm as it arrived in Thornton on Tuesday and below is a time lapse video from the east camera. The day starts out relatively nice with temperatures in the 40’s but by late afternoon, the video shows conditions deteriorating rapidly.
An image taken from ThorntonWeather.com's east camera at the height of the storm on Tuesday.
Update, 3:25pm: With many businesses and schools closed for the day, Thornton residents have spent the day digging out from a snowstorm that officially dumped 10 inches of snow in Denver. Areas to the west in the foothills and the south along the Palmer Divide had 18 inches or more while ThorntonWeather.com recorded 8.9 inches. Click here to view the latest snowfall reports.
This latest snowfall puts Denver at 12.0 inches of snow for the month as measured at the official station at Denver International Airport. That is slightly above the March average of 11.7 inches. For the season, Denver has recorded 58.0 inches which is fast approaching the average of 61.7 inches.
As in the past, questions continue to dog the weather measurements at DIA however as they don’t reflect what most of the population of Denver actually sees. The accuracy of the measurements also is questionable as yesterday DIA recorded 0.61 inch of precipitation – far below what was likely received between the rain and snow melt.
Out at DIA, operations are slowly getting back to normal after scores of flights had been canceled due to the weather. At one point the FAA imposed a hold on arriving flights so the airport could catch up on departures. Many flights had been delayed while waiting for deicing and snow removal operations.
Xcel Energy continues to try to work to restore power to all of its customers after up to 36,000 lost electricity. The power company’s website still lists hundreds of outages affecting thousands of customers, including many in Thornton.
.jpg "As seen from space, snow covers the Mid-Atlantic from Washington D.C. through Baltimore and Philadelphia to New York City. (NASA) Watch the amazing time lapse video below.")
