NASA Astronaut Douglas Wheelcock captured this image of Hurricane Earl on Monday. Click the image for a slideshow of hurricanes as seen from space. (NASA)

A slightly weakened but still powerful Hurricane Earl continues on its path drawing nearer to the United States East Coast. In recent days, astronauts aboard the International Space Station have been afforded stunning views of the storm from their 220 mile high perch.

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Hurricane Earl’s forecast path will bring it dangerous close to the East Coast from South Carolina through Maine. The center of the storm is expected to remain at sea however the centers “cone of uncertainty” includes much of the coast.

Astronaut Douglas Wheelcock is the commander of the Expedition 24 crew now on board the space station. The West Point graduate and Army colonel previously logged hundreds of hours aboard the Space Shuttle and is in the third month of a six-month stay commanding the ISS.

Like other recent visitors to the space station, Wheelcock is keeping the public up to date with the crew’s activities via Twitter. As the user ‘Astro_Wheels’, Wheelcock has used the messaging service to report on repairs to the station and ongoing experiments and now has posted extraordinary photos of Hurricane Earl.

• For complete coverage of Hurricane Earl, visit the Natural Disasters Examiner.

The two images of the powerful hurricane span roughly 17 hours. The first, taken over the central Atlantic on Monday shows Earl when it was a Category 2 storm with loose, rotating bands. The second, taken this morning, shows how much more organized – and powerful – the storm has become.

The slideshow below contains the images taken by Colonel Wheelcock as well as images of previous hurricanes taken by International Space Station and Space Shuttle crews and NASA satellites.

However that isn’t to say the weather can’t be a lot more “interesting.”  Extremes can occur during September ranging from heat to cold to yes, even snow. 

Find out more about what to expect in our September weather preview here.

August 31, 2010 - Hurricane Earl passes to the north of Puerto Rico. The major hurricane is a threat to the United States from the mid-Atlantic to New England.

Hurricane Earl continues its slow trek toward the west-northwest after pummeling parts of the Caribbean yesterday.  Today it looks like most areas will be spared the worst of the storm but a forecasted turn to the north may put parts of the East Coast at risk. 

The eye of Earl is currently 146 miles north of San Juan, Puerto Rico and the storm is packing 135 mph winds making it a Category 4 hurricane.  A bit more strengthening is expected over the next 24 hours as the storm continues to encounter warm waters and favorable conditions. 

Of particular concern is the path that Earl may take.  It is expected to gradually turn north and eventually to the northeast.  Within its forecast cone is a vast area stretching from South Carolina to Maine.  With many large population centers within the possibility for landfall, the potential for a major disaster are great.

We are monitoring the storm closely and posting updates to the Natural Disasters Examiner on Examiner.com.  Be sure to check there for the latest.

You can also view our live hurricane tracker here and our tropical weather update page here.

The video below is taken from NOAA satellite imagery and has been processed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS).  It shows the life of Hurricane Earl from sunrise to sunset yesterday.

August 22 to September 4 - This week in Denver weather history

Certainly this time of year we start to see temperatures drop and the conditions moderate.  This is usually one of Denver’s most pleasant times of years when the heat of summer fades and the snow and cold of winter is still far away.  That however wasn’t the case when the most notable event in Denver weather history this week occurred.  It was in 1961 on the 3rd of September that Denver received its earliest measurable snowfall – 4.2 inches!

19-30

In 1875…grasshoppers appeared in great numbers at 10:00 am on the 19th.  Thousands landed on the ground.  The streets were literally covered with them.  Swarms of grasshoppers were seen on each day.  All gardens in the city were devastated…and in the countryside the grasshoppers were very destructive to ripened grain.  On the 30th the grasshoppers were so numerous as to almost darken the sun.

29

In 1876…after the passage of a gentle rain shower to the east during the late evening hours…the moon shone brightly and a remarkably bright lunar rainbow appeared.
 
In 1910…an apparent cold front produced sustained northeast winds to 40 mph.
 
In 1946…the high temperature warmed to only 55 degrees…the record low maximum for the month.
 
In 1989…a spectacular lightning display knocked out power to 300 blocks in southeast Denver.  One bolt started a fire in a lumber yard in the northeast part of the city…and the attic of a home in the same area was set ablaze by a lightning bolt.
 
In 1996…3/4 inch diameter hail was measured in Parker.
 
In 2000…lightning struck two homes in Thornton.  The extent of damage was unknown.
 
In 2002…two small tornadoes caused damage in southeast metro Denver.  The first tornado…associated with a multi-vortex storm…touched down briefly near E-470 and South Jordan Road.  Some fences were damaged…and a few trees were blown down.  A few of the homes also sustained minor roof damage. Damage from this storm totaled 100 thousand dollars.  The second tornado associated with the storm touched down in a subdivision that was under construction at Gartrell and Arapahoe roads.  Four large condominiums under construction were destroyed.  The most heavily damaged portions of the structures were still in the framing stages.  Adjacent sections where enclosed walls were in place were not destroyed.  A man suffered 4 broken ribs and several cuts and bruises when the trailer he sought shelter in was flipped three times and torn apart by the twister.  Damage from this storm totaled 6 million dollars. A severe thunderstorm produced 1 inch diameter hail near Evergreen.
 
In 2006…severe thunderstorms produced large hail in the foothills west of Denver.  Hail to 1 inch in diameter fell near Blackhawk.  Hail as large as 7/8 inch was measured near Idaho Springs…along with 3/4 inch hail near Nederland and Conifer.

30

In 1981…60 mph winds were reported in Boulder.
 
In 2004…a severe thunderstorm produced hail as large as 1 inch in diameter in south Aurora near Cherry Creek.

31

In 1951…hail as large as 1 3/4 inches in diameter caused an estimated 300 thousand dollars damage in metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 1/2 inches in diameter was measured at Stapleton Airport.
 
In 1978…strong thunderstorm winds tore the roof off an apartment building in Aurora…downed trees…and damaged windows in Denver.  A microburst wind gust to 58 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1985…a thunderstorm wind gust to 60 mph was clocked at Buckley Field in Aurora.
 
In 1997…hail to 1 1/4 inches in diameter was measured in Aurora.
 
In 2006…a female postal worker was struck and injured by lightning while delivering mail in Westminster.
 
In 2008…lightning struck a home in Brighton…damaging the roof and a bedroom.  The damaged totaled 20 thousand dollars.

1 

In 1951…large hail pounded Boulder…causing thousands of dollars in damage to roofs and automobiles.  Heavy thunderstorm rainfall flooded basements and produced widespread street flooding.
 
In 1966…severe thunderstorms caused local flooding in areas from Denver to the north and east.  There was scattered damage from hail and lightning.  Streets were flooded in Boulder…and streets and basements were flooded in several areas of metro Denver.  The public reported 1 inch diameter hail in Aurora and near Cheery Creek Reservoir. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled only 0.39 inch at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1985…severe thunderstorms dumped heavy rain and hail at many locations along the Front Range from Denver south. The southern and eastern suburbs of metro Denver were especially hard hit.  Rainfall from 1 1/2 to 3 inches caused extensive street flooding in Aurora where two creeks rose out of their banks.  Two homes in the city suffered minor lightning damage.  Almost 4 inches of rain fell in the Parker area.  Hail up to ping-pong ball size piled up to a foot deep and closed a road in Evergreen. Hail as large as 1 3/4 inches in diameter was reported 8 miles northeast of Deckers.  Wind gusts to 65 mph were estimated in southeast Aurora.
 
In 1990…marble size hail piled up to 2 inches deep in the foothills community of Kittredge…18 miles southwest of Denver.  As much as half an inch of rain fell in just 15 minutes and caused minor road and small stream flooding. A thunderstorm dropped pea to marble size hail and brief heavy rain near Ward road and 64th avenue in Arvada. Minor street and small stream flooding was reported in the area.
 
In 1995…a strong thunderstorm microburst with only a few drops of rain produced a recorded wind gust to 85 mph at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. The wind gust occurred at 8:30 pm MDT.  The all-time highest recorded temperature in September…97 degrees…occurred.  The same temperature also occurred on September 5…1899…September 4…1960…and September 4… 1995.
1-5

In 1995…record breaking heat occurred on the first 5 days of the month when the temperature climbed into the 90’s on each day.  Record high temperatures of 97 degrees on both the 1st and 4th equaled the all-time record maximum for the month.  High temperature of 95 degrees on the 3rd was a record for the date.  High temperatures of 94 degrees on both the 2nd and the 5th were not records.  The low temperature of 64 degrees on the 4th equaled the record high minimum for the date.

1-7

In 1978…the temperature reached 90 degrees or more on seven consecutive days with the highest temperature…94 degrees… Recorded on both the 4th and 6th.

2 

In 1938…heavy cloudbursts in the foothills near the top of Genesee mountain caused flash flooding on bear creek at Morrison.  Nearly 8 inches of rain fell just north of Morrison in 6 hours and drowned 6 people in a car between Morrison and Kittredge.  Damage was estimated at nearly a half million dollars.  Flash flooding also occurred on South Boulder Creek in Eldorado Springs. Rainfall totaled 4.42 inches in Eldorado Springs…and rainfall was estimated to more than 6 inches in the foothills west of the town.  Many buildings and residences were damaged in Eldorado Springs…and bridges were swept away.  The high waters forced residents from their homes as far downstream as Erie.  This was the flood of record on south Boulder creek.
 
In 1973…hail to 3/4 inch diameter was reported in Boulder.
 
In 1987…lightning struck two men who were standing under a tree in downtown Denver.  Both were seriously injured and hospitalized.
 
In 1996…lightning sparked a brush fire in the south buffer zone of the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility.  No structures were damaged…but the fire burned about 100 acres of grassland before being contained.

2-3

In 1892…there was a trace of rainfall each day.  This… Together with a trace of rain on both the 7th and 8th…was the only rainfall of the month…making the month the driest on record.  The monthly record was equaled in 1944.

3 

In 1901…a thunderstorm produced rain…hail of unknown size… And south winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 43 mph.
 
In 1961…Labor Day snow storm is the earliest date of the first snow…trace and measurable…of the season.  The heavy wet snow broke many limbs from trees that were still in full foliage.  The storm produced 4.2 inches of snowfall at Stapleton Airport with nearly a foot of snow in western suburbs and in the foothills.  Minimum temperature of 33 degrees was a record for the date and the coldest ever recorded so early in the season.
 
In 1999…severe thunderstorms dumped large hail across metro Denver.  Hail as large as 1 inch in diameter was measured near Cherry Creek in Aurora and near Bennett.  Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter fell in the city of Denver.
 
In 2002…a thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 51 mph at Denver International Airport.
 
In 2003…very heavy thunderstorm rain washed out parts of the Virginia Canyon Road above Idaho Springs.  Up to 4 feet of mud reportedly washed down the road during the storm.  Several vehicles were trapped on the road.  In Idaho Springs…several streets…including the main street… Were also buried in mud and gravel.  Some buildings in town experienced minor flooding…including the basement of the town library and the police station.

3-6

In 1909…rainfall for the 4 days accumulated to 3.97 inches in Boulder…while in Denver rainfall totaled 2.45 inches on the 4th…5th…and 6th.

4 

In 1909…apparent post-frontal heavy rainfall totaled 1.94 inches in downtown Denver.  North winds were sustained to 19 mph.
 
In 1944…a trace of rain fell.  This together with a trace of rain on the 9th…10th…and 30th was the only precipitation for the month.  The total of a trace of precipitation for the month equaled the driest September on record first set in 1892.
 
In 1960…the highest recorded temperature in September…97 degrees…occurred.  The same temperature also occurred on September 5…1899…September 1…1995…and September 4… 1995.
 
In 1989…a strong thunderstorm wind gust flipped a plane taxiing on a private runway in Adams County east of Denver. Two people were slightly injured and the plane was heavily damaged.
 
In 1992…strong winds developed across metro Denver behind a pacific cold front.  Sustained winds above 40 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph were recorded mainly in and near the foothills.  Pre-frontal south winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1995…two people were injured when lightning struck their home in Lakewood.  The lightning entered the attic where it started a small fire.  It then traveled through the walls… Exploding a mirror and spraying glass on the residents. Lightning also sparked small grass fires near Aurora…Denver International Airport…and Bennett.  The highest recorded temperature in September…97 degrees…occurred.  The same temperature also occurred on September 5…1899…September 4…1960…and September 1…1995.
 
In 2000…thunderstorm winds gusted to 64 mph in Castle Rock.

Fire tornadoes, sometimes called fire whirls or fire devils, are formed when heated air from a fire rises and rotates. This vertical column of air can pull fire into it turning it into an amazing display of nature’s fury. Watch video of one in Brazil below.

Dry conditions, abundant fuel and strong winds create dangerous wildfire conditions. When in the right combination, a rare event – a fire tornado – can occur and one was captured on video in Brazil yesterday.

Coloradoans are not strangers to the dangers of wildfires. A relatively wet winter and summer has allowed us to escape relatively unscathed so far this year. Other parts of the globe however have not been so lucky.

In Russia, fires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres and sent plumes of smoke thousands of miles from western Russia to Siberia. The smoke has been so extensive it can be seen by NASA satellites 22,300 miles above the Earth.

Brazil as well has seen extensive wildfire activity in the last few weeks due to a drought. The brush fires have been fueled by the dry brush and they have devastated open land and destroyed homes.

Videographers filming near the city of Aracatuba in the Brazilian state of Sao Paolo captured a fire tornado yesterday as it tore through a Brazilian field. The rare event results when hot air on the surface rises and is twisted by winds thus pulling the fire vertically.

August 22 to August 28 - This week in Denver weather history

Lightning is a very real danger here in Colorado.  The outdoor-centric lifestyle we lead oftentimes puts us in situations when we are better off heading for cover.  The dangers of not properly taking shelter when lightning is in the area are highlighted by a number of events in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

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19-30

In 1875…grasshoppers appeared in great numbers at 10:00 am on the 19th.  Thousands landed on the ground.  The streets were literally covered with them.  Swarms of grasshoppers were seen on each day.  All gardens in the city were devastated…and in the countryside the grasshoppers were very destructive to ripened grain.  On the 30th the grasshoppers were so numerous as to almost darken the sun.

22 

In 1898…an apparent thunderstorm produced southwest sustained winds to 40 mph with gusts to 43 mph.
 
In 1903…a late afternoon thunderstorm produced rain…hail… And east winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 44 mph.
 
In 1904…the lowest recorded temperature in August…40 degrees…occurred.  The same temperature also occurred on three consecutive days…August 24…25…and 26 in 1910.
 
In 1965…heavy rain and hail caused some damage from flooding over northern Douglas County from Castle Rock to Franktown.
 
In 1981…thunderstorms moved across metro Denver.  At least 5 funnel cloud sightings were reported.  Funnel clouds were seen at 96th Ave. And Sheridan Blvd. and at 92nd Ave. and Federal Blvd. In Westminster and 7 miles north of Stapleton International Airport.  Lightning injured two people in Boulder.  A quarter inch of rain fell in just 5 minutes in Brighton.  Up to 3/4 inch of rain doused Parker in 30 minutes.
 
In 1983…3/4 inch diameter hail was reported at Kittredge… Along with 0.60 inch of rain in 25 minutes.
 
In 1984…a thunderstorm dumped 4 inches of rain on Brighton in 90 minutes…causing extensive street flooding in the downtown area.
 
In 1987…over an inch of rain fell in 24 hours throughout most of metro Denver.  A public library suffered water damage to the ceiling…carpet…and a few books.  Rainfall was 0.76 inch at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1990…lightning knocked out power to about 2500 homes in Lakewood for about an hour.
 
In 1991…National Weather Service personnel at Stapleton International Airport sighted an apparent tornado briefly on the ground 3 miles west-northwest of the airport.  No damage was reported.
 
In 1995…lightning struck 3 electrical power substations in Louisville.  Residences of more than 4500 people were without power from 30 minutes to more than an hour.
 
In 1996…between 1 and 3 inches of rain fell across metro Denver.  As a result…several low lying areas were flooded. A bicyclist was swept into a fast moving creek when he tried to cross a flooded bike path.  The man was washed downstream about 15 feet before getting snagged by a tree stump.  He and a man who tried to rescue him received minor injuries.  The heavy rain caused numerous power outages…false fire alarms…and traffic accidents. In Lakewood…telephone service to around 60 thousand residents was knocked out when a switching center was flooded.  Funnel clouds were sighted near Chatfield Reservoir and Highlands Ranch.
 
In 2000…lightning sparked a blaze which gutted a 10-unit apartment building in Highlands Ranch.  Twenty-eight people were left homeless.  Damage was estimated at 2 million dollars.
 
In 2007…severe thunderstorms produced large hail…up to 1 1/4 inches in diameter…in the vicinities of Castle Rock… Elizabeth and Franktown.

22-24

In 1987…some locations in metro Denver had a total 3-day rainfall of 2 to 4 inches.  Rainfall totaled 0.96 inch at Stapleton International Airport.

23 

In 1900…northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 49 mph.
 
In 1921…a thunderstorm cloudburst produced 2.20 inches of rainfall in an hour over downtown Denver.  This is the greatest 1 hour rainfall on record at the official observing site in the city.  Precipitation totaled 2.93 inches…which is the greatest calendar day precipitation ever recorded in August.
 
In 1941…one man was killed by lightning about 2 miles from the official weather station in downtown Denver.
 
In 1962…a home near Boulder was destroyed by a lightning- caused fire.
 
In 1968…strong winds buffeted Boulder briefly during the early morning hours.  At the National Center for Atmospheric Research…winds averaged 55 mph with gusts to 85 mph.  Damage was minor.  Northwest winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1977…lightning damaged at least 6 homes in Aurora.
 
In 2008…a landspout touched down near Westcreek in Douglas County.  One man was seriously injured when he tried to escaped several falling trees in his ATV.  One of the trees struck his back and broke two vertebrae.  Another camper narrowly escaped injury.  Seconds after he back up his truck…a tree came down where it had been parked.

24 

In 1880…a thunderstorm produced vivid lightning and heavy rainfall…which caused flooding over the eastern part of the city including the brick yards.  There was no rainfall recorded in downtown Denver.
 
In 1910…an apparent dry cold front caused a remarkable drop in temperature.  From 3:00 pm until midnight the temperature fell from a high of 93 degrees to a low of 40 degrees. Northeast winds were sustained to 44 mph during the late afternoon.
 
In 1946…heavy rain near Idledale caused flooding on bear creek at Morrison…which resulted in one death when a woman was swept from her stranded car and drowned.
 
In 1973…strong winds blew down a few power lines and hail up to 3/4 inch diameter fell in southeast Aurora.
 
In 1984…heavy rain hit the south Denver area.  Over an inch fell in less than an hour at both Castle Rock and Sedalia.
 
In 1992…heavy rains caused flash flooding across parts of metro Denver.  Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches fell with the hardest hit areas being the southwest and central parts of metro Denver.  Bear Creek rose above bankfull near Idledale with flood waters moving into southwest metro Denver.  Mud and rock slides along Colorado Highway 74 west of Morrison were reported.  The confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River in downtown Denver also went out of its banks…flooding bike paths.  Rainfall totaled 1.98 inches at Stapleton International Airport where light to moderate rain fell most of the day.  Heavy rain and fog briefly reduced the surface visibility to 1 1/2 miles.  The temperature climbed to a high of only 58 degrees…which was a record low maximum for the date.
 
In 2002…hail to 7/8 inch in diameter was measured in southwest Denver.
 
In 2008…several landspout tornadoes developed along a boundary to the southeast of the Denver metropolitan area during the Democratic National Convention.  In northwest Elbert County… Minor damage was reported.  The damage consisted of downed power lines…broken windows and an out building.  Severe thunderstorms also produced very heavy rain and large hail… Up to one inch in diameter.  In southwest Douglas County… Heavy rain caused flash flooding near the town of Westcreek. A mudslide closed State Highway 67.  The road in the YMCA Camp Shady Brook was also washed out and some bridges were damaged.

24-26

In 1910…the lowest temperature ever recorded in August…40 degrees…occurred on each of these days and on August 22… 1904.  The unusually cold weather for so early in the season brought sub-freezing minimum temperatures to much of the Colorado northeastern plains.

25 

In 1951…a microburst produced a southwest wind gust to 50 mph at Stapleton Airport.  Only a trace of rain was observed.
 
In 1964…thunderstorm winds gusted to 59 mph and caused some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1994…lightning struck a power pole in Louisville and caused a two-hour power outage.
 
In 2008…an unoccupied home was struck by lightning in Aurora… Causing 75 thousand dollars in damage to the roof.

26 

In 1944…one of the most destructive hailstorms in the city in a decade caused damage estimated at nearly one million dollars.  The storm occurred within a period of 10 to 30 minutes…between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm.  The hail varied in size from very small to as large as 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Hail covered the ground to a depth of 5 to 6 inches in some sections of the city.  Several people were cut by broken glass.  The hail and heavy rain flooded underpasses to a depth of 6 feet…and the occupants of stalled autos had to be rescued.  Sewers were unable to handle the sudden amount of water and water backed up and flooded a number of basements.  A few first floors of buildings were flooded.  The water department had a busy time replacing manhole covers that had been displaced by the water pressure.  Trees were stripped…one was severely broken…and telephone lines were downed.  Roofs…windows… Automobiles…awnings…and gardens were severely damaged. Flowers and gardens in some sections of the city were a total loss.  Greenhouses were extensively broken with an estimated 20 carloads of glass shattered.  Vegetable and truck crops in and around the city were severely shredded. The next day the American Red Cross was designated by the war agency to grant any and all priorities needed to obtain materials and supplies to replace and repair the damage. In downtown Denver…the thunderstorm produced 0.95 inch of rain and heavy hail along with sustained northwest winds to 25 mph.
 
In 1961…strong winds blew in the walls of a warehouse under construction in Denver.  Two workmen suffered a fractured foot and body bruises.
26-27 in 1980…two heavy thunderstorms hit Arvada and Westminster… Dumping up to 1.50 inches of rain in less than an hour. At least two streets were washed out and a number of homes and cars were damaged when a creek flooded.  Three homes in Arvada sustained minor lightning damage.

27 

In 1910…a thunderstorm produced south winds sustained to 40 mph.
 
In 1961…strong thunderstorm winds and heavy rain occurred at 79th and Federal Blvd. In Westminster.  The strong winds blew the roofs off lumber sheds onto parked cars.
 
In 1967…a young woman was killed by lightning while horseback riding in the suburbs just west of Denver.  Her horse died several hours after the incident.  A young man and another young woman were also knocked from their horses by the impact of the lightning and required hospitalization.
 
In 1991…heavy thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.91 inch at Stapleton International Airport…where 1/4 inch diameter hail was measured.
 
In 1996…localized street flooding occurred in the Fort Lupton area when 2 to 3 inches of rain fell in 45 minutes. The roof of a community college began leaking…which caused damage to ceiling tiles.  The roof was under repair from hail damage which had occurred earlier in the summer.  A weak tornado (f0) was sighted near Fort Lupton.  No damage was reported.
 
In 1999…a slow moving thunderstorm dumped 5 inches of rain in 2 hours near Dacono.  A severe thunderstorm produced 3/4 inch diameter hail in Castle Rock.
 
In 2002…severe thunderstorms spread large hail over metro Denver.  Hail as large as 2 inches in diameter fell in Jefferson County 5 to 11 miles northwest of Golden.  Other large hail reports included:  1 1/2 inches near Golden and in Lakewood; 1 1/4 inches in Nederland; 1 inch hail near Elizabeth…Louviers…Rollinsville…and Blackhawk; 7/8 inch hail near Acequia in Douglas County.  A thunderstorm produced a trace of rain and a microburst wind gust to 52 mph at Denver International Airport.
 
In 2003…lightning struck a house and sparked a fire in Arvada.  Damage to the roof and ceiling was extensive.
 
In 2005…lightning struck an unoccupied home in Parker. The resulting fire damaged the roof…attic…and second floor bedroom.  Damage was estimated at 15 thousand dollars.

27-28

In 2004…a brief chilly spell resulted in three temperature records.  The high temperature of 55 degrees on the 27th was a record low maximum for the date.  The low temperature of 48 degrees on the 27th equaled the record minimum for the date.  The low temperature of 42 degrees on the 28th was a record minimum for the date.

28 

In 1887…a dry thunderstorm produced north winds to 48 mph but only a trace of rainfall.
 
In 1968…one man was seriously injured by lightning while riding on a roller coaster at a Denver amusement park.  An airline employee was injured when lightning struck a jetliner he was servicing at Stapleton International Airport.  A lightning-caused fire did extensive damage to one house and minor damage to several others in the city of Denver.
 
In 1970…a microburst wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 2002…a severe thunderstorm produced 3/4 inch diameter hail near Parker.
 
In 2005…lightning sparked a small fire near Jamestown.  The blaze was quickly contained and consumed less than an acre.

8/22/10

• What’s the weather like in Kvænangen, Norway or Rio Turbio, Argentina?  How about Perth, Austrailia or Athens, Greece?  Now you can find out on our Global Station Map of Affiliated Weather Networks.  Much like our Rocky Mountain Weather Network, there are more than 24 other regional weather networks across the globe.  At our Global Station Map page, you can view live, realtime weather from hundreds of locations and go directly to the websites of individual weather stations.  Check it out here or select ‘Global Weather’ from the Live Condtions menu on the left.
• The Citizen Weather Observer Program (CWOP) is a private-public partnership with the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  Weather station owners like ThorntonWeather.com participate in this data sharing program to provide wide dissemination of weather data for use by citizens and professional meteorologists.  We have proudly taken part in the program for nearly four years.  One of the benefits of the program is the ability to compare the accuracy of data from a given station to others in the nearby area.  ThorntonWeather.com’s sensor system is designed to ensure you are provided with the most accurate conditions available.  You can now view just how accurate our data is by viewing CWOP’s analysis of our system on our CWOP Data Quality page.  It is available from the Almanac / Station Data menu on the left or by clicking here.

5/23/10

• With the advent of new advanced mobile phones like the Droid and iPhone, users of these devices are able to view more complete content than ever before.  No longer are they limited to totally stripped down versions of web pages.  Recognizing the proliferation of these new devices, ThorntonWeather.com has completely revamped our mobile website to provide users of advanced mobile devices a more interactive, graphical experience.  You can read more about ThorntonWeather.com Mobile here or just point your mobile browser to http://m.thorntonweather.com to view it first hand.

3/27/10

• We all love the beautiful, clear vistas that living at the base of the Rocky Mountains can bring.  However, those mountains also serve to hold in pollution and dust obscuring those views and creating unhealthy breathing conditions.  We have created a new Air Quality Conditions & Forecast page to help you monitor Denver’s air.  Fed by data from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the page gives you a look at current air quality as well as the forecast for the immediate future.  You can view it from the Forecasts menu on the left.

3/21/10

• We’ve added historical detail and summary charts for Thornton’s snowfall.  These complement the ones we already had for temperature, wind and precipitation.  They are available from the Almanac menu at the left then go to Station Data and you will see them there. 
  • Station snowfall detail
  • Station snowfall summary

3/7/10

• A whole new way to view the current weather and forecast - Check out the new ‘Weather Window’!  You can find it from the Live Conditions menu on the left.
• Did you know the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle (when in orbit) are often times easily seen from Earth?  The spacecraft regularly make passes over the United States affording an opportunity to see something extraordinary.  Our new Space Station & Space Shuttle Viewing Opportunities page lists when the craft will be visible in Denver / Thornton and provides viewing tips on how best to optimize your chances to see it.  You can access the page from the Almanac menu on the left then go to Astronomy & Space.

2/21/10

• Added a map of the Denver metro area to our Snowfall Reports page that will show snowfall as reported by members of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) for the past 24 hours.  The snowfall page is under the Almanac menu item on the left. 
• New Stormpulse Severe Weather Monitor page.  We have use Stormpulse on our Hurricane Tracker page and now it can track severe weather year round.  An interactive map with current advisories and warnings, radar and satellite cloud cover is displayed.  It is available from the Severe Weather menu item on the left.

2/15/10

• Traffic got you down?  Get a heads up on what you will face before you head out with our revamped Denver Traffic page.  Realtime road and traffic conditions, webcams, travel times, incidents, construction info and much more!  Access it from the Area Information menu item on the left.

2/13/10

• A new way to look at today’s weather forecast.  We have added the ‘Weather Story’ from the National Weather Service - A graphical image of what the weather is doing in northeastern Colorado.  You can view it from the Forecasts menu on the left.
• What about the weather in the rest of the nation?  Now you can find out with our National Weather Forecast page.  A forecast map for the current day plus a complete discussion of weather conditions across the United States are provided.  You can view it from the Forecasts menu on the left.
• Historical daily detail charts for temperature, wind and precipitation now available.  These handy charts are color coded and provide a day by day detailed look at the data from ThorntonWeather.com.  They are available from the Almanac menu at the left then go to Station Data and you will see them there.
  • Station Temperature Detail
  • Station Wind Detail
  • Station Precipitation Detail

2/12/10

• The annual winter snowpack is critical to residents of Colorado and the western United States as that is where a great deal of our water comes from.  You can now monitor the snowpack of the major basins with our SNOTEL Snowpack Report.  You can view it from the Almanac menu on the left.
• What exactly is the weather going to be like at a given time over the next 48 hours?  Now you can tell with our graphical 48 Hour Point Forecast.  It is available in the Forecasts menu on the left.
• What did the radar look like on May 22, 2008 when the Windsor tornado struck?  Or on June 7, 2009 when a tornado touched down in Parker and damaged the Southlands Mall?  You can now pull up radar data archives going back to 2006 on our Radar Data Archives page.  Access it from the Radar menu on the left.

2/8/10

• What’s the weather like ‘up there’?  Find out with our new Space Weather page.  Great information about solar activity with links to educational information.  You can get to it via the Almanac menu item on the left then go to Astronomy and Space.
• New ThorntonWeather.com monthly summary charts for temperature, precipitation and wind have been added.  These handy charts provide a cool graphical look at highs, lows, averages and much more.  They are available from the Almanac menu at the left then go to Station Data and you will see them there.
  • Station Temperature Summary
  • Station Precipitation Summary
  • Station Wind Summary

9/13/09

• Our Weather Links page has been updated with dozens of new links covering everything from climate and historical data to forecasting and tropical weather.
• If you haven’t seen it, check out our news story Internet resources for wildfire information and education.  The article has dozens of links to wildfire related information.

7/26/09

Always busy and always adding new pages!  In recent weeks we have added a number of things you may want to check out:

• A new ‘dashboard’ on the homepage!  We have greatly expanded our dashboard of live conditions on the site’s homepage.  Now all sorts of new and important weather information is available – all updated live and in real time!  Special thanks to Scott at Webster Weather Live for his work on this!
• ThorntonWeather.com is on Twitter!  Our Twitter feed has regularly updated conditions, forecasts, weather warnings and much more.  If you Twitter, check out our tweets!  You can get to our Twitter feed and follow us using the Twitter logo at the left or by clicking here.  Thank you to Mike at Long Beach Weather (WA) for providing the scripts that allow us to make this possible.
• We’ve added a new ‘Weather Station Records & Averages’ page with live updates of current conditions but also with highs and lows for the month, year and all-time since ThorntonWeather.com came online in November 2006.  The page is available in the Almanac menu on the left.  Special thanks to Scott at Webster Weather Live for his work on this!
• A “Day by Day History” of data recorded at ThrontonWeather.com is now available.  This lets you view any day / month since we came online and view all the important statistics for that day.  The page is available in the Almanac menu on the left. 

2/18/09

• Gas prices!  We now have a Gas Price Watch page that lists the 10 lowest gas prices found in Thornton.  Not in Thornton?  No problem.  We have a national map that you can use to pin-point prices wherever you are at or wherever you are going to.  You can find the Gas Price Watch page in the menu on the left under Area Information.
• Modified menu.  We have slightly modified the main navigation menu on the left and added an Area Information button / section.  In there we have consolidated some of the pages of our site that aren’t directly related to weather including our Live Denver Traffic, Colorado Road Conditions report, Gas Price Watch, Airport and Flight Status and Colorado Ski Conditions.

2/7/09

• Is that flight leaving or arriving on time?  Now you can find out on our Airport and Flight Status page.  From there you can see the status of all the major airports in the nation, check on status of individual flights and view a list of flights arriving and departing from Denver International Airport (DIA) and see their status as well!  This is available from the Live Conditions menu on the left.
• Added a new ThorntonWeather.com station records and averages page.  This is a great page to see the weather records by day, month, year and all-time as recorded by ThorntonWeather.com.  It is available from the Almanac menu on the left.

 1/18/09

New stuff!  Added:

• Who’s online right now with ThorntonWeather.com?  Now you can find out!  We have one page that displays the details and another that displays a map of visitors:
  • Who’s Online at ThorntonWeather.com
  • Who’s Online Map
• National Weather Service Public Information Statements  – A great resource.
• National Weather Service Winter Weather Statements – Statements from the NWS dedicated to winter weather. 

Both items can be found under the Almanac menu on the left.

1/17/09

• Updated the Denver Cold Weather Statistics through the current date.  A link to this page and other interesting climate type pages can be found on our Denver and Colorado Climatology page.

1/10/09

• Added the Colorado Ski Conditions from Colorado Ski Country USA.  It is available under the Live Conditions menu on the left. 

1/3/09

• Modified the Weather Maps page to start off showing the approaching systems (vice radar).  Also changed the selection menu at the bottom of the page to show regional information on top.
• Added a National Maps page and menu item under the Radar & Maps menu. 

1/2/09

• Added a Colorado Road Conditions page with current state highway conditions from CDOT.  Available from the Live Condtions menu on the left.

1/1/09

• Added a live Denver traffic map.  Available from the Live Condtions menu on the left.
• Added a number of national maps from the Weather Channel.  These are available under the Radar & Maps menu on the left and include:
  • Radar
  • Satellite
  • Radar / satellite composite
  • Temperature map
  • Wind map

12/6/08

• Added a site search function.  ThorntonWeather.com now has hundreds of pages of weather information, statistics, news stories and more.  Finding what you are looking for is now easier thanks to our search engine.  You can access it from the link on the left menu.
• Added “Share This” to the left sidebar.  Share This allows you to quickly post about a page on our site to your own blog or email a page to anyone you know.  This makes it much easier to tell other folks about the great stuff on ThorntonWeather.com!  Just click on the link to see how it works.

11/30/08

Some new features added today:

• Colorado Current Regional Condtions page.  Updated every hour with conditions from across the state.  Available from the Live Conditions menu on the left.
• Denver Metro Area Snow Statistics.  Including ThorntonWeather.com snow measurements as well as the official Denver snowfall totals.  Available from the Almanac menu on the left.
• Tornado Season Statistics page.  From the Storm Prediction Center, statistics on the number of tornadoes and the number of tornado-related deaths.  Available from the Severe Weather menu on the left.

11/28/08

One new feature, one updated feature:

• We have added the Fire Weather Outlook from the Storm Prediction Center.  It is available under the severe weather menu item on the left.
• We have added a number of new traffic / weather cams from CDOT to our other area webcams page. 

11/26/08

• We’ve added the various long range climate outlooks from the Climate Prediction center.  These are available from the Forecast menu on the left.

11/23/08

Four new features added today. 

• An Outdoor Activities Forecast from the National Weather Service.  These provide a brief, quick look at the weather for those planning outdoor recreation today and in the coming days.  You can access it from the Forecasts menu on the left. 
• A Colorado Road Conditions report from the Colorado Department of Transportation.  These are updated every three hours and provide a look at current road conditions across the Denver metro area and the entire state. 
• A Statewide City Forecast.  Now you can view forecasts at a glance for other Colorado cities including Burlington, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Alamosa, Craig, Grand Junction, and Durango.  The forecast is available from the Forecasts menu on the left.
• We now have a Tropical and Hurricane Activity page with data directly from the National Hurricane Center.  You can access it from the Severe Weather menu on the left.

11/22/08

A new Severe Weather section!  We have incorporated a suite of data from the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.  The information will provide a wealth of information on the potential for severe weather, particularly during severe storm season.  Special thanks to Michael at Relay Weather in Baltimore, Maryland for sharing the coding that allows this.  You can access the information from the Severe Weather menu item on the left. 

11/20/08

We have added two new features – An Earthquake Activity page and a Wildland Fire Map.  Both are available from the Almanac menu on the left. 

11/16/08

A new design!  Our site has a completely new look.  Please let us know what you think.

11/1/08

We have launched a new website – Weather Geek Stuff.  Everything you need for your favorite weather geek or diva!

10/5/08

We have added a new Satellite Imagery page with an array of images covering everything from Colorado to the globe.

9/26/08

New forecasting software added.  We have invested in a product called WXSIM that generates forecasts based on real time conditions from the area and our own data.  Be sure to check it out.  We will be watching it closely to see how it does in comparison to National Weather Service forecasts but also what actually happens.

9/15/08

We are pleased to announce the latest addition to our growing stable of features:  Weather webcams! 

9/9/08

We now feature an incredible new Hurricane Tracker courtesy of StormPulse.  It is available from the Radar & Maps menu item on the left and then clicking on “Hurricane Tracker.”

8/6/08

We have turned on “comment” capability in our Weather Blog and News section.  Readers are encouraged to leave their comments, questions and suggestions! 

8/3/08

You can now view official National Weather Service “Local Storm Reports” directly on our website.  Links are available under the “Live Conditions” menu and the “Forecast” menu.

8/2/08

We’ve updated our blog software (WordPress) to version 2.6.  This has some new features we will enjoy including adding the ability to put captions on our images.

7/27/08

As the heat wave continues and we approach record territory, we have updated our 90 degree streak page in the Climatology section:  http://www.thorntonweather.com/noaa/consec90.php.  We will keep this up to date daily as the streak continues.

7/6/08

With the advent of the Rocky Mountain Weather Network, we have added the RMWN mesomap to our site.  You will find this under the “Live Conditions” menu item as well as by clicking here.

5/31/08

Added the Rocky Mountain Weather Network mesomap to the Live Conditions section. 

Updated the Site Map with latest changes.

5/24/08

Added the Rocky Mountain Weather Network member image to the bottom of the homepage. 

4/30/08

Updated the menus to link to our Severe Weather 101 education series.   

4/30/08

Added the May 2008 climatological preview. 

3/30/08

Added the April 2008 climatological preview. 

2/26/08

Added the March 2008 climatological preview. 

2/24/08

Added radar images from our NEXRAD radar system.  A static image and an animated loop are available.  These will automatically display lightning strikes, severe storm indicators and more when those conditions are presented.

Added a historical data and graphs page.  These pages pull from our Weather Underground data and can display single days, weeks, months and years.  Also can select data from our sister stations in Commerce City and Arvada.

Changed the main menu system on the left side of the screen to one that uses fly-outs.  This shortens the menu overall while provding better organization allowing us to group appropriate items into categories. 

2/17/08

Added “weather stickers”.  Now you can have current Thornton weather conditions on your own website.  Click here to learn how. 

1/26/08

Added the February 2008 climatology preview.  

1/20/08

Added a number of links to the links page.  Most notably links to various other weather websites that we contribute our weather data to including CWOP, AnythingWeather.com and AWEKAS. 

1/13/08

Added the National Weather Service forecast discussion to the forecast section. 

1/5/08

Added some notes on various statistic and graph pages about the fact that we now measure snow moisture content.  These measurements will show up on the rain charts now.

1/4/08

Added the ability to view our lightning data, including the maps, to our Live Conditions page.  Click the Lightning button to see it.

1/1/08

Added some new links to the Links page including CDOT travel information and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.  We also have added a new link to our sister site in Arvada – ArvadaWX.com. 

12/25/07

Integrated the lightning data into our “Live Conditions” Flash animation page.  Real-time lightning data and the past 24 hours lightning data can now be viewed from within the animation. 

Added a World Weather Extremes and Records page that has interesting weather data from across the globe.  Did you know the hottest temperature ever recorded on the planet was 136 degrees in El Azizia, Libya or that in 1947 Holt, Missouri received a record 12 inches of rain in only 60 minutes?  This is a pretty interesting page to check out. 

12/22/07

Completed the new Lightning Detection Center.  Live lightning data is now viewable.  We have also added a page with information about the lightning detection system and a Lightning Education page. 

12/18/07

Began integration of the lightning data to the website.  System calibration and alignment are currently being completed. 

12/15/07

Incorporated WordPress for managing our news and blog section.  We have created a customized template that lets us take advantage of the ease of WordPress but while maintaining a consistent site layout.  This new system also allows users to easily search postings, narrow things down by category and date and much more. 

12/12/07

Revamped the Climatology page to make the selection of reports easier.  We have added dropdown boxes for each year / month so it takes up a lot less space on the page. 

12/9/07

Updated the About Us page with related news articles and photos.

12/8/07

Added a place that displays the previous day’s snow total to the main page.

12/1/07

We are now running our own NOAA All Hazards Radio which is sent to the Weather Underground then back to our site. We had previously been using feeds from other stations in the area but found them to be entirely too unreliable. Click here to listen to our weather radio.

11/24/07

Updated the forecast to fix problems with the National Weather Service forecasts. It will now grab the zone area forecast if the point forecast (the one specifically for Thornton) isn’t available. It isn’t as pretty but it at least displays a forecast now.

11/23/07

Lots more weather maps! On our Radar & Maps page, we now have a huge array of weather maps for the western United States as well as national maps. Everything from temperature and humidity to jet stream, satellite, and air quality maps are available! Check it out.

11/17/07

Changed the “wind rose” on the homepage to one that is a bit more readable.

Added links to NOAA and the NWS Boulder / Denver office on the Links page.

11/8/07

Homepage redesign! We modified the layout of the homepage to make it easier to read plus to “dress it up” a bit.

10/28/07

Added a November climatological preview to give an idea of what to expect in November.

10/27/07

Added the News & Blog section (this page). Here visitors will find weather-related news headlines as well as a continually updated blog on local weather events and website news.

10/24/07

Added a “News” box to the main page to help keep visitors up to date.

Added a special “Halloween Weather” item.

9/30/07

Added season start dates to the Astronomy page.

9/29/07

Updated the Trends & Statistics page to include rain data.

9/21/07

Added the ability for users to subscribe to email lists for daily statistics and weather alerts and advisories. See our Email Alerts page for more information.

9/15/07

Changed the main page to display a graphical forecast; removed the radar image.

Incorporated an updated warning / advisory script to the Advisories page. This will now display warnings for the local zone (Denver), the county (Adams) as well as highlight ones for Thornton. When multiple warnings are in place, it will display them all rather than just one.

9/1/07

Added Denver and Colorado climate narratives that provide some good information about the area’s climate.

8/27/07

Added graphs for the last hour for temperature, wind and rain.

8/25/07

Added some definitions to the Glossary of terms used on this site including degree days, UV index, solar radiation and more.

Added the THSW Index (Temperature Humidity Sun Wind) to the main page. THSW is a measurement that uses humidity and temperature like the Heat Index, but also includes the heating effects of sunshine (solar radiation) and the cooling effects of wind (like wind chill) to calculate an apparent temperature of what it “feels” like out in the sun.

8/24/07

Finished adding monthly data from NOAA to the Climatology page. Data for every month going back to 1996 is now available.

8/16/07

Added a Gulf of Mexico map to the MesoMap. Useful with hurricanes in that area.

Denver area NOAA radio is back up and running.

8/12/07

Added MesoMap Live with various maps providing coverage of the continental United States.

NOAA radio experiencing issues since local feed was discontinued. Temporarily have feed from Greeley running. Might be time to buy my own!

8/11/07

Added weather station status and computer status to this page.

Added NOAA radio courtesy of the Weather Underground.

Added a Climatology page with historical weather data from the National Weather Service.

7/28/07

Changed the Graphs page to use a new system using JPGraph. Graphs are now updated in real time when someone visits them.

7/11/07

Taking advantage of UV and solar sensors on new weather station. Main page now displays statistics for these.

Added a graphic showing Earth day / night conditions to the Astronomy page.

7/10/07

New weather station! Upgraded to a Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 providing much more accurate measurements and higher reliability.

7/3/07

Fixed a problem with the radar not operating consistently. Also changed the maps to provide better coverage of areas of interest. Fixed the < and > symbols for zooming so they now display a more accurate description.

6/22/07

Updated Weather Display Live to latest version.

6/12/07

AJAX implemented throughout site. Header now updates with live conditions. Main page has extensive implementation of AJAX with stats updated in real time.

Summer isn't done yet! This weekend's temperatures will be well into the 90's.

If you are tired of the summer heat you might not be too thrilled with this weekend’s forecast.  But, if you are not ready for the cooler weather that will be here soon then this one is for you.

High pressure is currently sitting over the Western Slope and to the state’s southwest.  This coupled with dry and stable air will drive up the thermometer. 

High temperatures on Saturday will be around 94 degrees under sunny skies.  Sunday follows suit with a high of 96 degrees but we will see increasing clouds later in the day. 

• Be sure to “like” ThorntonWeather.com on Facebook to get all the latest conditions, forecasts and more!

On the calendar this weekend there are a couple of events that you might be heading to.

First up on Saturday morning at 8:00am the City of Thornton continues its community walk series.  This time walkers will be taking to the Signal Ditch Trail at Cherry Wood Park (13796 Madison Street).  Thanks to an early start the heat shouldn’t be a problem at all.  Look for mostly clear skies at the start of the walk with a temperature of 69 degrees and 40% humidity.  The mercury will be up to about 75 degrees by 9:00am.  For more information about hte event, check out the City of Thornton’s website. 

Next up is the Denver Broncos preseason home opener at Mile High Stadium against the Detroit Lions.  For the 7:00pm kickoff it will be quite warm with partly cloudy skies and a temperature of 88 degrees.  Temperatures will cool as the game progresses and be down to 82 at halftime and 78 by 10:00 when the game is about over.

For those of you wanting cooler weather, you won’t have to wait long – relief is on the way.  Monday will be more seasonal with highs in the upper 80’s but on Tuesday it gets much cooler.  A strong cold front moving in from the north will drop us to a high of only about 80 degrees on Tuesday.

Get the latest National Weather Service forecast for Thornton here.

The monthly analysis from NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, which is based on records going back to 1880, is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides government, business and community leaders so they can make informed decisions.

Global temperature anomolies, July 2010. (NOAA)

Global Temperature Highlights

• The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for July 2010 was the second warmest on record at 61.6°F (16.5°C), which is 1.19°F (0.66°C) above the 20th century average of 60.4°F (15.8°C). The averaged temperature for July 1998 was 61.7°F (16.5°C).

• The July worldwide land surface temperature was 1.85°F (1.03°C) above the 20th century average of 57.8°F (14.3°C) — the warmest July on record. Warmer-than-average conditions dominated land areas of the globe. The most prominent warmth was in Europe, western Russia and eastern Asia. Cooler-than-average regions included central Russia, Alaska and southern South America.
  • According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finland set a new all-time maximum temperature on July 29 when temperatures soared to 99.0°F (37.2°C), surpassing  the previous record set in July 1914 by 2.3°F (1.3°C).
  • Western Russia was engulfed by a severe heat wave during much of July. On July 30, Moscow set a new all-time temperature record when temperatures reached 102°F (39°C), exceeding the previous record of 99.0°F (37.2°C) set four days earlier. Before 2010, the highest maximum temperature recorded in Moscow was 98.2°F (36.8°C), set nine decades ago.
  • According to the Beijing Climate Center, the July 2010 average temperature across China was 73.0°F (22.8°C), which is 2.5°F (1.4°C) above the 1971-2000 average and the warmest July since 1961.
• The worldwide ocean surface temperature was 0.97°F (0.54°C) above the 20th century average of 61.5°F (16.4°C) and the fifth warmest July on record. The warmth was most pronounced in the Atlantic Ocean.
• La Niña conditions developed during July 2010, as sea surface temperatures (SST) continued to drop across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, La Niña is expected to strengthen and last through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2010-2011.
• For the year-to-date, the global combined land and ocean surface temperature of 58.1°F (14.5°C) was the warmest January-July period on record. This value is 1.22°F (0.68°C) above the 20th century average.

Global temperature anomolies, January through July, 2010. (NOAA)

Polar Sea Ice and Precipitation Highlights

• Arctic sea ice covered an average of 3.2 million square miles (8.4 million square kilometers) during July. This is 16.9 percent below the 1979-2000 average extent and the second lowest July extent since records began in 1979. The record low July was set in 2007. This was the 14th consecutive July with below-average Arctic sea ice extent. July 1996 was the last year that had above-average sea ice extent.
• Antarctic sea ice extent in July was above average, 4.8 percent above the 1979-2000 average—resulting in the largest July sea ice extent on record.
• According to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, the continent received an average of 34.4 mm (1.35 inches) of precipitation during July 2010—this is 55 percent above the 1961-1990 average and the highest value since 1998.

Scientists, researchers and leaders in government and industry use NOAA’s monthly reports to help track trends and other changes in the world’s climate. This climate service has a wide range of practical uses, from helping farmers know what and when to plant, to guiding resource managers with critical decisions about water, energy and other vital assets.

Colorado storm chaser Roger Hill was shown on the Drudge report and that led to appearances on most major TV networks.

Roger Hill is considered quite famous among storm chasers as he has a proven, uncanny ability to place himself right where severe weather will strike. A recent headline on the Drudge Report featuring Hill has now shined the national media spotlight on him and his profession as co-owner of a storm chasing tour company.

Examiner.com / ThorntonWeather.com rode along with Hill as part of Storm Chase 2010 at the end of May and the beginning of June. The experience proved to be a once in a lifetime event as the tour experienced Mother Nature’s fury up close and personal culminating with a long-lived tornado near Campo, Colorado – the same tornado which Hill was pictured in front of on the Drudge Report.

• What’s it like to chase with Roger Hill?  Check out the slideshow of our chase with him on Examiner.com

Hill is no stranger to the media as his amazing videos and photos have been featured on the Weather Channel, Discovery Channel, National Geographic and all major news networks. For nearly a decade Hill and his company Silver Lining Tours have been showing thrill seekers what it is like to experience severe weather at closer range than what may be possible otherwise. Interest in “storm chasing tours” however has hit a fevered pitch in recent weeks.

On July 6th, the U.K.’s Daily Mail ran a story about Hill and his wife Caryn and their storm chasing passion. This was then picked up by the Drudge Report (above right) and led to interviews with CNN, MSNBC, and FOX News.

Crews from Inside Edition and Nightline then followed by riding along with Hill and Silver Lining Tours as they crisscrossed the Great Plains on the hunt for tornadoes.

The Nightline piece aired this past Friday and gave a good idea of what it is like to be on tour with Hill (watch the video below). From the frenzied pace to the seemingly endless ingestion of fast food and of course the thrill of the tornado chase, reporter Eric Hong experienced it all.