A full day of events highlights Thornton’s annual WinterFest on Saturday and the weather should cooperate for the most part. It will be a bit cool and windy but there is nothing weather-wise to keep everyone from coming out to this great event.
The outdoor activities start at 9:00 with a community walk around the multipurpose fields (108th & Colorado Blvd). Temperatures will be right around the freezing mark at the start with northwest winds at 5 mph creating a wind chill of 28 degrees. It will be chilly but certainly tolerable.
WinterFest gets started in earnest at 10:00 with a full slate of events. By then the mercury will have climbed to 35 degrees with light winds of 7 mph. Skies overhead will be partly cloudy today but there should at least be intermittent sun to help warm things up.
As the day progresses the thermometer will rise but the winds will also be picking up. The high today will hit 41 degrees by about 1:00pm and hold steady there through 4:00pm when the sun starts to go down. Winds will gradually increase through the morning peaking by 2:00pm at 15 to 20 mph, gusting to 25 mph. After that they should start to die down and by 7:00pm they will be mostly calm.
Fireworks will close out today’s events at 8:30pm and the weather will be chilly but otherwise it should be a great display. Temperatures by then will be down to 30 degrees but the winds will be calm.
The City of Thornton has plenty of activities for the whole family today. From the community walk to Santa’s village, ice skating, food and a concert from the Thornton Community Band. Be sure to come out and join your Thornton neighbors!
Cool and slightly breezy for Santa's arrival in Thornton tonight. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton’s annual WinterFest kicks off this evening at 6:30pm with the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus. The weather will certainly not be a factor and Santa should be able to arrive without any problem and enjoy their time in our city.
Look for temperatures at the recreation center fields to be around 43 degrees when Santa arrives. Temps will drop to around 39 degrees by the time tonight’s festivities end at 9:00pm.
Winds are a bit gusty right now from 10 to 20 mph as a cold front moves through and unfortunately those won’t ease much. Some higher gusts to 30 mph are possible so it will be a bit blustery.
Snow is one thing that Santa won’t really find in Thornton this year. A few flakes may fall this evening but no real accumulation is expected.
Be sure to check back tomorrow for a complete look at Saturday’s weather for tomorrow’s events!
We here at ThorntonWeather.com are tremendous supporters of our nation’s veterans and have contributed our time and our financial resources to various veteran-related causes.
As President Abraham Lincoln said, “Any nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure.” To that end we are strong supporters of the Thornton Veterans Memorial and we were very pleased to hear about a contribution to the project made by a local sculptor, Christopher Romero.
What follows is the press release announcing the donation. Mr. Romero should be commended for honoring our nation’s veterans in such a truly extraordinary fashion.
Local Artisan Contributes Statue Dedicated to Veterans “Grace” to Become Prominent Feature at Thornton Veterans Memorial
THORNTON, Colorado – Sculptor Christopher Romero, well known for his works seen across the Denver metro area, announced he will donate his latest work as a contribution to the Thornton Veterans Memorial project.
Titled “Grace”, the nearly four-foot tall statue of a winged angel releasing a dove with dog tags is an extraordinarily moving piece of artwork. Grace’s outstretched arms symbolize the release of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to this nation. The dog tags carried aloft by a dove provide a visual and emotional representation of those brave men and women.
In announcing the contribution Mr. Romero said, “This is simply about doing what is right to honor our nation’s veterans. Grace belongs at this memorial and I am pleased that she will have a home honoring heroes.”
Romero’s contribution of the sculpture is valued at $12,000 and the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation will be funding the casting and molding estimated at $4,500.
The initial stages of work on “Grace” have been completed and the sculpture is now at the foundry where it will be rendered in bronze, a process estimated to take 90 days. Once complete the statue will be placed with the other features of the Thornton Veterans Memorial located near 136th Avenue and Holly Street.
“Grace will be a central feature of the Thornton Veterans Memorial and adds a human element that quite literally brings tears to your eyes,” Tony Hake, chairman of the foundation said. “On behalf of all veterans we thank Mr. Romero for the generosity he has shown in sharing Grace with the community.”
To learn more about the Foundation and the memorial project and how you can help to honor our nation’s veterans, please visit the Thornton VeteransMemorial website at http://www.thorntonveteransmemorial.org.
The Eastlake grain elevator, built not long after the turn of the last century, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places and the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties. (ThorntonWeather.com)
The city of Thornton was founded in the 1950’s but it traces its roots much farther back than that. In fact, one could go back to the late 1800’s / early 1900’s and the Eastlake area to find some of the first ‘settlers’ of where modern day Thornton sits. Now, one of the original buildings from those early days has been named to a very auspicious list.
The old Eastlake grain elevator at 126th Ave and Claude Court was built around 1914 not long after the Post Office and was followed by schools, churches and other buildings that were part of a growing town.
The grain elevator is one of the few remaining buildings from those early days and it has recently been named to the National Register of Historic Places and the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties.
This is a great step in helping to preserve our quickly fading past and ThorntonWeather.com is excited the city is working to ensure the elevator remains as a visible reminder of our history.
This past winter, we took some photos in the Eastlake area just after a fresh snowfall, some of which included the Eastlake grain elevator. You can view them in the slideshow below.
The Thornton Veterans Memorial is ready to start construction on the first phase! Be sure to contribute to the effort!
A dedicated group of volunteers at the Thornton Veterans memorial Foundation announced that they will be starting construction on the first phase of the city’s veterans memorial. This is an exciting milestone for all veterans – past, present and future – who deserve a memorial in their honor.
The first phase of construction will include the center pentagon, educational signage and flag poles. Further, all paver bricks that have been purchased will be engraved and laid in the memorial and its walkways at this time.
If you haven’t placed your order for a paver brick engraved with the name of a veteran you wish to honor or some other appropriate message, NOW IS THE TIME. Orders for engraved paver bricks to be included in this initial phase of construction MUST be received by the Thornton Veterans Memorial by no later than Tuesday, June 29th.
Please visit the foundation’s online store TODAY and place your order! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to honor our nation’s veterans!
Tony Hake, owner and operator of ThorntonWeather.com, has personally donated over $2,000 to the memorial and encourages all area residents, civic organizations and businesses to contribute. ThorntonWeather.com is entirely free for everyone and Hake has asked that donations to the veterans memorial be made instead of paying for the information on this site.
On June 3, 1981, Thornton was the site of the most destructive tornado in the history of the Denver metro area. The City of Thornton is now evaluating options to warn residents of severe weather threats. (City of Thornton archives)
Visitors to ThorntonWeather.com have often asked us if the city was taking any steps to protect its citizens and warn them about severe weather. The city – and Adams County – are lacking any type of alert system. Following last year’s ‘Summer of Storms,’ we were told the city would look into it.
Current options for citizens range from the Emergency Alert System used by television and radio broadcasters, free and pay Internet services as well as NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (weather radio). As we have discussed previously, these systems have their limitations.
At this week’s city council update session, the Thornton City Council heard a presentation from city staff on the alternatives available. Utilizing Reverse 911 and contracting with a third party provider were two of the items discussed.
Read the presentation city staff gave to the Thornton City Council below
In trying to identify ways to keep citizens aware of deteriorating weather conditions, city staff told council, “Technology is changing so quickly that supporting a single system would not be efficient.”
The Denver area is at the western edge of Tornado Alley and as we have seen historically and in recent days, the danger is real. Click image for larger view. Image courtesy NOAA.
Rather than implement their own system, staff recommended the city rely upon the federal government and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) forthcoming Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS).
Slated for widespread deployment in 2010, IPAWS will take the old Emergency Alert System and move it into the modern age by leveraging new communication technologies such as email and cellular phones.
Mayor Erik Hansen told ThorntonWeather.com, “The City of Thornton recognizes the dangers of severe weather and we are actively working to identify solutions to protect its citizens.”
While the city waits for IPAWS, staff said they recommend the “development of a Weather Awareness Public Education Program that would be implemented in the spring of each year.” They further would work to encourage residents to purchase weather radios.
ThorntonWeather.com’s Take
We are pleased that the city is finally taking some steps in the right direction – albeit 29 years late.
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards is essential to protecting you and your family.
The implementation of a severe weather education program is also a step in the right direction, assuming it takes the form of something more substantial than the simple brochure the city developed this year.
Each spring the National Weather Service (NWS) offers storm spotter training seminars. These would likely be overkill for average citizens however we think it would be ideal for the City of Thornton to partner with the Denver / Boulder NWS office to offer education sessions for citizens. These could be taped and then shown on Channel 8 and on the city’s website.
We do have our reservations about waiting for and relying on the forthcoming IPAWS system when commercial systems are available, proven and ready now for the city to implement. Big government projects rarely are completed on time and often do not perform as expected. Hopes are high for IPAWS but we are cautious on giving it any sort of endorsement.
Granted, severe weather on par with the 1981 tornado is rare however last year’s severe weather and the Windsor tornado of two years ago show the danger is present. If a warning system saves one life, the cost incurred is well worth it and we hope the city continues to stay on top of this issue – we will certainly be watching.
The City of Thornton has created a new flyer for residents with basic severe weather information. (City of Thornton)
Severe weather season is quickly going to arrive in Colorado – we have already seen signs of it in recent weeks. Helping to bring attention to the dangers severe weather presents, the City of Thornton has created a new flyer with some tips for residents.
Available on the city’s website, the flyer covers the basics of tornado, thunderstorm and lightning safety. It is a good, brief look at the highlights of keeping you and your family safe when severe weather strikes.
This funnel cloud was seen from the Thornton Civic Center (looking north) on June 10, 2009. Image courtesy Lisa Wilson, the City of Thornton.
If you happen to be outside or listening to broadcast media this morning, don’t be surprised to hear a tornado warning / siren. As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, the National Weather Service will be conducting a statewide tornado test around 9:15am.
The service is urging all government agencies, schools, businesses, broadcast media and emergency management agencies to participate in this important drill.
This is a good time for citizens to ensure they are prepared and know what to do when a tornado strikes. As we saw with last year’s tornado activity and in 2008 with the Windsor tornado, twisters can and do strike the Denver area. Preparation and planning are critical to ensuring you and your family remain safe.
It is perhaps most fitting that Colorado saw its first tornado of 2010 yesterday. The twister which struck in Kit Carson County 11 miles south-southwest of Bethune caused no damage. However, it serves as an important reminder.
On the City of Thornton’s Facebook page, the city is asking all Thornton residents to take five minutes to nominate Thornton to be the recipient of a new high-speed network provided by Google. This would be an extraordinary opportunity for Thornton to not only gain incredibly fast Internet access for its citizens but also to expand it to those who cannot afford Internet access at all.
The city’s posting said:
We need your help!! You may have heard that Google is looking for a community to build and test an ultra-highspeed network for connection to the internet. The City of Thornton is applying to have Google build their network here!! How can you help? By visiting the link attached, you can NOMINATE YOUR CITY. It is easy to do too. Please visit the link and nominate Thornton for this amazing opportunity.
Residents are asked to follow the link below and extol the virtues of the City of Thornton and why we would be a worthy recipient of this. If you have the talent, a YouTube video would be great as well but is not necessary.
Please take a few minutes and fill out the form. Just FYI, you do have to have a Google account to nominate Thornton but it takes just a minute extra to do.
The Thornton Community Chorus will join the Thornton Community Band as one more cultural offering in the city.
Supported by the Thornton Arts, Sciences and Humanities Council (TASHCO), Thornton will soon be playing host to its own choir group – the Thornton Community Chorus. The chorus joins the relatively new Thornton Community Band and form a duo of extraordinary cultural offerings for area residents.
According to the Thornton Community Chorus’ website, they will be working to establish a performing chorus of adults in the north metro area. Currently in the formation stage is looking for organizers, musicians and supporters. Be sure to check out their website for more information at www.thorntoncommunitychorus.org.
We would be remiss to not also mention the Thornton Community Band. The band formed a bit over a year ago and has been a tremendous hit. If you have not heard them perform, you are truly missing out on hearing some extraordinary musicians. Their next concert is March 4th so please visit their website to learn more at www.thorntonband.webs.com.
While obviously not a weather-related story, we feel that both of these offerings bring new opportunities to not only the performers but citizens as well. We encourage everyone to take advantage and enjoy some music!
Weather, natural disasters & climate news and information.
We here at ThorntonWeather.com are tremendous supporters of our nation’s veterans and have contributed our time and our financial resources to various veteran-related causes. 
