Category Archives: National Weather

New Weather Satellite Sends First Lightning Images

Since its launch in November and going online a few weeks later, the GOES-16 weather satellite has already sent back a trove of invaluable data to its operator, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). And the country’s most advanced weather satellite began Monday transmitting to Earth images and data related to lightning over the Western… Continue reading New Weather Satellite Sends First Lightning Images

NOAA’s satellites are on the chopping block. Here’s why we need them.

Our eyes in the sky are facing budget cuts On Friday, The Washington Post reportedly obtained a memo from within the Trump administration about proposed funding for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The memo outlined steep cuts to several divisions, including the elimination of the $73 million Sea Grant research program, cuts to climate research… Continue reading NOAA’s satellites are on the chopping block. Here’s why we need them.

A race against Mother Nature as officials send water cascading out of California’s Lake Oroville

OROVILLE, Calif. — With more storms expected to slam Northern California later this week, officials worked frantically Monday to drain water from brimming Lake Oroville in hopes of heading off a potentially catastrophic flood. The operators at America’s tallest dam found themselves in a precarious position Monday, with both of the spillways used to release water… Continue reading A race against Mother Nature as officials send water cascading out of California’s Lake Oroville

NOAA releases first images from new GOES satellite

GOES-16 captured this view of the moon as it looked across the surface of the Earth on January 15. Like earlier GOES satellites, GOES-16 will use the moon for calibration. (NOAA/NASA)
GOES-16 captured this view of the moon as it looked across the surface of the Earth on January 15. Like earlier GOES satellites, GOES-16 will use the moon for calibration. (NOAA/NASA)

NOAA released the first images from their new GOES-16 satellite and to say they are stunning would be an understatement.  The new satellite, built in Colorado by Lockheed Martin, contains some of the highest resolution cameras and most advanced sensors in the world.

From NOAA:

Since the GOES-16 satellite lifted off from Cape Canaveral on November 19, scientists, meteorologists and ordinary weather enthusiasts have anxiously waited for the first photos from NOAA’s newest weather satellite, GOES-16, formerly GOES-R.

The release of the first images today is the latest step in a new age of weather satellites. It will be like high-definition from the heavens.

  • Scroll down to view all of the new images released by NOAA

The pictures from its Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) instrument, built by Harris Corporation, show a full-disc view of the Western Hemisphere in high detail — at four times the image resolution of existing GOES spacecraft. The higher resolution will allow forecasters to pinpoint the location of severe weather with greater accuracy. GOES-16 can provide a full image of Earth every 15 minutes and one of the continental U.S. every five minutes, and scans the Earth at five times the speed of NOAA’s current GOES imagers.

NOAA’s GOES-16, situated in geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above Earth, will boost the nation’s weather observation network and NOAA’s prediction capabilities, leading to more accurate and timely forecasts, watches and warnings.

“This is such an exciting day for NOAA! One of our GOES-16 scientists compared this to seeing a newborn baby’s first pictures — it’s that exciting for us,” said Stephen Volz Ph.D. director of NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service. “These images come from the most sophisticated technology ever flown in space to predict severe weather on Earth. The fantastically rich images provide us with our first glimpse of the impact GOES-16 will have on developing life-saving forecasts.”

In May, NOAA will announce the planned location for GOES-16. By November 2017, GOES-16 will be operational as either GOES-East or GOES-West. Once operational, NOAA will use the satellite’s six new instruments to generate new or improved meteorological, solar, and space weather products.

Second satellite in GOES series already in development

Following on the heels of GOES-R will be, GOES-S, the second of four spacecraft in the series. GOES-S is undergoing environmental testing at Lockheed Martin’s Corporation facility in Littleton, Colorado, where it was built. A full set of environmental, mechanical and electromagnetic testing will take about one year to complete. The GOES-S satellite will be moved into the other operational position as GOES-17 immediately after launch and initial checkout of the satellite, approximately nine months after GOES-16.

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Record rainfall hits Southern California

LOS ANGELES — The third in a series of powerful winter storms unleashed a deluge in Southern California on Sunday, flooding numerous roads and freeways, setting new rainfall records and stranding some in dangerously rising waters. Forecasters had predicted this storm would be the strongest in several years, and it didn’t disappoint. While earlier storms produced… Continue reading Record rainfall hits Southern California

Death Toll Climbs As Unusual Weather Hits Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Carolinas

Severe thunderstorms and tornados threatened Florida, Georgia and North Carolina Sunday night as heavy winds, large hail and rains hit the Southeast coast and killed at least 16 people. Residents were urged to seek safe shelter and listen to their radios for any emergency warnings. “There is a significant risk for large, long-tracked and extremely destructive… Continue reading Death Toll Climbs As Unusual Weather Hits Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Carolinas

Mother Nature can be a factor in Inauguration Day events and the swearing in of a new president

By far the most tragic inaugural weather was in 1841 when William Henry Harrison contracted pneumonia and died a month later. Image courtesy the Library of Congress.
By far the most tragic inaugural weather was in 1841 when William Henry Harrison contracted pneumonia and died a month later. Image courtesy the Library of Congress.

On a cold, wet and blustery day, the new President of the United States prepared to take office.  He rode a horse to and from the Capitol that day and spoke on the steps of the building for nearly two hours – all without an overcoat or so much as a hat.

William Henry Harrison’s refusal to acknowledge the realities of the harsh weather on March 4, 1841 would be his demise.  Our nation’s newest president would also have the shortest presidency, a mere 30 days, as he caught a chill that day which then turned to pneumonia and would claim his life.

Weather in the winter can be a wildcard to say the least and it has been a point of consternation for inauguration festivities.  In President Harrison’s day, we inaugurated our new leader in March but since 1937 Inauguration Day has been held on January 20th, a day which puts it right in the potentially coldest part of winter.

‘Normal’ weather for January 20th in Washington D.C. actually isn’t all that bad.  The city usually reaches a high temperature in the low 40’s.  At noon, the appointed time for the inaugural address, the normal temperature is 37 degrees with partly cloudy skies and a 10 mph wind.  According to the National Weather Service there is historically a 1 in 20 chance of snowfall on the date itself.  Not too bad at all.

Like President Harrison, some other presidents weren’t very lucky when it came to the weather on inauguration day.

100 years ago President William Howard Taft famously said, “I knew it would be a cold day when I made president,” and he was absolutely right.  On that March day ten inches of snow fell and wind downed trees and power poles as streets became clogged and trains stalled.  President Taft’s ceremony was moved indoors due to poor weather and historians consider the day the worst inaugural weather ever.

"President Ronald Reagan's swearing in was the coldest in history but there has been other notable weather on Inauguration Day. (White House)
“President Ronald Reagan’s swearing in was the coldest in history but there has been other notable weather on Inauguration Day. (White House)

President Taft had it rough but his inauguration wasn’t the coldest.  For his second inauguration President Ronald Reagan saw truly Arctic cold temperatures impact his ceremony.  At noon in 1985 it was a mere 7 degrees and the wind chill dropped that to between -10 and -20 degrees.  Like Taft, President Reagan’s inauguration was moved indoors.

In 1873 when Ulysses S. Grant prepared to take office for his second term, the temperature was a mere 16 degrees at noon.  The wind was so bad it made his inaugural address inaudible to everyone including those on the platform with him.

In 1961 on the eve of John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, eight inches of snow fell causing the worst inaugural traffic jam as hundred of cars were stuck and thousands abandoned.  The temperature only reached 22 degrees that day and the new president was forced to cancel dinner plans as travel was so difficult.

As for rain, that too can intrude on one of our nation’s most revered occasions.  1.77 inches of rain fell on January 20, 1937 – a record for the date that still stands today.  President Franklin Delano Roosevelt rode in a convertible back to the White House after the inauguration which had a half-inch of water on the floor by the time he arrived.

How are things looking for Inauguration Day 2017 and President-elect Donald Trump’s swearing in?  Rain looks to be a virtual certainty for much of the morning right through the swearing in at 12:00 noon EST / 10:00am MST.  The actual volume of precipitation though does not look like it will be all that great.  Temperatures will be topping out a bit warmer than normal for the date with an expected high of 48 degrees.  Click here for the latest forecast for Washington DC from the National Weather Service.

Weather Geek Stuff is your one-stop-shop for the weather enthusiast on your gift list

Weather Geek Stuff is a great place to shop for gifts for weather enthusiasts, weather geeks and weather lovers.

Not everyone gets excited about blizzards, tornadoes, hurricanes and other types of extreme weather but many folks out there are passionate about Mother Nature.  Weather enthusiasts are certainly a different breed and they would welcome a gift that shows their enthusiasm for everything the weather offers.  Weather Geek Stuff is an online shop just for those whose hearts race with the thrill of severe weather.

Weather Geek Stuff is an online store that provides a host of clothing items and novelties just for weather buffs.  From the store’s custom ‘Weather Geek’ and ‘Weather Diva’ logoed merchandise to items imprinted with amusing weather warnings signs as well as Skywarn storm spotter logos, there is something there sure to please any weather lover.

Weather Geek Stuff’s merchandise was shown on the Weather Channel as a recommended gift so you know the quality is good.  Stu Ostro, Weather Channel’s Senior Director of Weather Communications even sports a ‘Weather Geek’ t-shirt on his Twitter profile.

Kids and dogs aren’t left out of the weather fun either.  There is a wide variety of clothing items sized just right for the little ones from babies to bigger kids.  Canine companions as well can get shirts and bowls emblazoned with a weather-related logo.

The selection goes far beyond clothing too.  Water bottles, clocks, mugs, bags and other novelties are part of the store’s offerings.  For the tech types, cases for iPhones and iPads are available.  Recently added products include laptop skins, clipboards and throw blankets.

Be sure to head over to WeatherGeekStuff.com and get that holiday gift today for your favorite weather geek. 

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Weather Geek Stuff is owned and operated by the same folks that run ThorntonWeather.com.  We provide ThorntonWeather.com as a no-cost service to the community and use the minimal amount of money made from Weather Geek Stuff to support the costs of running this website and the associated equipment.  So remember, if you have a weather buff on your shopping list, by buying from Weather Geek Stuff you are supporting ThorntonWeather.com!  You can also donate directly to fund the site here.

Weather and Election Day: Will Mother Nature play a role in the outcome?

Weather – The true determining factor of who will be president?
Weather – The true determining factor of who will be president?

We oftentimes hear about how weather can affect voter turnout but is there truly a link?  If there is, who does it benefit – Republicans or Democrats?  Studies seem to indicate that what might be thought of as an urban myth is indeed true and could in fact play a role in 2016.

In 2005, political science researchers Brad Gomez, Thomas Hansford and George Krause completed the first comprehensive study on the correlation between weather and voter turnout.  Their paper, “The Republicans Should Pray for Rain:  Weather, Turnout, and Voting in U.S. Presidential Elections” confirmed the conventional wisdom that weather does affect voter turnout, bad weather benefits Republicans and most interestingly, two presidential elections in the last 60 years may have had different results had the weather been different.

Looking back at presidential elections from 1948 to 2008, the study takes into account the weather in 3,000 U.S. counties.  They in turn looked at key areas of the nation and how weather, good and bad, affected voter turnout.  In the end, the study determined that precipitation is the key weather condition to affect voter turnout.

Continue reading Weather and Election Day: Will Mother Nature play a role in the outcome?

NOAA releases 2016 – 2017 winter weather outlook

What will this winter have in store for Thornton?  Forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center have released their outlook and for the Front Range, it doesn’t hold much in the way of clues.

The CPC does show odds favor above average temperatures for much of Colorado for the period from December through February.  In terms of precipitation, the agency gives equal chances of near average, well above average, or well below average precipitation for most of the state. The one exception is the southern third of Colorado which they peg at having above average chances of a drier than normal year.

From NOAA:

U.S. Winter Outlook predicts warmer, drier South and cooler, wetter North
Drought expected to persist in California and expand in the Southeast

Winter 2016 - 2017 temperature outlook. Click for larger view. (NOAA)
Winter 2016 – 2017 temperature outlook. Click for larger view. (NOAA)

October 20, 2016 – Forecasters at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center issued the U.S. Winter Outlook today, saying that La Nina is expected to influence winter conditions this year. The Climate Prediction Center issued a La Nina watch this month, predicting the climate phenomenon is likely to develop in late fall or early winter. La Nina favors drier, warmer winters in the southern U.S and wetter, cooler conditions in the northern U.S. If La Nina conditions materialize, forecasters say it should be weak and potentially short-lived.

“This climate outlook provides the most likely outcome for the upcoming winter season, but it also provides the public with a good reminder that winter is just up ahead and it’s a good time to prepare for typical winter hazards, such as extreme cold and snowstorms,” said Mike Halpert, deputy director, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “Regardless of the outlook, there is always some chance for extreme winter weather, so prepare now for what might come later this winter.”

Other factors that often play a role in the winter weather include theArctic Oscillation, which influences the number of arctic air masses that penetrate into the South and create nor’easters on the East Coast, and the Madden-Julian Oscillation, which can affect the number of heavy rain events in the Pacific Northwest.

The 2016 U.S. Winter Outlook (December through February):

Winter 2016 - 2017 precipitation outlook. Click for larger view. (NOAA)
Winter 2016 – 2017 precipitation outlook. Click for larger view. (NOAA)

Precipitation

  • Wetter than normal conditions are most likely in the northern Rockies, around the Great Lakes, in Hawaii and in western Alaska
  • Drier than normal conditions are most likely across the entire southern U.S. and southern Alaska.

Temperature

  • Warmer than normal conditions are most likely across the southern U.S., extending northward through the central Rockies, in Hawaii, in western and northern Alaska and in northern New England.
  • Cooler conditions are most likely across the northern tier from Montana to western Michigan.
  • The rest of the country falls into the “equal chance” category, meaning that there is not a strong enough climate signal in these areas to shift the odds, so they have an equal chance for above-, near-, or below-normal temperatures and/or precipitation.

Drought

  • Drought will likely persist through the winter in many regions currently experiencing drought, including much of California and the Southwest
  • Drought is expected to persist and spread in the southeastern U.S. and develop in the southern Plains.
  • New England will see a mixed bag, with improvement in the western parts and persistence to the east.  
  • Drought improvement is anticipated in northern California, the northern Rockies, the northern Plains and parts of the Ohio Valley.

This seasonal outlook does not project where and when snowstorms may hit or provide total seasonal snowfall accumulations. Snow forecasts are dependent upon the strength and track of winter storms, which are generally not predictable more than a week in advance.  However, La Nina winters tend to favor above average snowfall around the Great Lakes and in the northern Rockies and below average snowfall in the mid-Atlantic.

NOAA produces seasonal outlooks to help communities prepare for what’s likely to come in the next few months and minimize weather’s impacts on lives and livelihoods. Empowering people with actionable forecasts and winter weather tips is key to NOAA’s effort to build aWeather-Ready Nation.