Denver set a temperature record for today, May 19.
It’s official. At 1:24pm today the temperature at Denver International Airport reached 90 degrees setting a new record high temperature for May 19. This breaks the previous record high for this date of 89 degrees set in 2006.
Wtih some cloud cover moving in and a chance for thunderstorms in the forecast, it appears that is as high as the mercury will climb today.
But is it truly a record?
One does have to wonder though, is it truly fair to call this a record? When the National Weather Service moved Denver’s official monitoring station from Stapleton to Denver International Airport, some say the city’s climate records were forever altered. For more information and analysis of the controversy, check out this story: Do Denver weather and climate records have an asterisk attached?
Last Tuesday the VORTEX2 teams chased a system that generated hail, wind and lightning but no tornadoes. Image courtesy VORTEX2 / NSSL.
The scientists and researchers taking part in VORTEX2, the largest ever tornado field study, have been confounded by Mother Nature in their search for twisters. The Verification of Origin of Rotation in Tornadoes EXperiment2 (VORTEX2) and its accompanying 80 scientists and 40 vehicles have yet to track a tornado since the project launched just over a week ago.
The team has tracked severe weather systems from northwestern Texas to Oklahoma and while they have seen severe thunderstorms that produced significant rainfall and winds, twisters have eluded them thus far. While this is undoubtedly frustrating for the team, it has given them time to practice the coordination and deployment of the researchers.
Last Tuesday the team was on their first chase day in west Texas and was able to deploy their mobile radar units and mobile mesonet vehicles. That storm yielded little more than wind and hail but it provided a valuable opportunity to view their plan in action and highlight areas where improvement is needed.
May 17 - May 23 - This week in Denver weather history
As we move further into the severe weather season, we begin to see that transition in our look back at Denver weather history. There are many more mentions of lightning, wildfires, tornadoes, hail and other season weather conditions.
14-18
In 1996…a period of unusually warm weather resulted in 4 record maximum temperatures in 5 days. The record high temperatures were 87 degrees on the 14th…89 degrees on the 15th…and 93 degrees on both the 16th and 18th. The temperature climbed to only 81 degrees on the 17th which was not a record.
16-17
In 1981…a heavy rain storm dumped 1 to 2 1/2 inches of rain across metro Denver. Rainfall totaled 1.27 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 38 mph on 17th.
In 1983…a very strong late spring storm dumped heavy snow over the Front Range. Strong winds with the storm produced blizzard conditions at times. Sustained winds were 20 to 40 mph with a peak gust to 55 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The foothills received 1 to 2 feet of snow with 4 to 12 inches along the foothills. Howling winds whipped the snow into drifts several feet deep…closing schools and highways. Stapleton International Airport was forced to reduce flight operations…closing 2 of 4 runways and stranding hundreds of travelers. Most of the damage and inconvenience caused by the storm was in power outages… Which occurred when wind and heavy wet snow caused hundreds of power poles to snap and topple. About 20 square miles of Denver were blacked out. Precipitation from the storm totaled 1 to 3 inches. At Stapleton International Airport… Snowfall totaled 7.1 inches with a maximum snow depth on the ground of only 2 inches due to melting. The high temperature of 40 degrees on the 17th was a record low maximum for the date. Due to the heavy moisture content of the storm…widespread street flooding occurred on the 18th when much of the snow melted under the warm May sun and temperatures climbed to a high of 57 degrees.
In 1995…significant moisture and upslope flow caused flooding across metro Denver. Moderate to heavy rains… Which began on the evening of the 16th…developed in the foothills and spread eastward over metro Denver throughout the night. The heavy rains brought many creeks and small streams to bankfull or slightly over. Locations along the foothills received between 3 and 4 inches of rainfall from the storm. Boulder received 3.60 inches of rainfall for the 24-hour period…causing minor street flooding near small streams. To the northwest of Boulder…a bridge which crossed Fourmile Creek was washed out. Numerous rock and mudslides occurred in foothills canyons…closing portions of U.S. Highways 6 and 40 and State Highway 119 for a few hours at a time. Rocks were piled 6 feet deep on a stretch of State Highway 119 along with Boulders as large as cars on U.S. Highway 6. A parking lot near a creek in Golden caved in leaving a hole the size of an 18-wheeler. Rushing water washed out a 50-foot stretch of a road in Westminster. Rainfall totaled 1.75 inches at Denver International Airport…but only 1.42 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
A tornado tears through Adair County Wednesday evening. This photograph was taken by Dr. Curtis Roof from Highway 6, facing west. The tornado traveled on a northeastern path, damaging several homes along the way. (Dr. Curtis Roof/Kirksville Daily Express)
The quiet rural area of Kirksville, Missouri was ripped apart Wednesday evening by four tornadoes that destroyed and damaged homes and claimed the lives of three people. The first of the series of tornadoes was reported at 5:49pm local time near this town 120 miles northeast of Kansas City.
Adair County bore the brunt of the line of severe storms as they moved northeast across the nation’s midsection. Two twisters were reported near Novinger, one near Troy Mills and the most damaging one in Kirksville. The Kirksville tornado destroyed at least one house and damaged 30 – 40 others as well as a car dealership.
Two victims were killed in Adair County according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. No details on the circumstances or their names have been released other than to say they were tornado related. One woman was killed in neighboring Sullivan County when a tornado struck her mobile home.
VORTEX2 scientists are on the chase for tornadoes today in west Texas.
Since officially kicking off on Sunday, the weather has been less than cooperative for the VORTEX2 tornado field study teams. From their starting point in Oklahoma, there simply has not been severe weather worthy of them chasing. That is changing right at this moment as the team is on the road and headed to western Texas.
VORTEX2 (Verification of Origin of Rotation in Tornadoes EXperiment2) is nothing short of the most ambitious field study of tornadoes ever launched. Comprising a team of more than 80 scientists utilizing 40 vehicles, 10 mobile radar units and an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from the United States, Canada, Australia and Finland, the study hopes to answer many of the questions about twisters that we do not have answers to.
How do tornadoes form? What exactly causes the wind to spin into a concentrated funnel? How can we tell exactly when a tornado will form and when it will die, or how long it will last? Why do some thunderstorms produce tornadoes and others do not? What is the structure of tornadoes? What is the relationship of tornadic winds to damage?
May 10 to May 16 - This week in Denver weather history
As we move further into spring we begin to less winter-like weather and more spring weather. In looking at Denver weather history we can see that transition with more mentions of severe rains, flooding, tornadoes and other spring and summer-like severe weather.
8-10
In 1979…4.3 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northwest winds gusted to 30 mph on the 8th. Most of the snowfall…2.3 inches…occurred on the 9th. High temperature of only 35 degrees on the 9th equaled the record low maximum for the date.
9-10
In 1889…heavy rainfall totaled 2.15 inches in downtown Denver. The cold rain was mixed with snow at times overnight. Temperatures on the 10th ranged from a high of 38 degrees to a low of 32 degrees with north winds sustained to 22 mph.
In 2003…a late spring snowstorm hammered the mountains… Eastern foothills…and urban corridor. The heaviest snowfall occurred north of interstate 70. The heavy wet snow caused damage to trees throughout metro Denver and downed power lines. About 40 thousand people along the urban corridor were without power. Storm total snowfall amounts included: 11.5 inches in Louisville… 8 inches in Boulder and Broomfield; 7 inches in Thornton…Broomfield…at Denver International Airport… And at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport; and 6 inches 4 miles east of Denver. Snowfall ranged from 4 to 9 inches across extreme southern weld County. In the foothills…15 inches of snow fell near Jamestown…9 inches at Rollinsville and Rawah…with 8 inches at Chief Hosa and atop Lookout Mountain. The snow was accompanied by thunder on the afternoon of the 9th at Denver International Airport where west winds gusted to 25 mph on the 9th and north winds gusted to 22 mph on the 10th.
10
In 1875…a windstorm sand-blasted the city from 10:00 am until midnight. Northwest winds sustained to 60 mph brought clouds of sand…which caused high damage to unfinished buildings.
In 1912…a vigorous cold front produced strong north winds and rain. North winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph. Rainfall totaled 1.10 inch.
In 1935…no precipitation occurred…making this one of only two days without precipitation during the entire month. The other day was the 21st. Precipitation totaled 4.95 inches for the month.
In 1956…northwest winds gusted to 53 mph at Stapleton Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to 1/2 mile in blowing dust.
In 1974…strong winds caused 30 thousand dollars in damage to a building under construction in Lakewood. Microburst winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1988…lightning struck a house in Boulder…setting it afire. The house…valued at 170 thousand dollars…was a total loss.
In 1989…golf ball size hail fell over southeast Denver near the junction of I-25 and I-225. Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter fell over southeast Aurora. Only 3/8 inch hail fell at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1991…high winds up to 63 mph raked the eastern foothills. Winds estimated to 50 mph tore a roof from a home in Lafayette. A tower at Jefferson County stadium in west metro Denver was blown over by the high winds. No injuries were reported. Southeast winds gusting to 48 mph at Stapleton International Airport produced some blowing dust. The temperature climbed to a high of 86 degrees… Equaling the record maximum for the date.
In 2005…severe thunderstorms produced hail as large as 2 inches in diameter in and near Longmont.
Should you ride out a tornado in your vehicle? The Red Cross has issued new guidelines that conflict with those from the National Weather Service. This photo is of a Ford Ranger pickup truck that was blown one-quarter mile and found underneath tree debris after the March 28, 2009 tornado near Corydon, KY. (NWS)
The American Red Cross has updated its tornado safety guidelines, modifying longstanding recommendations putting them in conflict with those provided by NOAA and the National Weather Service. The new guidelines no longer recommend evacuating a car if a tornado is about to strike and finding a low-lying ditch to hide in. Instead, the Red Cross is now recommending remaining in the vehicle.
Until now, all tornado safety guidelines were consistent in saying that remaining in a car during a tornado, just like a mobile home, is one of the worst possible places to be. The vehicle stands a great chance of being picked up and thrown and destroyed with its occupants trapped inside.
The National Weather Service, and the Red Cross until now, believes that lying flat in a ditch provides a greater chance of survival. Your body provides a smaller target for winds and by being in a ditch, debris and winds have a better chance of passing over you.
If you are caught outdoors, seek shelter in a basement, shelter, or sturdy building. If you cannot get to shelter, a recent study* suggests doing the following:
Get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt, and try to drive at right angles to the storm movement and out of the path.
If strong winds and flying debris occur while you are driving, pull over and park, keeping seat belts on and the engine running. Put your head down below the windows, covering with your hands and a blanket if possible.
Vehicles are extremely dangerous in a tornado. If the tornado is visible, far away, and the traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path by moving at right angles to the tornado. Otherwise, park the car as quickly and safely as possible — out of the traffic lanes. [It is safer to get the car out of mud later if necessary than to cause a crash.] Get out and seek shelter in a sturdy building. If in the open country, run to low ground away from any cars (which may roll over on you). Lie flat and face-down, protecting the back of your head with your arms.
Researchers for the Red Cross cited studies from historical tornado damage, injuries and deaths. Rick Bissell of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County was head of the committee that wrote the new recommendations and had posted to his blog, “We found no evidence to support the NWS suggestion that people should lie in a ditch during a tornado if they cannot find solid shelter.”
It should be noted that the “recent study” the commendations cite is actually an older one from 2002. Further, Mr. Bissell’s blog comments have since been removed from the website.
Now Americans are faced with two competing recommendations which could make the difference between life or death. Many believe the Red Cross’ issuing of these new recommendations without collaboration with the weather experts at the National Weather Service is irresponsible. However, there are no hard rules when dealing with Mother Nature and what works in one situation, may not work in a comparable one at a different time.
This vehicle was destroyed by a tornado - if you were in it, would you have survived?
When driving in open country and you see a tornado, simply drive away from the path of the tornado – usually at a 90 degree angle to the path is best. While we all have seen video of people doing it, do not seek shelter beneath a highway underpass as these act like wind tunnels and actually serve to increase the wind speed and collect flying debris. In the extreme situation that you simply cannot get away from a tornado, abandon your vehicle immediately. Lie down in a ditch or culvert and cover your head. This isn’t a particularly good option, but it is safer than remaining in a vehicle.
If you are caught outside with no place to seek shelter, crawl into a ditch or culvert and cover your head. Getting as low as possible will decrease the odds of you being struck by flying debris. This is not ideal, but it is your best course of action.
Ideally you would of course escape the tornado by outrunning it as outlined above or seek shelter in a sturdy building – knock on doors if you have to.
If you are that close to a tornado, pray! If the option to drive the other way is not available… it is luck of the draw. I used to tell my students to get out and curl down in a low ditch by the road with their heads covered – to protect from flying debris. Honestly, who is going to think of getting outside when it gets worse? The car may provide some protection from flying debris. Which in a tornado, could be another car. I can see the fault in getting out of your car, only to get hit by another. The myth of hiding under a highway overpass has been proven wrong. So, drive away or pray!
IN 1898…SNOWFALL TOTALED 15.5 INCHES IN DOWNTOWN DENVER. MOST OF THE SNOW…6.2 INCHES…FELL ON THE 3RD. MOST OF THE SNOW MELTED AS IT FELL. THE GREATEST SNOW DEPTH ON THE GROUND WAS ONLY 2.5 INCHES ON THE 3RD AT 8:00 PM. THIS WAS THE ONLY SNOWFALL DURING THE MONTH. NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 22 MPH ON THE 1ST.
2-3
IN 1979…HEAVY RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW ON THE 2ND. SNOWFALL TOTALED 3.9 INCHES AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT… WHERE NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 26 MPH. THE GREATEST DEPTH OF SNOW ON THE GROUND WAS ONLY 1 INCH AT MIDDAY ON THE 2ND DUE TO MELTING. TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE 2 DAYS WAS 1.65 INCHES
2-4
IN 1987…A SLOW MOVING STORM BROUGHT RAIN…WIND…AND SNOW TO METRO DENVER. RAINFALL TOTALED 1.04 INCHES AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO 48 MPH ON THE 3RD. THE FOOTHILLS RECEIVED 5 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW
2-5
IN 2001…A VERY SLOW MOVING PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM BECAME PARKED NEAR THE FOUR CORNERS REGION…WHICH ALLOWED HEAVY SNOW TO DEVELOP ABOVE 6500 FEET IN THE FOOTHILLS WITH A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW OVER LOWER ELEVATIONS OF METRO DENVER. SNOWFALL TOTALS INCLUDED: 21 INCHES ATOP CROW HILL AND AT IDAHO SPRINGS; 19 INCHES NEAR BLACKHAWK; AND 18 INCHES IN COAL CREEK CANYON…GENESEE…AND 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MORRISON. SNOWFALL TOTALED 6.2 INCHES AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. PRECIPITATION (RAIN AND MELTED SNOW) TOTALED 2.09 INCHES AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO 30 MPH ON THE 2ND.
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In the United States, the winter is generally considered ‘flu season’ and is when we see it most widespread. With the threat of a potential swine flu epidemic, analysts are trying to determine if the weather will play any factor in the spread of the virus.
The flu is spread through contact with an infected person or pig, typically through coughing or sneezing. In the winter, when most people in temperate regions like the United States are spending time indoors in closed environments and in close quarters with those that are infected, it is thought that the flu can be transmitted easier. The water droplets containing the virus are slower to evaporate in cooler weather thus remaining airborne for longer periods of time and increasing chances of others becoming infected.
Outbreaks can and do occur in the tropics however research indicates they occur with less frequency in places that do not have the seasonality that other areas do. Limited laboratory and health data from regions like Africa and Latin America have made it more difficult to track the spread of viruses and thus learn from it.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Monday that it hoped drier and warmer weather would help stifle the effects of the swine flu. The organization is asking health authorities to work with weather services to assess the role of weather and the climate in the outbreak as this is an aspect that is not fully known. WMO spokeswoman Gaelle Sevenier said , “The transmission patterns of this particular influenza and its possible seasonality are as yet not adequately understood and are the subject of ongoing investigations.”
