The first New Year's Eve blue moon in 19 years will shine on revelers this year. (NASA)
A relatively rare New Year’s Eve blue moon will be shining down on revelers as they ring in 2010. Blue moons are relatively common but it has been 19 years since one was coupled with December 31st and it will be another 19 years before another occurs.
Since the 1940s the term ‘blue moon’ has come to mean the second full moon in any given month. Full moons occur every 29.5 days so most years have 12 full moons. When the calendar aligns just right though, an ‘extra’ full moon can occur. The blue moon occurs every 2 years, 7 months so given its relatively infrequency, one can understand where the phrase ‘once in a blue moon’ got its meaning.
That current definition of ‘blue moon’ actually came about as a mistake. The phrase itself has been around for at least 400 years. Prior to the 1940s the Maine Farmers’ Almanac tied the event to the seasons saying a blue moon was the fourth full moon in a season rather than the usual three. Its explanation however was entirely convoluted and difficult to understand.
In 1946 the magazine Sky & Telescope published an article titled “Once in a Blue Moon” and in it the author misinterpreted the almanac saying the “second [full moon] in a month, so I interpret it, is called Blue Moon.” This mistake caught on in modern folklore and continues to this very day.
Christmas in Thornton was certainly a white one thanks to the snow we received in the days leading up to the holiday. The morning of Christmas Eve we headed out and took some photos near the old Eastlake grain elevator and Eastlake Reservoir. The slideshow below has some of the best photos – hope you enjoy them!
December 27 to January 2 - This week in Denver weather history
Snow and wind are the two dominant weather conditions seen on our look back at this week in Denver weather history. Three years ago, the second of two major winter storms buried Denver and closed highways. Two years ago, damaging winds that downed trees and caused power outages occurred.
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In 1980…temperatures were unusually warm during the week between Christmas and new year’s. High temperatures for the week ranged from the mid-50’s to the mid-70’s. Four temperature records were set. Record highs occurred on the 26th with 68 degrees…the 27th with 75 degrees…and the 30th with 71 degrees. A record high minimum temperature of 41 degrees occurred on the 27th.
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In 1954…a major storm dumped heavy snow across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 8.6 inches at Stapleton Airport. The storm produced the heaviest snowfall of the calendar year and was the only measurable snowfall in December.
In 1987…a snowstorm stalled in northeastern Colorado…giving metro Denver its worst winter storm in 4 years. Total snowfall from the storm ranged from 12 to 18 inches on the east side…1 to 2 feet in Boulder County…and 2 to 3 feet in western and southern parts of metro Denver. The largest reported snowfall was 42 inches at Intercanyon in the foothills southwest of Denver. Snowfall totaled 14.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport. Winds were light on the 26th…but increased as high as 40 mph on the 27th… Creating near-blizzard conditions and forcing complete closure of Stapleton International Airport for about 8 hours. The strong winds whipped drifts to 5 feet high on the east side of town. All interstate Highways leading from Denver were closed on the 27th.
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In 1979 a heavy snow storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of snow over the metro area and 15 to 20 inches at Boulder with up to 2 feet in the foothills west of Boulder. Heavy snowfall totaled 6.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 21 mph. Most of the snow… 4.8 inches…fell on the 27th.
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In 1895…west Chinook winds sustained to 44 mph with gusts to 48 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 52 degrees.
In 1901…an apparent cold front produced sustained north winds to 41 mph with gusts to 48 mph.
In 1957…northwest winds gusting to 52 mph produced some blowing dust across metro Denver.
In 1975…a northwest wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1976…a strong pacific cold front moving across metro Denver produced a northwest wind gust to 53 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1990…high winds raked the eastern foothills with a wind gust to 84 mph clocked on fritz peak near Rollinsville. The strong northwest winds of 50 to 70 mph whipped newly fallen snow over higher areas into billowy clouds several hundred feet high that could be seen from most locations across metro Denver.
In 1996…another round of high winds developed over portions of the Front Range foothills during the morning hours. Several wind gusts from 70 to 100 mph were reported at Wondervu southwest of Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to 38 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2005…a trained weather observer in Georgetown recorded a wind gust to 94 mph. No damage was reported.
In 2007…a winter storm brought heavy snow to portions of the urban corridor and adjacent plains. Storm totals generally ranged from 3 to 7 inches. Locally heavier bands produced up to 10 inches of snow. In the urban corridor…storm totals included: 10 inches…10 miles south-southeast of Buckley AFB and at Castle Pines; 9.5 inches…4 miles south-southeast of Aurora and Kassler; 7.5 inches…2 miles southeast of Highlands Ranch; 7 inches in Aurora and Sedalia; 6.5 inches in Arvada…4 miles east of Denver and Lafayette; 6 inches in Castle Rock and Thornton. A measurement of 5.4 inches was taken at the former Stapleton International Airport. The official total for the month was 20.9 inches; making it the 6th snowiest December on record.
Two thirds of the contiguous United States had a white Christmas. (NOAA)
Christmas 2009 may have granted some people’s wishes for a white Christmas but for millions it equated to misery. A series of snowstorms blanketed two thirds of the nation in snow and snarled holiday plans for many.
From Texas to North Dakota and Nevada to Minnesota the breadth of the storms was tremendous. Holiday travelers were forced to spend their Christmas in airports and shelters while those already at home devoted their holiday to digging out from the heavy snowfall.
Dallas, Texas experienced its first white Christmas in 80 years. The three inches of snow that fell Christmas Eve was a record for the date and lasted long enough for residents to wake up to a cover of white early Christmas morning.
Oklahoma bore a big hit from the storms as 14 inches of snow was recorded in Oklahoma City on Christmas Eve, easily eclipsing the previous record for the date of 2.5 inches. Blizzard conditions forced Governor Brad Henry to order every interstate and highway in the state closed Christmas Eve due to the dangerous conditions. Will Rogers World Airport shut down for a period and was finally able to clear one runway Christmas Day.
Happy holidays from ThorntonWeather.com! Image of the old Eastlake grain elevator, Christmas Eve 2009. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Mother Nature was kind enough to bring us a white Christmas this year and the city looks beautiful covered in a blanket of white as we sit here and write this. The holidays are a special time of year for us as we are sure it is for all of our visitors.
Other than a brief interruption courtesy of the U.S. Navy, we are life-long residents of the north metro area and have lived in Thornton more than 11 years. We are proud to call the city our home and believe it is one of the finest communities in the state. Over the past year ThorntonWeather.com has grown by leaps and bounds and thousands of area residents get their weather from us. We provide the site as a public service and it makes us happy to see so many people trust us to provide them with the latest news, information and forecasts.
Please take some time out of all the hustle and bustle of the coming days to remember our brave soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who are serving and protecting our nation at home and abroad. Many of them won’t be with their families this holiday and it is important that we keep them in our prayers and let them know that we are thinking about them. May God watch over all of them!
We wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season and new year and thank you for using ThorntonWeather.com. Having traveled the world, we truly believe there is nothing like a ‘Colorado Christmas’ and to demonstrate that, we offer up this video as proof. Happy holidays!
Santa Claus has begun his whirlwind trip around the globe to deliver toys to all the good little boys and girls! For more than 50 years the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has tracked Kris Kringle on Christmas Eve and helped to ensure he completes his journey safely.
Old Man Winter arrives in Thornton. December 23, 2009. Image courtesy Shannon Vermilye. Click on the picture to view our slideshow of more photos of the weather.
Update, 1:45pm – A white Christmas with snow the ground is an obvious certainty at this point. Most areas around the Denver metro area have received from 3 to 4 inches of snow with higher amounts in the foothills and in Larimer and Weld counties.
The snow continues to fall and will do so throughout the afternoon although we may see a bit of a lull for a short while. Metro area freeways are mainly wet at this point but that could change this evening and tonight when temperatures start to drop.
This evening we will see the winds pick up setting up the potentially for blowing snow conditions that will cause some problems on the roads. Another round of heavier snow is expected to begin this evening and through tonight leading to additional accumulations of 1 to 3 inches. The snow will taper off in the early morning tomorrow and we will end the storm in the neighborhood of 4 to 8 inches total snow accumulation.
A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Front Range extending north beyond the Wyoming border and northeast and east to the Fort Morgan and Limon areas. Further east on the plains a Winter Storm Warning is in effect along the I-70 and I-76 corridors. Travel is likely to become hazardous through Nebraska and Kansas tonight.
Temperatures are the other major part of this storm system. High temperatures will remain quite cold and well below seasonal normals. Overnight lows for the next few nights will dip into the single digits.
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As always, stay tuned to ThorntonWeather.com for truly local weather for Thornton.
Original story, 8:25am – Old Man Winter was a couple days late but he has arrived in the Mile High City overnight. As expected he has brought with him plenty of cold and a bit of snow just in time to give Denver a white Christmas.
Overnight last night most areas across the metro area reported 1 to 2 inches of snow. Areas to the north like Greeley and Fort Collins have received a bit more in the neighborhood of 3 to 5 inches thanks to a decent snow band moving through those areas.
That snow band to the north will begin to move to the south and arrive over Denver this morning increasing our snow totals. We are expecting 1 to 3 inches additional daytime accumulation today and another 1 to 3 overnight Wednesday. This puts us on target for snow totals for the event of 3 to 8 inches.
Temperatures will remain very cold today with the high only reaching the mid 20’s. Tonight winds will pick up and blowing snow could become problematic, particularly in areas east of I-25. Overnight lows will plummet into the single digits.
A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Front Range and mountain areas east of the Continental Divide. When the winds pick up this evening they will lead to blowing and drifting snow and likely impact road travel so caution is advised.
Thursday temperatures remain cold and in the teens. We won’t see much more accumulation but windy conditions will cause what snow has already fallen to blow around, particularly in open areas.
Christmas Day we will see a return of some sun but temperatures remain in the low 20’s. Some of the latest models did introduce a slight chance for flurries so we will keep an eye on that.
Beyond the holiday, warming will gradually continue and the general weather pattern will be dry. Temperatures though are expected to remain a bit chilly and below seasonal norms.
Current weather advisories for northeastern Colorado. Click the image for the latest.
Update, 5:30pm – The snow is still coming, it is just a little bit slower than originally anticipated. A Winter Weather Advisory will go into effect at 8:00pm for the Front Range and a Winter Storm Warning will go into effect for the eastern plains.
Snow will develop later this evening and we still expect to see 2 to 4 inches of snow by morning. The snow will continue through Wednesday and when it ends we will have between 4 and 8 inches total accumulation.
As discussed before (see below), the eastern plains are where the brunt of this storm is really going to hit. Travel on I-70 from Limon through Kansas and I-76 from Sterling through Nebraska is likely to become hazardous later in the day tomorrow.
Original story, 4:14pm – ust in time to potentially snarl holiday travel, a winter storm is bearing down on Thornton and will have far-reaching impacts across the Great Plains. A variety of winter weather advisories and warnings have been issued stretching from Colorado through Kansas north through the Midwest to the Canadian border.
For Colorado, the storm has already begun to affect the southwestern part of the state where snow began falling earlier today. The Colorado Department of Transportation says that chain laws are in effect on US 160 and US 550. As the storm moves further into the state, similar restrictions can be expected.
In Denver, and for much of the Front Range, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 8:00pm tonight through 5:00am Thursday. Snow will begin to develop this evening and continue throughout the day Wednesday before easing late Wednesday afternoon. Look for us to have 2 to 4 inches in the Denver area. By the time the storm is done, we are looking at 4 to 8 inches of total accumulation and with winds blowing from 10 to 20 mph, blowing and drifting snow is likely.
The real threat from this storm will be in areas east and northeast of Denver. The eastern plains of Colorado are forecast to receive 5 to 10 inches and the wide-open expanses and wind could lead to blizzard-like conditions. Travel on I-70 east of Limon through Kansas and I-76 northeast of Sterling through Nebraska will become difficult and possibly dangerous. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for these areas.
This storm certainly won’t come anywhere near the level of the record-setting Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982 however, it will virtually ensure that we have a white Christmas with snow on the ground. Temperatures will be bitterly cold Wednesday through Friday and it may be Sunday before we see them rebound to above freezing.
If you haven’t done so, be sure to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook! They are great ways to stay up to date with the latest weather news, forecasts and conditions!
As always, stay tuned to ThorntonWeather.com for truly local weather for Thornton.
The Blizzard of 2006 buried all of Denver under a heavy blanket of snow that measured more than 2 feet in many areas. More images from the storm can be found at the Denver Weather Examiner - click on the image to go there. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Leading up to the Christmas holidays of 2006 the weather was nothing extraordinary in the Mile High City – until the 20th of the month. Temperatures at the middle of the month had entered into the 60’s and Denver residents were enjoying the warmth.
A few short days later, that all changed in a big way. A slow moving low pressure system coupled with upslope flow and copious amounts of moisture provided the perfect setup for a historical winter storm whose effects would be felt for months. Snow began falling on the morning of the 20th and by the early afternoon blizzard conditions began to set in and it was obvious we were in for one heck of a storm.
Businesses shut down early on the afternoon of the 20th in order to allow their employees extra time to make it home safe but by then a foot or more of snow had fallen across the Front Range. The governor called out the Colorado National Guard to help rescue stranded motorists who were in turn transported to area Red Cross shelters to wait out the storm.
Every major interstate and highway in and out of Denver was shut down and RTD suspended all service in the city for the first time since 2003. Mail service on the 21st was canceled entirely as even the mail carriers couldn’t make their way to their appointed rounds. Most area businesses were forced to shut down on the 21st as employees couldn’t even make it out of their housing developments to get to work.
With glowing red lava now flowing regularly down its sides and seismic activity ‘dramatically increased,’ an eruption of the Mayon Volcano in the Philippines is now considered imminent. Activity on the mountain has steadily increased over the past week and prompted the evacuation of nearly 45,000 area residents.
Today the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) raised the alert level for the volcano to level four which means an eruption is possible within days. A level four alert is second to only level five which would involve an actual eruption taking place.
In its latest alert, the service said “seismic activity dramatically increased in number and size” noting that nearly 2,000 volcanic quakes had been detected. Glowing, red hot lava was easily seen flowing down the slopes of the mountain at night and booms and rumbling were heard. The lava flow now extends more than three miles down the mountain and sulfur dioxide (SO2) is being emitted at a rate of more than 6,000 tons per day.
Emphasizing the danger, PHIVOLCS said in its warning that “a hazardous explosive eruption is possible within days.” With the heightened alert level, it is expected that the evacuation radius will be extended out to five miles from the mountain possibly impacting thousands of more people.
