Tag Archives: national weather service

Outdoor lightning safety – When thunder roars, go indoors

June 23, 2021 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors - Lightning Safety Poster (NOAA) — One simple phrase provides the most important safety tip for lightning – When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors. (NOAA)

Statistics provide insight into the dangers of severe weather and lightning is one of the most deadly. Over the past decade Colorado has been the second deadliest state for lightning and many of these fatalities could have been avoided if the victims had remembered one key phrase: When thunder roars, go indoors.

From the National Weather Service:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
600 AM MDT WED JUNE 23 2021

Colorado Lightning Safety Awareness Week continues through Saturday. Yesterday we discussed the science of lightning. Today we will cover outdoor lightning safety.

Outdoors is the most dangerous place to be during a thunderstorm.

Each year…nearly all people in the United States who are injured or killed by lightning were involved in an outdoor activity. They were struck while working outside…were at or participating at an outdoor sporting event…were boating or fishing. They were struck while hiking…mowing the lawn or simply going to or from their car. Quite a few were on their own property when they were struck.

Unfortunately…there is no place outside that is safe from lightning. The only safe place to be when lightning is occurring is either inside a substantial building…or an enclosed automobile.

Here are some important things to remember before venturing outdoors…

An informed decision will help you avoid being in an area where lightning is expected to occur. Before heading out…get an updated forecast. Stay tuned to NOAA weather radio…check national weather service web sites…or access your favorite weather apps on your cell phone for the latest forecast.

In Colorado…it is important to remember that thunderstorms typically develop in the mountains after 11 am. So it is best to plan your climbing or hiking trip so that you are coming down the mountain by late morning.

If thunderstorms are in the forecast…consider planning an alternate indoor activity or make plans which will allow you to quickly get into a safe shelter.

Once you are outside…keep up-to-date on the weather via your smart phone or portable NOAA weather radio receiver. Check for updated forecasts. Check if storms are near you by checking the latest radar imagery on your cell phone. There are now several smart phone apps you can purchase that show you real-time lightning activity in your area. Do not forget to simply look around you to make sure storms are not developing in your vicinity.

We will now discuss two outdoor scenarios. The first is what to do if you are outdoors and a safe location is nearby…while the second scenario is what to do if you are outdoors and no safe location is nearby.

If you are outside…such as a park…a lake…or an outdoor sporting event…know where the nearest safe location is located at.

A safe location is any substantial building…such as a business…a home…or a church. Any enclosed hard topped automobile also offers excellent protection from lightning. Once you hear thunder or see lightning…immediately stop what you are doing and quickly get to the safe shelter. Do not wait until the rain starts to seek safe shelter. Once inside a safe shelter…it is recommended you stay there for 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder.

Past history has shown that most people who were outdoors and were injured or killed by lightning had access to a safe shelter nearby.

Do not wait to seek safe shelter when lightning threatens. When you hear thunder or see lightning…it is important for you…and your family…to act quickly.

It is critically important to avoid shelters that are not safe from lightning…including picnic shelters…bullpens…tents and any other small buildings that are open to the elements.

Never…never…get under a tree to seek shelter from lightning.

It is important that all sports leagues and other outdoor groups have a lightning response plan that is understood and consistently applied for the safety of the participants. Part of the plan would include a designated weather watcher at each outdoor event with the authority to postpone or cancel the event due to the threat of lightning. It is also important that people know where to seek safe shelter if a storm threatens. As we have seen recently…the NCAA…the NFL and MLB now delay games when lightning is in the area.

Our second scenario involves what you can do to reduce your chances of being injured or killed by lighting if no safe shelter is nearby.

This situation typically occurs to people who are hiking or camping in the backcountry. Unfortunately…in this scenario…there is not much you can do to reduce your risk from being struck by lightning.

The best thing to do is move away from tall isolated objects…such as trees. Stay away from wide open areas. Stay as low as possible with your feet close together if lightning is nearby. If you are with a group of people…spread out…that way if someone is struck by lightning…the others can offer first aid. If camping in the backcountry…place your tent in a low area away from tall isolated trees.

Remember…when thunder roars…go indoors!

There are a couple of web sites that contain additional lightning information.

NOAA’s lightning website which contains abundant information on lightning safety can be found at…

WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV

Lightning information specific for the state of Colorado can be found at…

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PUB/LIGHTNING

The lightning topic for tomorrow will be on indoor lightning safety.

Lightning Safety and Wildfire Awareness Series:

Weather Education

The science of thunderstorms and lightning

June 22, 2021 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Lightning produced by thunderstorms presents a very real danger to Colorado residents. Image courtesy VORTEX2 / NSSL.

Thunderstorms and their associated hazards frequently make appearances in Colorado during the spring and summer months. Lightning presents one of the damaging – and deadly – aspects of these storms and knowing more about the science behind the phenomena helps us to better protect ourselves.

As part of Lightning and Wildfire Safety Awareness Week, this installment from the National Weather Service gives more information on the science behind these bolts of electricity.

From the National Weather Service:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER CO
600 AM MDT TUE Jun 22 2021

…UNDERSTANDING THE SCIENCE OF THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING…

Every thunderstorm produces lightning. Lightning is a giant spark that moves within the cloud…between clouds…or between the cloud and the ground. As lightning passes through the air…it heats the air rapidly to a temperature of about fifty thousand degrees Fahrenheit. This causes a rapid expansion of the air near the lightning channel. This rapid expansion causes a shock wave that we hear as thunder.

Thunderstorms will form if there is enough moisture and instability in the atmosphere. As the sun warms the air near the ground…pockets of warmer air begin to rise and cool. Condensation of water vapor causes cumulus clouds to form. Continued heating can cause these clouds to continue to grow upward into the atmosphere. Towering cumulus clouds may be one of the first indications of a developing thunderstorm. The mature thunderstorm has both an updraft of rising motion and a downdraft of sinking cool air accompanied by rain and sometimes hail.

Thunderstorms grow tens of thousands of feet into the atmosphere. In the cloud…precipitation forms as ice crystals…hail…and rain. Collisions between ice particles cause a charge separation…and positively charged ice crystals are carried by the updraft high in the thunderstorm. The heavier hail gathers a negative charge and falls toward the lower part of the storm. The top of the cloud becomes positively charged and the lower part of the storm becomes negatively charged.

Due to the pool of negative charges in the lower part of the storm…a pool of positive charges will develop along the ground and follow the cloud like a shadow. Farther away from the cloud base…but under the positively charged anvil…a strong negative charge may be induced.

Cloud-to-ground lightning can either be a negatively charged flash or a positively charged flash. The negative flash usually occurs between the negative charges in the lower part of the storm and the positive charges on the ground under and near the cloud base. Positive flashes usually occur between the positively-charged upper levels of the storm and the negatively-charged area surrounding the storm.

In the negative cloud-to-ground flash…an invisible…negatively-charged step leader forms near the cloud base and surges downward toward the ground. As this step leader approaches the ground… streamers of positive charge move upward from trees…buildings…and other objects on the ground. When these streamers meet the step leader…the connection is completed…and the result is lightning. The entire process takes place in fractions of a second.

If you are under a thunderstorm and your hair rises…you are in an area where the positive charges are rising up objects towards the storm. It is a dangerous location…because lightning may be about to strike.

The process for a positive flash is similar except that a positive channel usually originates in the anvil of the storm and surges downward. In this case…streamers of negative charge shoot up to meet the positively-charged channel as it approaches the ground. When a connection is made…a positive flash of lightning occurs.

While both negative and positive flashes of lightning can be deadly…the positive flashes generally are more destructive as they typically deliver more overall electrical charge to the ground…and they remain in contact with the ground surface for a longer period of time as compared to a negative cloud-to-ground flash.

The best advice in order to minimize your risk of becoming a lightning strike victim is to get indoors into a substantial shelter the second you hear thunder…and to remain there for at least 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder. In general…when thunder roars…go indoors. An enclosed hard topped automobile is also a safe place to be during thunderstorms.

For additional information about lightning or lightning safety…visit NOAA’s Lightning Safety Awareness web site at (in lower case):

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov

Lightning Safety and Wildfire Awareness Series:

Colorado Weather, Thornton Weather, Weather Education

Lightning and wildfire safety overview

June 21, 2021 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Lightning fatalities by state, 1959-2007. (Vaisala)

Colorado has the rather unenviable distinction of ranking fourth in the United States for lightning-related fatalities. During the spring and summer the nice weather finds many residents outside and while clear skies are the norm, storms oftentimes loom and present a very real hazard to residents.

From the National Weather Service:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
600 AM MDT MON JUN 21 2021

Colorado Lightning Safety Awareness Week continues through Saturday. Today we discuss the lightning threat across the Centennial State.

In the United States, there are an estimated 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes per year, and each one is a potential threat to both life and property. During the past thirty years, 44 people have been killed each year by lightning on average, while during the last ten years this number is 27. Last year, 16 people were killed by lightning, while many others were injured. All of the people who were killed by lightning in 2017 were involved in outdoor activities.

In Colorado last year, lightning killed 2 people and injured 2. During the past thirty seven years, on average, Colorado has had 3 lightning fatalities and 12 injuries per year.

Since 1980, El Paso County, including the Colorado Springs metro area, has had the dubious distinction of having the most lightning casualties, with 10 fatalities and 84 injuries. Larimer County has had 10 fatalities and 75 injuries, while Jefferson County has had 9 fatalities and 38 injuries.

Because it usually affects one or two victims at a time, and does not cause the destruction left in the wake of tornadoes or hurricanes, lightning generally receives less attention.

Many people do not act in a timely manner to protect their lives, and the lives of others, simply because they do not understand all the dangers associated with thunderstorms and lightning.

You need to become aware of the situations that put you at a greater risk of being struck by lightning, and what you can do to reduce that risk. While nearly all people take some protective actions when rain, hail and wind are occurring with thunderstorms, many leave themselves vulnerable to being struck by lightning as thunderstorms approach, move overhead and move away.

Lightning can strike more than 10 miles from the rain area of a thunderstorm. That distance is about as far as you can hear thunder. If you can hear thunder, you could be in danger of being struck by lightning. When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!

Most lightning deaths and injuries in Colorado occur during the afternoon when lightning is most likely to develop, and when people are more likely to be outside. Quite a few lightning fatalities occur when little or no rain is falling.

The chance that you will be struck by lightning in the United States is about 1 in 960 thousand for each year of your life. However, your chance of being struck will depend on whether you consistently practice all the lightning safety rules.

Lightning starts around half of the forest and rangeland wildfires across the state. Colorado averages around 2500 wildfires each year. Many of these lightning caused fires occur with very little or no rain. These storms often generate gusty winds, which can fan the flames of the fire.

During this Lightning Safety Awareness Week, the National Weather Service will provide a variety of information on lightning in Colorado.

On Tuesday, the science of lightning will be discussed.

On Wednesday, the topic of the day is outdoor lightning risk reduction. On Thursday, we will have information on indoor lightning safety.

On Friday, information for lightning strike survivors will be provided. On Saturday, lightning and wildfire information will be available.

When planning outdoor activities, check out the hazardous weather outlook and the latest forecast, which include thunderstorm and lightning potential. Make sure you get the specific forecast information of the location you will be visiting. The web sites for National Weather Service offices which cover Colorado and issue these products are…

Denver/Boulder…www.weather.gov/den Grand Junction….www.weather.gov/gjt Pueblo……………www.weather.gov/pub Goodland…………www.weather.gov/gld

NOAA’s lightning website which contains abundant information on lightning safety can be found at:

www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov

Lightning information specific for the State of Colorado can be found at: www.weather.gov/pub/lightning

The lightning topic for tomorrow will be the science of lightning.

Lightning Safety and Wildfire Awareness Series:

Thornton Weather, Weather Education

Lightning Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week highlights real dangers for residents

June 20, 2021 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Lightning Warning Sign - When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors — Protecting yourself and your family from the dangers of lightning can be summed up in one phrase: When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors

Colorado is starting its annual Lightning Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week, an important opportunity to educate residents of the dangers lightning presents. One statistic serves to highlight the very real hazard of lightning in Colorado – the Centennial State ranks as the second deadliest state for lightning fatalities in the nation.

We oftentimes read about the results of lightning strikes in our weekly look at Denver weather history. They spark wildfires, cause property damage and injuries and in some cases result in death. From 2001 to 2010 26 people were killed by lightning in Colorado – second only to Florida.

Each day during the National Weather Service’s Lightning Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week a new message is publicized covering a range of topics. From lightning safety to the science of lightning, residents can learn more about this very real danger.

The following is the introductory message from the National Weather Service for this year with links to more information. Education is key to protecting you and your family and we encourage you to study these pages and remember – When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!

From the National Weather Service:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER CO
600 AM MDT Sun Jun 24 2021

The governor of Colorado has declared the week of June 24 through June 30 as Colorado Lightning Safety Awareness Week. Lightning strikes the ground in our state over a half million times each year and with many of us participating in outdoor activities, we need to learn how to protect ourselves from lightning hazards.

Lightning is also responsible for about half of the wildfires in Colorado each year. When lightning or other conditions are conducive to a high wildfire threat, the National Weather Service will issue Fire Weather Watches or Red Flag Warnings.

During this week a series of statements will cover a variety of topics related to lightning and wildfires.

Monday…Lightning Overview for Colorado
Tuesday…The Science of Lightning
Wednesday…Outdoor lightning safety
Thursday…Indoor lightning safety
Friday…Lightning medical issues for survivors
Saturday…Lightning and wildfires

Here are a couple web sites that contain additional lightning information.

NOAA`s lightning website which contains abundant information on lightning safety can be found at: www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov

Lightning information specific for the State of Colorado can be found at: www.weather.gov/pub/lightning

Steve Hodanish
Senior Forecaster
NWS Pueblo, CO

Weather Education

Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week in Review

March 13, 2021 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

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

Weather Education

Wildfire Safety and Mitigation – Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week

March 12, 2021 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

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/

Colorado State Forest Service

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

Weather Education

Wildfire Awareness – Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week

March 11, 2021 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

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

Weather Education

Flash Flooding – Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week

March 10, 2021 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Floods and Flash Floods 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.

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

Weather Education

Long Time Frame Flooding – Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week

March 9, 2021 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

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

Weather Education

Types of Floods – Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Preparedness Week

March 8, 2021 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

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

Weather, natural disasters & climate news and information.