Image of Interstate 70's new alignment through Glenwood Canyon. Further repairs are needed to restore the highway completely. (CDOT) See a complete series of photos of the slide and repairs in the slideshow below.

With cleanup complete and the threat of further rock slides mitigated, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) reopened Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon this afternoon. The highway had been closed since Monday when a slide sent 250 tons of rocks crashing onto the interstate.

Boulders the size of semi-trucks did significant damage to the interstate. A hole on the westbound sound measured 20 feet by 10 feet and one on the eastbound side was 6 feet by 6 feet.

While in the process of starting the cleanup, CDOT geologists discovered additional rocks further up the mountain that presented a threat to the highway.

• Slideshow: I-70 rock slide cleanup completed; Interstate re-opens

Crews worked in recent days to remove one rock that was 20 feet in diameter and smaller threats on the mountain while others worked to repair the roadway below.

The extensive damage caused to the highway will result in limits on traffic through the affected area for the near future. Only one lane in each direction is open now and the speed limit has been reduced to 40 mph. Trucks over 14 feet wide are not permitted in the area.

CDOT said they would provide more information tomorrow as to how long complete repairs will take. In a statement they said the new restrictions “will remain like this until long-term repairs can be completed in the coming weeks/months.”

Slides in Glenwood Canyon are not entirely unusual due to the rugged terrain and the varying weather conditions experienced in the area. Storms, snow melt and runoff, and even minor seismic activity can set loose the sides of mountains.

The stretch of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon was the final piece of the interstate highway system to be completed in the United States. When it was finished in 1992 the 15-mile stretch was considered a major engineering accomplishment.

An avalanche near Loveland Pass killed a 20-year-old snowboarder on Wednesday. (File Photo - Wikipedia)

A group of three snowboarders west of Arapahoe Basin near Loveland Pass triggered an avalanche on Wednesday killing one of the men. 20-year-old Daniel Michelotti was killed when he was partially buried in the event.

According to Summit County Rescue Group, the three were snowboarding in a backcountry area off of Highway 6. Michelotti was in the lead of the trio when he triggered the avalanche. He was carried 1000 feet and nearly completely buried.

The two remaining friends used their snowboards to extricate Michelotti while they awaited search and rescue teams. None of the three carried standard avalanche preparedness gear such as a beacon, shovels or probes.

• Weather education series: Avalanche safety – Be prepared or die

Summit County Rescue Group, and members of Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrol, Keystone Ski Patrol and the Summit County Ambulance Service all responded to the site.

Michelotti had moved to Colorado in November from Spring Grove, Illinois and was an employee of Breckenridge Ski Resort. The other two men were from Spring Grove as well, one of which arrived in Colorado two days prior.

The mountain snowpack has been very unstable for most of the winter. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center said the danger was ‘considerable’ for most of the central mountain areas including where Tuesday’s avalanche occurred.

Michelotti becomes the fourth fatality from avalanches this season. The most recent was on February 23rd when a man skiing in the backcountry as part of a group of eight was buried alive by and avalanche near Aspen.

Radar image of the tornado in White County, Arkansas. Two other twisters were reported in the state Wednesday, one that claimed the life of an elderly man. (NWS)

Tornadoes tore through Arkansas late yesterday and claimed the first tornado victim of 2010. One person was reported dead and three injured as the series of storms moved across the state.

The first twister of the night struck at 6:28pm local time in Saline County. That tornado damaged nearly two dozen homes but no injuries were reported.

The National Weather Service reported a second tornado was spawned out of a storm cell near Center Hill in White County. Nine homes were damaged and one person was injured.

The deadly twister was the third of the night which struck near Pearson in Cleburne County just after 9:00pm. Renee Preslar, spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, said that twister killed an elderly man and injured two others.

Thus far there has been a distinct lack of tornadoes reported in 2010. There were 41 twisters reported in January, slightly above the three year average for January of 37. That was followed by only one twister in February, the fewest in the month since record-keeping began in 1950.

There have been seven tornadoes reported thus far in March, all of which occurred in the last 48 hours.

• Related: Tornado rips apart five homes in Oklahoma – Video

Be sure to check out the Natural Disasters Examiner for all the latest on disasters from tornadoes and hurricanes to earthquakes and tsunamis!

Severe Weather Reports for Wedneday, March 10, 2010 (SPC)

According to the Storm Prediction Center, the twister was reported at 5:57pm local time. Residents said the area’s warning sirens did sound and provided nine minutes of warning before the tornado struck.

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman Michelann Ooten told the Associated Press that no injuries were reported. In addition to the five homes, a barn owned by the county was destroyed and the roofs of several homes were blow off.

Stormchasers were tracking the storm and captured amazing video of the twister from the distance and from very close proximity.  The first is from Arick Inman and the second from Mike Scantlin.

• One year ago yesterday Colorado saw its first tornado of the season.  As we enter spring, severe weather can strike at any time.   Be prepared!
• For the latest news on all types of natural disasters, check out the Natural Disasters Examiner!

Massive boulders lie strewn on Interstate 70 through Colorado's Glenwood Canyon Monday morning. (CDOT)

A rockslide that dropped boulders the size of semi-trucks has forced the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to close I-70 in both directions. Officials are unable to provide an estimate on when the road will reopen as damage is extensive on both east and west bound sides.

CDOT spokesperson Stacey Stegman said the boulders were big enough to punch holes into the surface of the highway. Some are large enough that moving them as they are may not be an option – they instead will have to be blown apart into smaller pieces.

CDOT reported on Twitter that the boulders ranged in size from 3 to 10 feet with the largest weighing 66 tons. The largest whole on the westbound side of the highway measures 20 feet by 10 feet and the largest on the eastbound side measures 6 feet by 6 feet.

• Slideshow: Monstrous rockslide forces closure of I-70 in Colorado

The slide occurred near mile maker 125, west of Hanging Lake Tunnel. Officials said they were lucky the slide occurred at 12:09am when traffic on the highway was at a minimum.

Interstate 70 is closed in both directions between mile markers 116 and 133. CDOT says it could be a couple of days before traffic is able to utilize the route.

The shortest detour around the slide area is not a quick one requiring nearly a 200 mile route. Drivers are being encouraged to use U.S. 40 through Steamboat Springs or U.S. 50 through Montrose and Gunnison.

For more on this story including the history of putting I-70 through the canyon, please visit the Denver Weather Examiner.

March 7 to March 13 - This week in Denver weather history

As we talked about in our March weather preview, Denver can see the entire gamut of weather conditions this time of year and our look back at this week in history shows that.  There are of course plenty of the famous March snowstorms including big ones in 1992 and 1998.  We also see the usual high winds such as was the case in 2000 and even extreme cold as we saw over an extended period in 1906.

• If you haven’t done so, be sure to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!  They are great ways to stay up to date with the latest weather news, forecasts and conditions! 

6-7

In 1981…a storm dumped 4 to 8 inches of snow over higher elevations between Denver and Colorado springs.  At Stapleton International Airport…north winds gusted to 16 mph and snowfall totaled only 2.5 inches.
 
In 1998…heavy snow fell over portions of metro Denver and the adjacent foothills.  Snowfall totals included 11 inches at Chief Hosa…10 inches near Evergreen…8.5 inches in Broomfield…8 inches at Bailey…and 7 inches at both Standley Lake and Thornton.  Elsewhere…snowfall across metro Denver ranged from 3 to 6 inches with 4.9 inches measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  North winds gusted to 26 mph at Denver International Airport on the 7th.  Several accidents occurred along area roads and highways when they became icy and snowpacked.

6-8

In 1932…snowfall totaled 6.3 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…5.2 inches…fell on the 8th.  Northeast winds gusted to 20 mph on the 6th.

7  

In 1872…heavy rain started shortly after midnight and soon turned to sleet…which continued to just after sunrise…the ground at that time not even being white. At about 7:00 am the worst snow storm of the winter commenced and continued until 10:00 pm…snowing heavily nearly all the time.  North winds averaged a sustained speed of 25 mph.  About 8 inches of snow fell…but it drifted too much to obtain a direct measurement.
 
In 1901…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph.  The strong Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 70 degrees.
 
In 1902…northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 53 mph.
 
In 1950…strong north winds at 40 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph produced a dust storm across metro Denver.  At Stapleton Airport…blowing dust reduced visibility to as low as 1/4 mile for most of the day.
 
In 1972…northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport.  The Chinook winds warmed temperatures to a high of 64 degrees.
 
In 1984…a wind gust to 63 mph was recorded at Golden Gate Canyon west of Denver.  West winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

7-8

In 1878…snow from the evening of the 7th until noon of the 8th totaled only 5 inches in downtown Denver. Apparent heavier snow over the plains along with strong winds drifted the snow into high drifts…which delayed trains for several days and caused a great loss of livestock.  Melting of the snow caused a rise in Cherry Creek…which resulted in much damage.  Precipitation from the storm totaled only 0.50 inch in Denver.
 
In 2000…high winds developed in and near the Front Range foothills…as well as parts of the northeast Colorado plains as another pacific storm system moved across the area.  Several trees and power lines were downed near Blackhawk…Boulder…and in Coal Creek Canyon.  About 30 homes in the Pinebrook Hills subdivision in Boulder were evacuated when downed power lines sparked a grassfire.  The winds eventually shifted the fire onto itself…thus allowing firefighters to contain the two acre blaze.  Several roofs were blown off barns…sheds… And garages.  Two semi-trailers were blown over…one along c-470 between Golden and Morrison and another north of Denver on I-25.  Wind gusts reached 101 mph on Rocky Flats…100 mph at the nearby national wind technology center…90 mph at Blackhawk and atop Blue Mountain…92 mph in south Boulder…73 mph in Coal Creek Canyon…72 mph in Golden…and 70 mph at Louisville. Northwest winds gusted to 45 mph on the 7th and to 49 mph on the 8th at Denver International Airport.

8  

In 1878…winds started to increase at 4:00 am and blew steadily at sustained speeds of 36 to 40 mph with a maximum sustained speed of 60 mph around 11:00 am. Snowfall of 5.0 inches occurred in the city…but much more snow fell on the plains…which blockaded trains bound for the city for several days.
 
In 1898…northwest winds sustained to 53 mph with gusts to 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 67 degrees.
 
In 1908…light snowfall of 0.8 inch produced only 0.01 inch of precipitation.  This along with the 0.10 inch of precipitation on the 21st resulted in the driest March on record with a total of 0.11 inch of precipitation.
 
In 1986…temperatures climbed from a record high minimum of 45 degrees to a record maximum of 72 degrees for the day.
 
In 2005…a vigorous cold front moved a wall of blowing dust across metro Denver during the mid-morning.  At Denver International Airport…north winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 55 mph…along with very light rain which changed to snow…briefly reduced the surface visibility to 1 mile.  A thunderstorm formed over Arvada. With the passage of the cold front…the temperature plunged 11 degrees in just 16 minutes at Denver International Airport where precipitation was only 0.01 inch along with 0.1 inch of snow.

8-9

In 1992…a major blizzard struck metro Denver.  The storm was preceded by thunderstorms with small hail during the afternoon of the 8th.  By evening…with the passage of a strong arctic cold front…snow began falling.  Strong north to northeast winds at 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 52 mph produced near zero visibilities in blizzard conditions across metro Denver.  By the morning of the 9th…snowfall amounts up to a foot and a half were reported with drifts of 2 to 4 feet.  Many roads were closed including I-70 east of Denver and I-25 both north and south of Denver.  Many homes and stores were temporarily without power.  Snowfall amounts included:  18 inches at Conifer…13 inches in Boulder and Denver…12 inches at Brighton and Morrison…and 10 inches at Aurora.  Snowfall totaled 12.4 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusting as high as 52 mph reduced the visibility to zero at times in heavy snow and blowing snow.
 
In 2002…high winds occurred in the foothills west of Denver. Winds gusted to 95 mph near Fritz Peak and to 73 mph near Nederland.

8-10

In 1989…unusually warm weather set four daily temperature records in Denver.  The high temperature of 74 degrees on the 8th exceeded the record.  Records were equaled on the 9th with a high of 77 degrees and the 10th with a high of 79 degrees.  The low temperature of 42 degrees on the 10th set a new record high minimum for the date.

9  

In 1918…northwest winds sustained to 44 mph with gusts as high as 52 mph occurred during the early morning hours.
 
In 1960…west-northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton Airport.
 
In 1980…high winds were recorded in the foothills with a wind gust to 84 mph at Wondervu.  Northwest winds gusted to 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1982…strong Chinook winds buffeted the foothills in Boulder.  Wind gusts of 60 to 90 mph toppled a microwave dish antenna and blew the shell off a camper.  West winds gusted to 47 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1986…high winds in the foothills with gusts of 60 to 70 mph were reported at Golden Gate Canyon and in Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

9-10

In 1904…strong Chinook winds raked the city for 2 days.  On the 9th…west winds sustained to 53 mph with gusts to 62 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees.  On the 10th… West winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 54 mph. The high temperature was 58 degrees.

9-11

In 1927…rain changed to heavy snow behind a cold front and totaled 7.7 inches over downtown Denver.  North winds were sustained to 37 mph with an extreme velocity to 38 mph on the 11th.
 
In 1955…a strong windstorm raked the eastern foothills.  A wind gust to 95 mph was recorded at Rocky Flats with a gust to 60 mph measured at Valmont.  Damage in Boulder totaled 10 thousand dollars.  Minor injuries also occurred.  The strong winds were associated with a vigorous cold front that produced northwest winds at 40 mph with gusts as high as 52 mph at Stapleton Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to 3/4 mile in blowing dust on the 10th.
 
In 1968…5.5 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 24 mph on the 10th.

9-19

In 1906…an extended cold and blustery period occurred with light snow totaling 14.4 inches over 11 consecutive days. The greatest amount of snow on a single day was 4.0 inches on the 15th.  Only a trace of snow fell on the 12th and 17th. High temperatures were below freezing for the entire period. The coldest were 14 degrees on the 16th and 18 degrees on the 17th.  Both readings were record low maximums for the dates. Low temperatures were mostly in the single digits.  The coldest were 2 degrees below zero on the 16th and 5 degrees below zero on the 19th.  Northeast winds were sustained to 22 mph on the 9th.  North winds were sustained to 36 mph on the 10th…32 mph on the 13th…and 22 mph on the 15th.

10 

In 1893…northwest winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 60 mph in the city.
 
In 1948…the high temperature warmed to only 6 degrees… The all-time record low maximum for the month of March. The same reading also occurred on March 6…1920.
 
In 1970…5.0 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 21 mph.
10-11 in 1886…snowfall of 3.5 inches was measured in downtown Denver.  Apparent post-frontal north winds were sustained to 43 mph on the 11th.
 
In 1977…a major blizzard struck metro Denver.  Snowfall totaled 8.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds at speeds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph frequently reduced visibilities in blowing snow to 1/4 mile or less.  Most of the snow…7.7 inches…fell on the 10th.  The snow ended by daybreak on the 11th…but strong north winds persisted through the day.
 
In 1988…a late winter storm produced heavy snow and wind… Mainly north of Denver.  Wind gusts reached 62 mph at Keansburg and produced a lot of blowing snow…closing schools in southwest weld County.  The storm closed I-70 east of Denver.  Only 1.1 inch of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport…but north winds gusted to 39 mph.

10-12 in 1924…snowfall was heavy and totaled 9.9 inches over downtown Denver.  North winds were sustained to 18 mph on the 11th.
 
In 2001…heavy snow fell over northeast Colorado and metro Denver when a combination of upslope winds and convective snow bands formed over the area.  Storm totals included: 11 inches at the Eldora Ski Resort; 10 inches at Genesee; 8 inches at Elizabeth…atop Lookout Mountain…near Sedalia… And at Strasburg; 7 inches near Castle Rock and Evergreen; and 6 inches in Aurora…atop Crow Hill…and in Parker. Elsewhere across metro Denver…snowfall ranged from 2 to 5 inches with 3.9 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  North winds gusted to 28 mph at Denver International Airport on the 10th.

11 

In 1896…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 56 mph.
 
In 1991…the passage of a strong pacific cold front produced winds in excess of 60 mph across metro Denver.  Blowing dust reduced the visibility to 2 miles at Stapleton International Airport where northwest winds gusted to 49 mph.  A blizzard across eastern Colorado closed I-70 from Watkins to the east…but Denver escaped the storm with only a trace of snowfall.

11-12

In 1929…heavy snowfall totaled 9.3 inches in downtown Denver.  Northwest winds were sustained to 31 mph with gusts to 34 mph on the 11th.
 
In 1947…heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches in downtown Denver.  North winds were sustained to 15 mph on the 11th.
 
In 1963…snowfall totaled 5.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north-northwest winds gusted to 25 mph on the 11th.
 
In 1993…a strong storm dumped heavy snow in the mountains and 4 to 8 inches of snow over metro Denver.  Snowfall totaled 3.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 35 mph.

12 

In 1893…northwest winds were sustained to 44 mph.
 
In 1952…northwest winds sustained at 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph were recorded at Stapleton Airport where 3.2 inches of snow also fell.
 
In 1954…strong winds raked metro Denver all day producing areas of blowing dust…snow…and blowing snow.  At Stapleton Airport…north-northeast winds at sustained speeds of 40 to 45 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph were recorded. Snowfall totaled only 0.4 inches.
 
In 1982…a windstorm hit the foothills from Boulder north. The highest recorded wind gust of 90 mph occurred in Boulder.  Wind gusts to 47 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1985…only 1.0 inch of snow fell in Denver…but strong winds produced near-blizzard conditions and caused the closure of I-70 from Aurora to Limon for an hour in the evening.  North winds gusted to 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1999…heavy snow fell in and near the Front Range foothills.  Snowfall totals included:  8.5 inches at Genesee…6 inches about 8 miles northwest of Evergreen… 4.5 inches in Boulder…4 inches in Littleton…and only 2.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

12-13

In 2005…a winter storm brought heavy snow to the eastern foothills and western metro Denver overnight.  Storm total snowfall included:  15 inches in Jamestown…13 inches near Blackhawk…11 inches in the foothills southwest of Boulder and near Nederland…10.5 inches at Gross Reservoir…9.5 inches at Eldorado Springs…9 inches at Roxborough park… 8.5 inches near Longmont…8 inches in Boulder…7.5 inches at Centennial…7 inches in Louisville…3.3 inches at Denver Stapleton.  At Denver International Airport…west winds gusted to 46 mph on the 12th before the passage of the cold front and north winds gusted 31 mph on the 13th.

12-16

In 1880…a protracted cold spell resulted in 8 temperature records being set.  Record low temperatures for the date were set when the temperature dipped to 10 degrees below zero on the 13th and 14th…8 degrees below zero on the 12th and 15th…and 4 degrees below zero on the 16th. Daily record low maximum temperatures were set with 11 degrees on the 12th…12 degrees on the 13th…and 19 degrees on the 15th.

13 

In 1973…northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport.  The strong winds were accompanied by virga and a very light snow shower.
 
In 1990…4 to 9 inches of snow fell across metro Denver with 8 to 16 inches in the foothills.  Morrison reported 9 inches; Evergreen…11 inches; and Aspen Springs…14 inches from the storm.  Blowing snow and reduced visibilities caused 2-hour delays at Stapleton International Airport where only 5.1 inches of snow fell and north winds gusted to 21 mph.

13-14

In 1996…a storm system moving across northern Colorado dumped heavy snow in the mountains and foothills and across metro Denver where snowfall ranged from 5 to 10 inches.  A foot of new snow was measured at Nederland with 11 inches at Conifer.  Snowfall totaled 8.0 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  Northeast winds gusted to 30 mph at Denver International Airport on the 13th.

13-15

In 1906…snowfall totaled 8.0 inches over downtown Denver.

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.

This screen capture from amateur video shows one of the massive waves crashing into the cruise ship Louis Majesty.

Massive rogue waves struck the cruise ship Louis Majesty in the Mediterranean on Wednesday killing two and injuring more than a dozen passengers. The waves, at least 25 feet in height, broke windows and flooded cabins on the ship carrying 2,000 people.

The Louis Majesty was traveling from Barcelona to Genoa on the last day of a 10-day cruise of the western Mediterranean when the waves struck. Reports indicate that three massive waves broke windshields on the front of the ship and sent water over the decks.

Two deaths were reported as a result of the waves and both died at the scene. The victims were a 52-year-old Italian man and a 69-year-old German man from North Rhine Westphalia.

Fourteen injuries were reported, most minor and none life-threatening. Two of those had serious injuries including a 62-year-old woman who broke both of her legs.

Passenger Claude Cremex of Marseille, France told the Associated Press, “It was spectacular. A lot of water came in. Many cabins were flooded.”

• Slideshow: Monstrous rogue waves kill two on cruise ship
• Don’t miss: Raw video: Mediterranean cruise ship hit by wave   

Exactly where the accident occurred was still unclear. Most reports said the ship was sailing near the French Mediterranean port of Marseille but others placed it off the coast of Cabo de San Sebastian, Spain near Palafrugell.

Reports are that there were high winds in the area the ship was traveling through and automated buoy data indicates significant wave action at the time. A buoy operated by Meteo France in the area recorded waves to 21 feet high and winds in excess of 40 mph.

The 680 foot ship is owned and operated by Louis Cruises and had 1,350 passengers and 580 crew members on board at the time of the accident. The nearly 41,000 ton ship is “the most stylish and biggest ship in the fleet” according to Louis Cruises.

The debate about manmade climate change continues with a group of climate scientists now seeking to launch a PR campaign against skeptics.

Climate science and the purveyors of the manmade climate change theory have been sent reeling backwards over the past year. Errors discovered in their data and reporting, the Climategate email scandal and the shame it brought upon them, and continued cooling of the globe have set back their efforts. Now, a group of climate scientists is working to take the offensive against skeptics.

The Washington Times reports today that a number of scientists will start a new public relations campaign in the hopes of turning back the tide. Among the efforts by the scientists are to solicit a group of them to donate $1,000 each toward purchasing an ad in the New York Times.

One of the scientists, Dr. Stephen Schneider, Professor of Environmental Biology and Global Change at Stanford University lamented the state of the debate and sought to call up fears of the hunt for communists. “I don’t want to see a repeat of McCarthyesque behavior and I’m already personally very dismayed by the horrible state of this topic, in which the political debate has almost no resemblance to the scientific debate.”

Schneider is most famous in many circles for making outrageous claims. In 1989 he told Discover magazine, “So we have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified, dramatic statements, and make little mention of any doubts we might have.”

More recently, here on Examiner.com he told San Francisco Environmental Policy Examiner Thomas Fuller that any those who doubt the anthropogenic global warming theory would be “slaughtered in public debate.” When a number of notable scientists including Roger A. Pielke Sr. offered to debate him, Schneider quickly backpedaled.

For the complete story including to read what the infamous author of “The Population Bomb” had to say, please visit the Climate Change Examiner.

The Earth's axis was shifted slightly and our days shortened by last Saturday's earthquake in Chile. (NASA)

NASA scientists have determined that the massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile on Saturday has shortened our days and shifted the Earth’s axis. Officials said that the effects of the event while not unusual are a testament to the power of the temblor.

Richard Gross, a research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), said his team had determined the Chile earthquake shorted the length of an Earth day by 1.26 microseconds. A microsecond is one millionth of a second.

The 2004 earthquake in Sumatra which triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people was a magnitude 9.1 temblor. That event shortened the days by 6.8 microseconds according to the same computer models.

Most interesting is the effect the quakes had on the earth’s axis. Saturday’s earthquake shifted the earth’s axis by 2.7 milliarcseconds (about 8 centimeters, or 3 inches). The Sumatran quake shifted the planet’s axis by 2.32 milliarcseconds (about 7 centimeters, or 2.76 inches).

The scientists said the 2010 Chile quake had a greater effect on the Earth’s axis than the 2004 temblor because it occurred in the planet’s mid-latitudes. By contrast, the Sumatran quake was near the equator.

Researchers have said that all earthquakes affect the Earth’s axis. Dr. Benjamin Fong Chao, of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said “Any worldly event that involves the movement of mass affects the Earth’s rotation, from seasonal weather down to driving a car.”

This story was originally written for the Natural Disasters Examiner on Examiner.com.  For complete coverage of all natural disasters from earthquakes and tsunamis to tornadoes and hurricanes, please visit the Natural Disasters Examiner.

Why do we link to Examiner.com?  Click here to find out.