As Thornton gets hit by a much-needed snowstorm, we are monitoring it very closely and posting regularly to our Facebook page and Twitter feed.
For comprehensive look at the storm, please monitor our Winter Weather Briefing page.
Time to spring forward as Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 14
The biannual ritual of changing our clocks to adjust for Daylight Saving Time occurs this Saturday night providing yet another signal of the changing of seasons. The United States will ‘spring forward’ one hour at 2:00am Sunday morning as we begin Daylight Saving Time.
The ritual of changing our clocks twice a year can be met with some resistance as some people struggle to adjust their body’s internal clock. The start of Daylight Saving Time can be particularly problematic given the one hour less sleep people receive on the night of the change.
However, longer days as we head into the milder months are a very real benefit and for many worth the inconvenience of a lost hour of sleep. The time change definitely has big effects on how much daylight we enjoy during our normal waking hours.
On Saturday, prior to the change, sunset will occur at 6:05pm but on Sunday the sun won’t disappear over the horizon until 7:06pm. This affords folks more time in the evening to get started on those spring-time chores and allows us to get outside and enjoy the warming weather.
The March Equinox is also on the horizon. Spring officially begins at 3:37am on Saturday, March 20.
This year Daylight Savings Time will come to an end on November 7.
Some of the recent history of Daylight Savings Time (from Wikipedia):
Daylight saving time in the United States was first observed in 1918. Most areas of the United States currently observe daylight saving time, with the exceptions being the states of Arizona and Hawaii along with the territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
From 1987 to 2006, daylight saving time in the United States began on the first Sunday of April and ended on the last Sunday of October. The time was adjusted at 2:00 AM (0200) local time (as it still is done now).
Since 2007, daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November, with all time changes taking place at 2:00 AM (0200) local time.
Daylight Savings Time Schedule
| Year | DST Begins 2 a.m. (Second Sunday in March) |
DST Ends 2 a.m. (First Sunday in November) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14 March 2021 | 7 November 2021 |
| 2022 | 13 March 2022 | 6 November 2022 |
| 2023 | 12 March 2023 | 5 November 2023 |
| 2024 | 10 March 2024 | 3 November 2024 |
| 2025 | 9 March 2025 | 2 November 2025 |
| 2026 | 8 March 2026 | 1 November 2026 |
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week in Review
Floods and wildfires are arguably the two most common disasters Coloradans face with numerous such events occurring each year. To better prepare residents for the danger of these disasters, this week is Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week.
Each day this week the National Weather Service will be posting public information statements covering a number of different topics about floods and wildfires. These important messages should be required reading for all Coloradans so they know what to do to prepare for these events and handle them when they occur.
ThorntonWeather.com will be posting each of these messages as a service to our readers. The first of these messages is below. Check back each day this week for further topics.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
600 AM MDT SAT MARCH 13 2021
…COLORADO FLOOD SAFETY AND WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS WEEK IN REVIEW…
Colorado has more than its fair share of floods, flash floods, and wildfires. During the past week, in our effort to build a Weather-Ready Nation, we have presented information to you on how to stay safe and minimize property damage during flood and wildfire threats.
When a flash flood warning is issued for your area, you need to quickly move to higher ground out of drainages or other low spots. It may be just a short run or climb to that higher ground.
Nearly half of all flash flood fatalities occur in vehicles. Do not drive through a flooded roadway. Instead turn around…do not drown. The water may be much deeper than you think, because it may not be possible to see below the surface of flood waters that the roadway has been washed away. One to two feet of water will carry away most vehicles. Additional flood safety information can be found at www.floodsafety.noaa.gov
Areas burned by wildfires are highly susceptible to flash floods, especially within the first two or three years after the wildfire has occurred. Wildfires by themselves destroy much property and occasionally result in fatalities within Colorado. There are actions you can take to protect yourself and minimize the wildfire threat to your property.
If you live near or within a forest or rangeland, you are encouraged to make a defensible space around your home and other structures. Information on how to make a defensible space around your home can be found on the Colorado State Forest Service website at http://csfs.colostate.edu/pages/defensible-space.html
River flooding from snowmelt or persistent rainfall can cause extensive damage to property. There are estimated to be 65 thousand homes and 15 thousand commercial, industrial, and business structures in identified floodplains within Colorado. FEMA has online maps that show if you are in a flood risk area. To access those maps, go to https://msc.fema.gov
If you live in a flood prone area, buying flood insurance is the best thing you can do to protect your home, your business, your family and your financial security. To find an insurance agent and obtain other flood insurance information, go to FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program web site at www.floodsmart.gov
As a reminder, there is generally a 30-day waiting period from the time a flood insurance policy is purchased to when it goes into effect.
Additional information on floods and wildfires is available from your local National Weather Service web sites…
http://www.weather.gov/denver NWS Denver/Boulder web site
http://www.weather.gov/pueblo NWS Pueblo web site
http://www.weather.gov/goodland NWS Goodland web site
http://www.weather.gov/gjt NWS Grand Junction web site
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week
Wildfire Safety and Mitigation – Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week
Floods and wildfires are arguably the two most common disasters Coloradans face with numerous such events occurring each year. To better prepare residents for the danger of these disasters, this week is Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week.
Each day this week the National Weather Service will be posting public information statements covering a number of different topics about floods and wildfires. These important messages should be required reading for all Coloradans so they know what to do to prepare for these events and handle them when they occur.
ThorntonWeather.com will be posting each of these messages as a service to our readers. Please check back daily for a new topic.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
600 AM MDT FRI MARCH 12 2021
…WILDFIRE SAFETY AND MITIGATION…
During this Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week we have discussed floods, flash floods, and how to stay safe when flooding threatens. We also told you that areas burned by wildfires are highly susceptible to flash floods within the first two or three years after the wildfire.
Today we will provide you with information about wildfire safety and mitigation that could save your life and minimize destruction to your personal property.
Colorado experienced some very devastating wildfires in 2013, including the Black Forest Fire, the Royal Gorge Wildfire, and the West Fork Complex which burned over a hundred thousand acres of forest. Two people were killed and over five hundred houses and other buildings were destroyed from the Black Forest Wildfire.
All wildfires need fuel to burn, typically in the form of dry vegetation, as often occurs in forests, grasslands, and cured wheat fields. Tragically, some wildfires also kill people and destroy homes, vehicles, and other personal property. If you live near or within a forest, grassland, or wheat field, there are some actions you can take to minimize your vulnerability to wildfires.
If you are a homeowner, the first defense against wildfires is to create and maintain a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is the area around a home or other structure where fuels and vegetation are treated, cleared or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire. Creating wildfire-defensible zones also reduces the chance of a structure fire spreading to neighboring homes or the surrounding forest. Defensible space also provides room for firefighters to do their jobs when fighting a wildfire.
More information on how to make a defensible space around your home can be found on the Colorado State Forest Service website at http://csfs.colostate.edu/pages/defensible-space.html
During periods of extreme fire danger in forests and rangelands…
…you should avoid being in areas where you might become trapped by a wildfire.
…you should avoid the use of matches or anything else which could ignite a fire.
…make sure that hot parts of motorized equipment, such as mufflers, are not allowed to come in contact with dry grasses or other potentially flammable material.
If you become trapped or cut off by a wildfire, seek shelter in areas with little or no fuel, such as rock slide areas or lakes.
For more information on wildfires and fire safety, please check out the following web addresses…
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ridge2/fire/
http://www.ready.gov/wildfires
http://www.nifc.gov
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week continues through this Saturday.
JIM PRINGLE
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
WFO GRAND JUNCTION CO
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week
Wildfire Awareness – Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week
Floods and wildfires are arguably the two most common disasters Coloradans face with numerous such events occurring each year. To better prepare residents for the danger of these disasters, this week is Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week.
Each day this week the National Weather Service will be posting public information statements covering a number of different topics about floods and wildfires. These important messages should be required reading for all Coloradans so they know what to do to prepare for these events and handle them when they occur.
ThorntonWeather.com will be posting each of these messages as a service to our readers. Please check back daily for a new topic.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER CO
600 AM MDT THU MARCH 11 2021
…Wildfire in Colorado…where do you get your information…
A mixture of large and small wildfires occurred across Colorado in 2018. These fires were due to a mixture of dry conditions, combined with gusty, warm winds and, sometimes, careless fire prevention efforts. There were instances when residents had to be evacuated as a large wildfire moved toward larger communities. Would you know what to do to protect yourself and your loved ones in this situation? In addition, if you live in an area that is susceptible to wildfires, how can you prepare yourself and your home?
To assist in your preparation for fire…the National Weather Service provides a variety of fire weather forecast products. Twice a day in Colorado…fire weather planning forecasts are made from each weather service office serving the state.
A Fire Weather Watch may be issued if in the next 12 to 48 hours the forecast includes gusty winds of 25 mph or greater…relative humidities of less than 15 percent for at least three hours, dry lightning, or a combination of weather and fuel conditions that may make large wildfires possible.
A Red Flag Warning will be issued if these same critical fire conditions are forecast within the next 24 hours. Both Fire Weather Watches and Red Flag Warnings are issued in coordination with land management agencies.
The fire weather spot program supports land management agencies for both prescribed burns and for wildfires. A fire weather spot forecast is a detailed forecast for an individual fire. For national type 2 or type 1 fires the National Weather Service will detail an IMET…incident meteorologist to a fire team to provide onsite weather support and detailed fire forecasts.
If you live in the urban interface there are a number of actions you can take to reduce your personal fire threat including reducing vegetation near the home and putting a fire resistant roof on your home. More information is available from your National Weather Service at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/fire or from your Department of Homeland Security at: http://www.ready.gov/wildfires.
When a fire occurs, there may be years of increased flood threat on the burn scar, as a healthy forest can handle an inch to inch and a half of rain with no flood risk. Once the litter and vegetation is removed by fire…as little as a half inch of rain in a short period can cause serious and possibly life threatening flooding.
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week continues through this Saturday
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week
Flash Flooding – Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week
Floods and wildfires are arguably the two most common disasters Coloradans face with numerous such events occurring each year. To better prepare residents for the danger of these disasters, this week is Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week.
Each day this week the National Weather Service will be posting public information statements covering a number of different topics about floods and wildfires. These important messages should be required reading for all Coloradans so they know what to do to prepare for these events and handle them when they occur.
ThorntonWeather.com will be posting each of these messages as a service to our readers. Please check back daily for a new topic.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
600 AM MDT WED MARCH 10 2021
Today’s topic during this Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness week is flash floods.
Flash floods are no strangers to Colorado. Since the year 1900, nearly 300 people have been killed in flash floods across the Centennial state.
In terms of lives lost, the worst flash flood occurred on July 31, 1976 in the Big Thompson Canyon between Estes Park and Loveland. A nearly stationary storm produced around 12 inches of rain in 4 hours, claiming 144 lives.
Three other notable flash floods in Colorado were:
In 1904, just north of Pueblo, a bridge failed and around 100 people drowned when a passenger train plunged into Fountain Creek.
The 1997 Fort Collins episode drowned 5 people and caused 200 million dollars of property damage.
In 2013, 9 people drowned during the historic September rain episode, which was a combination of flash floods and river floods. These floods were much more extensive than the Big Thompson Canyon flood of 1976, but because of timely and accurate warnings, many people stayed out of harms way and lives were saved.
A flash flood is defined as a rapid rise in water levels, generally occurring in less than 6 hours, along large creeks, normally dry washes, arroyos, or over normally dry land areas, and can occur with little advanced notice.
Flash floods frequently result from high rainfall rates, and infrequently result from dam failures, levee failures, or sudden breaks in river ice jams. Flash floods are very destructive, due to the force of the moving water, and the accompanying debris. This tremendous force can easily damage or destroy roadways, bridges, and buildings.
In recent years, Colorado has seen major flooding and damage when heavy rains have occurred on wildfire burn scar areas. If you are in or near a burn scar area, you need to plan ahead. Be aware of general flash flood plans and procedures that have been developed and implemented by your local emergency management officials. You should know your flash flood risks, and make your plans to save your life and those around you.
The National Weather Service forecast offices will discuss flash flood potential in daily hazardous weather outlooks, and in graphical weather stories on National Weather Service forecast office web sites.
During days when flash flooding is possible a Flash Flood Watch will be issued.
During days when flash flooding is likely or occurring, a Flash Flood Warning will be issued.
When a Flash Flood Warning is issued for your area, you need to act quickly if you are in a drainage area or in other low spots. Know your escape routes to higher ground and act as quickly as possible. It may be just a short walk or climb to that higher ground.
Many flash flood deaths occur in vehicles. Do not drive through a flooded roadway. The water may be much deeper than you think, because the roadway may be damaged or washed away. One to two feet of water will carry away most vehicles. Instead turn around, do not drown.
For more information on flood safety go to…
http://www.floodsafety.noaa.gov
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week
Long Time Frame Flooding – Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week
Floods and wildfires are arguably the two most common disasters Coloradans face with numerous such events occurring each year. To better prepare residents for the danger of these disasters, this week is Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week.
Each day this week the National Weather Service will be posting public information statements covering a number of different topics about floods and wildfires. These important messages should be required reading for all Coloradans so they know what to do to prepare for these events and handle them when they occur.
ThorntonWeather.com will be posting each of these messages as a service to our readers. Please check back daily for a new topic.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
600 AM MDT TUESDAY MARCH 9 2021
Today’s topic during this Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week is flooding which develops in the time frame of longer than 6 hours to several days. Floods in Colorado can result from snow melt, ice jams, a combination of snow melt and heavy rain, or just heavy rain. National Weather Service forecast offices in Colorado closely collaborate with regional River Forecast Centers that monitor the Colorado River, South Platte River, Arkansas River, and Rio Grande to come to a consensus on the likelihood of flooding along rivers and large creeks.
The National Weather Service will discuss flood potential in hydrologic outlooks, daily hazardous weather outlooks, and in graphical weather stories on National Weather Service forecast office websites.
Hydrologic statements may be issued for high flows that are within the banks of a river or large creek.
When flooding is possible on a river or large creek, a Flood Watch will be issued, meaning flooding is possible within the designated watch area.
When flooding is likely or occurring on a river or large creek, a Flood Warning will be issued, meaning flooding is expected or has been reported at designated river forecast points.
Flood Advisories may be issued for minor flooding on rivers and creeks.
An Areal Flood Warning may also be issued for flooding on a river or large creek in areas away from the designated river forecast points.
You can easily monitor potential flooding along rivers in Colorado and large creeks using the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service monitoring system. Information on this monitoring system can be obtained from this web site: https://water.weather.gov/ahps2
This monitoring system can be accessed on Colorado National Weather Service forecast office websites by clicking Rivers and Lakes.
At each river and large creek gauge you can easily look at current and forecast water levels, flood categories, historic crests, and flood impacts. Probabilities of exceedance of certain water levels by week or over the long term are also available.
In general, there will be some time to prepare for river and large creek flooding, and emergency management in your area has plans in place to address flooding issues. Know these plans and how you should act accordingly when Flood Watches and Flood Warnings are in effect.
For more information on flood safety go to… http://www.floodsafety.noaa.gov
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week
Types of Floods – Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week
Floods and wildfires are arguably the two most common disasters Coloradans face with numerous such events occurring each year. To better prepare residents for the danger of these disasters, this week is Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week.
Each day this week the National Weather Service will be posting public information statements covering a number of different topics about floods and wildfires. These important messages should be required reading for all Coloradans so they know what to do to prepare for these events and handle them when they occur.
ThorntonWeather.com will be posting each of these messages as a service to our readers. Check back each day for a new topic.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER CO
600 AM MDT MON MARCH 8 2021
Flooding can be a major problem in Colorado as we experienced in September 2013. Heavy rain fell over a large area of the foothills south to the Pikes Peak Region, resulting in flash flooding. Much of the water that fell across northeast Colorado eventually ended up in the South Platte River, with major river flooding having occurred from Greeley to the state line.
River flooding can result from heavy rain during the summer and from rapid snow melt or thunderstorm rain combining with runoff from melting snow. Flash flooding refers to a dangerous sudden rise in water within an urban area, in a canyon, or along a creek or wash over normally dry land area. Flash floods result from heavy rainfall, sudden breaks in river ice jams, and dam or levee failures.
Flash floods can occur within a few minutes or hours, and can move at surprisingly high speeds, striking with little warning. Flash floods are quite destructive because of the force of the moving water, and the debris that accumulates in flood waters, such as trees and boulders, which can destroy roadways, bridges and buildings.
Another complication in Colorado is the serious flooding that can result when heavy rain falls on recently burned areas. Anyone living downstream from a recently burned area should be aware of the changed conditions, which result in much faster, turbulent, debris and ash clogged waters from the burned area.
The National Weather Service will discuss flood and flash flood potential in daily Hazardous Weather Outlooks and in the graphical weather story on National Weather Service websites. On days with a high threat for flooding, you may hear of a Flash Flood or Flood Watch, which means that flash flooding or flooding is possible within the watch area.
A Flood Warning means that flooding is imminent or has been reported along a river.
A Flash Flood Warning means that flash flooding has been reported or is imminent.
When a Flash Flood Warning is issued for your area, act quickly. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately. Go to higher ground or climb to safety before access is cut off by flood waters. Go Up, Not Out. Nearly half of all flash flood fatalities are vehicle related. Do not enter a flooded roadway, instead Turn Around…Don’t Drown. In rapidly rising waters, backing up away from water would be safer. One to two feet of water will carry away most vehicles, and you also cannot tell if the road is damaged beneath the water.
More information on flooding hazards can be found on the National Weather Service Flood Safety page here.
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week continues through this Saturday.
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week
- Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week Introduction
- Types of Floods
- Long Time Frame Flooding
- Flash Flooding
- Wildfire Awareness
- Wildfire Safety and Mitigation
- Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week in Review
March 7 to March 13: This week in Denver weather history
As we talked about in our March weather preview, Denver can see the entire gamut of weather conditions this time of year and our look back at this week in history shows that. There are of course plenty of the famous March snowstorms including big ones in 1992 and 1998. We also see the usual high winds such as was the case in 2000 and even extreme cold as we saw over an extended period in 1906.
- 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!
6-7
In 1981…a storm dumped 4 to 8 inches of snow over higher elevations between Denver and Colorado springs. At Stapleton International Airport…north winds gusted to 16 mph and snowfall totaled only 2.5 inches.
In 1998…heavy snow fell over portions of metro Denver and the adjacent foothills. Snowfall totals included 11 inches at Chief Hosa…10 inches near Evergreen…8.5 inches in Broomfield…8 inches at Bailey…and 7 inches at both Standley Lake and Thornton. Elsewhere…snowfall across metro Denver ranged from 3 to 6 inches with 4.9 inches measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 26 mph at Denver International Airport on the 7th. Several accidents occurred along area roads and highways when they became icy and snowpacked.
6-8
In 1932…snowfall totaled 6.3 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…5.2 inches…fell on the 8th. Northeast winds gusted to 20 mph on the 6th.
7
In 1872…heavy rain started shortly after midnight and soon turned to sleet…which continued to just after sunrise…the ground at that time not even being white. At about 7:00 am the worst snow storm of the winter commenced and continued until 10:00 pm…snowing heavily nearly all the time. North winds averaged a sustained speed of 25 mph. About 8 inches of snow fell…but it drifted too much to obtain a direct measurement.
In 1901…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph. The strong Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 70 degrees.
In 1902…northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 53 mph.
In 1950…strong north winds at 40 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph produced a dust storm across metro Denver. At Stapleton Airport…blowing dust reduced visibility to as low as 1/4 mile for most of the day.
In 1972…northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The Chinook winds warmed temperatures to a high of 64 degrees.
In 1984…a wind gust to 63 mph was recorded at Golden Gate Canyon west of Denver. West winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
7-8
In 1878…snow from the evening of the 7th until noon of the 8th totaled only 5 inches in downtown Denver. Apparent heavier snow over the plains along with strong winds drifted the snow into high drifts…which delayed trains for several days and caused a great loss of livestock. Melting of the snow caused a rise in Cherry Creek…which resulted in much damage. Precipitation from the storm totaled only 0.50 inch in Denver.
In 2000…high winds developed in and near the Front Range foothills…as well as parts of the northeast Colorado plains as another pacific storm system moved across the area. Several trees and power lines were downed near Blackhawk…Boulder…and in Coal Creek Canyon. About 30 homes in the Pinebrook Hills subdivision in Boulder were evacuated when downed power lines sparked a grassfire. The winds eventually shifted the fire onto itself…thus allowing firefighters to contain the two acre blaze. Several roofs were blown off barns…sheds… And garages. Two semi-trailers were blown over…one along c-470 between Golden and Morrison and another north of Denver on I-25. Wind gusts reached 101 mph on Rocky Flats…100 mph at the nearby national wind technology center…90 mph at Blackhawk and atop Blue Mountain…92 mph in south Boulder…73 mph in Coal Creek Canyon…72 mph in Golden…and 70 mph at Louisville. Northwest winds gusted to 45 mph on the 7th and to 49 mph on the 8th at Denver International Airport.
8
In 1878…winds started to increase at 4:00 am and blew steadily at sustained speeds of 36 to 40 mph with a maximum sustained speed of 60 mph around 11:00 am. Snowfall of 5.0 inches occurred in the city…but much more snow fell on the plains…which blockaded trains bound for the city for several days.
In 1898…northwest winds sustained to 53 mph with gusts to 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 67 degrees.
In 1908…light snowfall of 0.8 inch produced only 0.01 inch of precipitation. This along with the 0.10 inch of precipitation on the 21st resulted in the driest March on record with a total of 0.11 inch of precipitation.
In 1986…temperatures climbed from a record high minimum of 45 degrees to a record maximum of 72 degrees for the day.
In 2005…a vigorous cold front moved a wall of blowing dust across metro Denver during the mid-morning. At Denver International Airport…north winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 55 mph…along with very light rain which changed to snow…briefly reduced the surface visibility to 1 mile. A thunderstorm formed over Arvada. With the passage of the cold front…the temperature plunged 11 degrees in just 16 minutes at Denver International Airport where precipitation was only 0.01 inch along with 0.1 inch of snow.
8-9
In 1992…a major blizzard struck metro Denver. The storm was preceded by thunderstorms with small hail during the afternoon of the 8th. By evening…with the passage of a strong arctic cold front…snow began falling. Strong north to northeast winds at 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 52 mph produced near zero visibilities in blizzard conditions across metro Denver. By the morning of the 9th…snowfall amounts up to a foot and a half were reported with drifts of 2 to 4 feet. Many roads were closed including I-70 east of Denver and I-25 both north and south of Denver. Many homes and stores were temporarily without power. Snowfall amounts included: 18 inches at Conifer…13 inches in Boulder and Denver…12 inches at Brighton and Morrison…and 10 inches at Aurora. Snowfall totaled 12.4 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusting as high as 52 mph reduced the visibility to zero at times in heavy snow and blowing snow.
In 2002…high winds occurred in the foothills west of Denver. Winds gusted to 95 mph near Fritz Peak and to 73 mph near Nederland.
8-10
In 1989…unusually warm weather set four daily temperature records in Denver. The high temperature of 74 degrees on the 8th exceeded the record. Records were equaled on the 9th with a high of 77 degrees and the 10th with a high of 79 degrees. The low temperature of 42 degrees on the 10th set a new record high minimum for the date.
9
In 1918…northwest winds sustained to 44 mph with gusts as high as 52 mph occurred during the early morning hours.
In 1960…west-northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1980…high winds were recorded in the foothills with a wind gust to 84 mph at Wondervu. Northwest winds gusted to 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1982…strong Chinook winds buffeted the foothills in Boulder. Wind gusts of 60 to 90 mph toppled a microwave dish antenna and blew the shell off a camper. West winds gusted to 47 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1986…high winds in the foothills with gusts of 60 to 70 mph were reported at Golden Gate Canyon and in Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
9-10
In 1904…strong Chinook winds raked the city for 2 days. On the 9th…west winds sustained to 53 mph with gusts to 62 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees. On the 10th… West winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 54 mph. The high temperature was 58 degrees.
In 2013…a storm system brought heavy snow to areas in and near the Front Range Mountains and Foothills where storm totals included: 13 inches at Berthoud Pass SNOTEL…12 inches at Arapahoe Ridge; 11 inches…5 miles southwest of Golden; 10.5 inches near Kittridge; 10 inches at Lake Eldora and Pine Junction; 9.5 inches near Conifer…9 inches…near Bailey and 9 miles east-northeast of Nederland…Joe Wright and Strontia Springs. Along the Urban Corridor…some storm totals included: 8.5 inches at Highlands Ranch and near Morrison; 8 inches in Arvada; 7 inches…5 miles northeast of Westminster; 6.5 inches at Centennial…Lone Tree and Wheat Ridge; 6 inches in West Denver…Hygiene…Lyons and Thornton…5.5 inches in Broomfield; with 5 inches in Aurora and the former Stapleton International Airport. Across the Palmer Divide and northeast plains of Colorado…storm totals ranged anywhere from 2 to 10 inches. The combination of snow and strong wind produced blizzard conditions and forced the closure of Interstate 70 east of Denver. Sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph produced near zero visibilities at times and snowpacked roads. Snowdrifts from 2 to 4 feet deep were reported. As a result…many of the roadways became impassable. Officially…Denver International recorded 5.4 inches of snowfall on the 9th. In addition…a peak wind gust to 38 mph was observed from the north.
Continue reading March 7 to March 13: This week in Denver weather history
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week begins
Floods and wildfires are arguably the two most common disasters Coloradans face with numerous such events occurring each year. To better prepare residents for the danger of these disasters, this week is Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week.
Each day this week the National Weather Service will be posting public information statements covering a number of different topics about floods and wildfires. These important messages should be required reading for all Coloradans so they know what to do to prepare for these events and handle them when they occur.
ThorntonWeather.com will be posting each of these messages as a service to our readers. The first of these messages is below. Check back each day this week for further topics.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER CO
600 AM MDT SUN MARCH 7 2021
Flood and wildfire season is approaching. The National Weather Service Offices in Colorado have joined with Colorado Governor Jared Polis to declare March 7 to 13 Colorado FLOOD SAFETY AND WILDFIRE AWARENESS WEEK. Use the information provided during the coming days to help understand your risks from floods and wildfire and make your plans to be prepared.
The National Weather Service wants everyone in the United States to be part of a Weather-Ready nation. Colorado has more than its fair share of floods, flash floods, and wildfires. You should be weather alert and weather-ready, knowing how to stay safe when floods and wildfires affect your area.
Floodprone areas have been identified in over 250 cities and towns and in all 64 counties in Colorado. Over 250 thousand people live in floodplains in Colorado. There are estimated to be 65 thousand homes and 15 thousand commercial, industrial, and business structures in identified floodplains. There are likely many more structures located within unmapped flood hazard areas. The value of the property, structures, and contents located in the identified floodplains is estimated to be around 15 billion dollars.
Floods and flash floods have killed over 400 people in Colorado since the turn of the 20th century. The historic weather pattern of September 2013 reminds us all that floods are a major concern across the Centennial state. Floods have caused billions of dollars of damage in Colorado.
On average, 2500 wildfires occur across Colorado each year. Since 2012, 8 people have been killed when wildfires occurred in the wildland-urban interface.
The National Weather Service forecast offices which serve Colorado will issue a series of public information statements during this Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week…covering the following topics:
Sunday…Introduction to the week
Monday…Flood watches and warnings
Tuesday…River floods
Wednesday…Flash floods
Thursday…Fire forecasts…watches…and warnings
Friday…Wildfire safety and mitigation
Saturday…Review of the week
More information on floods and wildfires is available at your local National Weather Service web sites…
http://www.weather.gov/denver NWS Dnver/Boulder web site
http://www.weather.gov/pueblo NWS Pueblo web site
http://www.weather.gov/goodland NWS Goodland web site
http://www.weather.gov/gjt NWS Grand Junction web site
Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week