A tornado that struck the Bronx in New York was rated an EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. (ThorntonWeather.com)
A common myth is that tornadoes don’t strike cities. That myth was dispelled again this past Sunday when a twister packing 100 mph struck the Bronx in New York.
The tornado, rated an EF-1 by the National Weather Service (NWS), struck at 2:55pm. The service said that at its biggest the twister was 100 yards wide.
Initially touching down on the grounds of the Hebrew Home for the Aged on the east bank of the Hudson River, the tornado tore a path one half mile long. Seven people were injured by the storm and a variety of damage was documented by survey teams.
A flagpole was toppled as were numerous trees. Some large trees were stripped of their leaves.On West 254th Street across Netherlands and Arlington Streets “significant damage occurred.” One residential home sustained roof damage.
The National Weather Service this was only the second tornado to strike the Bronx since 1950. The first occurred on September 2, 1974.
From the National Weather Service:
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
216 PM EDT TUE JUL 27 2010
…TORNADO CONFIRMED NEAR NORTH RIVERDALE IN BRONX COUNTY NY…
LOCATION…NORTH RIVERDALE IN BRONX COUNTY NY
DATE…JULY 25 2010
ESTIMATED TIME…255 PM TO 300 PM EDT
MAXIMUM EF- SCALE RATING…EF1
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED…100 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH…100 YARDS
PATH LENGTH…0.6 MILES
BEGINNING LAT/LON…40.91N / 73.91W
ENDING LAT/LON…40.90N / 73.90W
* FATALITIES…0
* INJURIES…7
A Tornado Watch is in effect for eastern Colorado through 9:00pm Tuesday night. (NWS)
Update, 7:10pm – Most of the ‘action’ has shifted north of the metro area into Weld County. Multiple tornadoes have been spotted. Residents of Greely, Lockbuie, Fort Morgan and surrounding areas need to be aware of these severe weather conditions.
For the metro area, things have settled down a bit. However, a Tornado Watch remains in effect until 9:00pm. There remains a chance of an isolated thunderstorm moving off the foothills with severe wind, rain, hail and possibly tornadoes.
Have pictures of the severe weather? Email them to info@thorntonweather.com and we will post them!
Update, 5:05pm – The Severe Thunderstorm Warning that covered parts of the metro area has expired. However, a Tornado Watch remains in effect until 9:00pm for all of eastern Colorado including Denver.
Thus far the Front Range has been spared any tornadoes but there has been activity elsewhere in the state. One tornado was reported two miles east of Rockport in Weld County and another one mile east of the rest area near the Wyoming border, also in Weld County. No damage has been reported.
Update, 4:10pm – The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for western Adams, northeastern Denver and south central Weld County. Radar indicates a severe thunderstorm that could produce one inch diameter hail over northern Denver and moving north at 25 mph.
Areas under this warning include Lochbuie, Brighton, Denver International Airport, northeastern Denver, eastern Thornton, Commerce City and northwestern Aurora. The warning will remain in effect until 4:45pm.
If severe weather approaches your area, go inside to sturdy shelter and stay away form flood-prone areas. Remember that a severe thunderstorm can produce damaging hail, winds in excess of 58 mph, deadly lightning and heavy rain.
The Tornado Watch that covers all of eastern Colorado continues until 9:00pm.
Original story, 1:20pm: The stage is set for the first significant severe weather threat of the season to the Mile High City. Thunderstorms have quickly built as they moved off the foothills south of Denver and they are expected to increase in intensity as the afternoon progresses.
The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for all of eastern Colorado through 9:00pm tonight. This includes the Denver metro area and the entire Front Range.
Remember that a Tornado Watch means that conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. Residents in the areas under the watch should take appropriate precautions and stay tuned to media outlets for updates to the rapidly worsening conditions.
The biggest threat from these storms will be hail, damaging wind, dangerous lightning and tornadoes. The main area of focus for the worst of this is going to be over the Palmer Divide and areas east. However, it is entirely possible that more widespread severe weather will occur, including over the main part of the Denver area.
We will be updating this page throughout the afternoon and evening as long as the severe weather threat remains.
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.
A British government ad campaign utilizing children nursery rhymes to warn about the dangers of climate change has been rebuked by a government watchdog. (DECC)
Scare tactic newspaper advertisements from Britain’s Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) have been banned by a government advertising watchdog agency. Two ads in a series which used child nursery rhymes to warn about the purported dangers of manmade climate change were found to have unsubstantiated claims in them.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) reviewed the ads after receiving more than 900 complaints from British citizens – the most complaints it received on any ad last year.
The two offending ads were based on the nursery rhymes of ‘Jack and Jill’ and ‘Rub a Dub Dub’ and warned of the effects of extreme weather, a claim which has long been disproven.
Without a background in climate science, the ASA relied on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) reports to determine the accuracy of the ads. In its conclusion, the ASA said the ads failed to meet code based on a lack of substantiation, truthfulness and their environmental claims.
It was the definitive statement that the severe weather events will happen that caused the ASA to take action as they are presented as if there is no doubt.
Last year's "Summer of Storms" should serve as a reminder of the severe weather threat in Denver.
Remember last year’s “Summer of Storms” that saw a seemingly endless parade of hail, funnel clouds and tornadoes visit the Front Range? The severe weather threat in Colorado is real and it can turn deadly in an instant.
Education is key to knowing how to protect you and your family. Whether you want to be an official storm spotter or maybe just want to learn more about severe weather, storm spotter training can provide you an incredible opportunity to learn.
The storm spotter program is a nationwide program with more than 280,000 trained spotters. These volunteers report weather hazards to their local National Weather Service office providing vital information when severe strikes. Data from spotters include severe wind, rain, snow measurements, thunderstorms and hail and of course tornadoes.
Storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation’s first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time–seconds and minutes that can help save lives.
By completing one of these training classes you can become an official storm spotter. When severe weather strikes, you can report it by calling a special toll free number or submit your report via the National Weather Service’s website.
These are great sessions for anyone wanting to learn more about the severe weather we experience in Colorado, whether you want to be an official spotter or not. All training is free. Topics include:
Below are the dates, times and locations announced thus far. There is one this coming weekend in north Denver, two in Westminster in March and one in Commerce City in April – all are great opportunities for Thornton residents. Click here to go to the NWS site for the latest.
February, 2010 – Upcoming
Day
City, State
Time
Location
14
Denver, CO(Denver County)
1:00pm MST
note: Following National Storm Chaser conference.
There is a charge for the conference, spotter training is free.
Red Lion Hotel Central
4040 Quebec Street
Denver, CO 80216
Contact Information: Robert.Glancy@noaa.gov
March, 2010 – Upcoming
Day
City, State
Time
Location
08
Holyoke, CO(Philllips County)
10:00am MDT
Phillips County Fairgrounds
Event Center
Holyoke, CO
Contact Information: philcoadmin@pctelcom.coop
08
Julesburg, CO(Sedgwick County)
6:00pm MST
Julesburg Fire Department
Contact Information: sedgwickcooem@yahoo.com
09
Haxtun, CO(Phillips County)
6:30pm MST
Haxtun Volunteer Fire Dept.
Contact Information: jdavis@pctelcom.coop
16
Westminster, CO(Adams County)
2:30pm MDT
Front Range Community College
3645 West 112th Ave.
room TBD
Westminster, CO 80031
Contact Information: Robert.Glancy@noaa.gov
16
Westminster, CO(Adams County)
6:30pm MDT
Front Range Community College
3645 West 112th Ave.
room TBD
Westminster, CO 80031
Contact Information: Robert.Glancy@noaa.gov
29
Sterling, CO(Logan County)
6:30pm MDT
Sterling Fire Department
420 Oak Street
Sterling, CO
Contact Information: Owens@Sterlingcolo.com
31
Akron, CO(Washington County)
6:30pm MDT
rescheduled…
Washington County Fairgrounds Event Center, Akron
A man surveys damage to a vehicle struck by a fallen tree after last week's storms. The June 20th hail and wind storm has racked up costs of $350 million in insurance claims. Image courtesy Becki Mullen.
Last week’s hail and wind storm that brought destruction to the west Denver suburbs of Wheat Ridge and Arvada caused $350 million in insured damage according to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association (RMIIA). The end result is a storm that now ranks as the second costliest in state history and adds to an already expensive summer storm season.
The July 20th storm has thus far resulted in 52,400 claims, 19,500 of which were for automobile damage and 32,900 were homeowner claims. RMIIA says that damage would have been much higher had the storm struck during daylight hours when more people and vehicles were on the road instead of in their homes and garages.
Massive trees were uprooted, power poles snapped, windows shattered, and automobiles dented beyond repair when the storm brought winds in excess of 60 mph and golf ball sized hail to the area. Two tornadoes also briefly touched down near Castle Rock and Englewood although they were not responsible for significant damage. 90,000 people lost power during the storm and Xcel Energy deployed more than 200 people into the field to restore electricity.
On June 3, 1981 a tornado struck Thornton in what is the worst twister to have struck the Denver metro area. Despite this, Thornton does not have any sort of emergency alert system to warn citizens of tornadoes or other civil disasters. Image courtesy the City of Thornton archives.
As we have discussed before, the City of Thornton is lacking any type of system to alert citizens of severe weather like we have seen recently. In the last week, parts of Thornton have been under Tornado Warnings as funnel clouds circled in the sky and citizens are understandably concerned.
We at ThorntonWeather.com continually remind people that the Denver metro area is at the far western edge of Tornado Alley and funnel clouds, tornadoes, hail and other types of severe weather are not unusual at all. It was 28 years ago last Wednesday in fact that the costliest tornado to ever hit the Denver metro area struck Thornton. Accounts vary but 53 people were injured, at least 25 homes were destroyed and hundreds more damaged.
The danger is real – tornadoes can and do strike in the Thornton area. In some ways it is surprising that the city did not implement some sort of system in the wake of the tornado in 1981. Many municipalities in the metro area do have warning sirens including Denver, Aurora, Englewood, Commerce City and Brighton.
Thornton Mayor Erik Hansen has told ThorntonWeather.com that the city will look at ways to inform citizens when severe weather is imminent. This may take the form of utilizing the reverse 911 system or as we suggested to him, a possible new text alert system that would deliver alerts to citizen’s mobile phones. It is our firm belief that some sort of system to be used not only for severe weather but for other civil disasters is a wise and prudent investment for the city to take.
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.
This week the city posted some tornado safety tips on its website that are worth reviewing. You may also wish to review our Severe Weather 101 series which provides more in depth information on the entire array of spring and summer severe weather (links below).
We will continue our conversations with the city about how they can improve communication with Thornton residents about severe weather and keep you updated as appropriate. If you are so inclined, contact your city council representatives and let them know you want to see Thornton implement an emergency alert system.
Air France Flight 447 is missing over the Atlantic this morning and presumed lost. (AP Photo)
An Air France jet en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris carrying 228 people appears to have been lost over the Atlantic Ocean. The plane which disappeared approximately 190 miles northeast of the Brazilian city of Natal may have been brought down by severe weather the plane was flying through at the time it lost contact with air traffic controller.
Air France Flight 447 is reported to have hit strong turbulence and possibly lightning as the result of a thunderstorm. Air France says the plane, an Airbus A330, left Rio de Janeiro at 7:00pm local time and approximately four hours late the plan sent an automated signal indicating electrical problems. The airline said the plane “crossed through a thunderous zone with strong turbulence.” The automated message was received 14 minutes later at 0214GMT (10:14 pm EDT Sunday) “signaling electrical circuit malfunction.”
Francois Brousse, head of communications at Air France, “The plane might have been struck by lightning. It’s a possibility.”
Is global warming responsible for fewer tornadoes in 2009? Stu Ostro of the Weather Channel thinks so. Image courtesy NSSL.
Stormchasers across Tornado Alley have been frustrated this spring by what seems to be a lack of tornadoes and severe weather. Indeed, VORTEX2, the largest tornado field study ever, has been running for more than two weeks now and has not seen one twister. Last week, Weather Channel Senior Meteorologist Stu Ostro speculated that global warming was the cause.
In a segment with on-air meteorologist Stephanie Abrams, Ostro explained that the jet stream lingering over Canada and a continual ridge of high pressure were suppressing severe weather. Without the collision of low and high pressure (among other factors), tornadoes and supercell thunderstorms have a hard time forming.
Ostro continued his explanation saying that atmospheric pressure in the Northern Hemisphere’s mid-latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees has increased steadily since 1970. He then overlaid a chart showing this increase with that of a chart that shows global average temperatures having increased over the same period. As he says in his blog entry, “That parallels remarkably well the trend of globally-averaged temperatures, which has also shown a significant rise since the mid 1970s.”
This funnel cloud, one of many across the metro area Sunday, was spotted over Highlands Ranch. Image courtesy Tracee Hendershott.
Thus far the weather today has been much quieter than it was yesterday when thunderstorms brought severe weather to most of the metro area. Southern Thornton has seen a good bit of rain but areas farther north have had very little.
Earlier today, local law enforcement did report a funnel cloud over 104th and Colorado Blvd from a thunderstorm that was moving through the area. Reported at 12:47pm, the funnel moved to the east at 15 mph and quickly disappated. Unlike yesterday when many funnel clouds – and three tornadoes – were reported, this is the only such report thus far today.
Do you have pictures of this weekend’s severe weather? Send them to info@thorntonweather.com and we will show them on our site!
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