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Thornton Weather

National Weather Service 2017 storm spotter training dates

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On June 3, 1981 a tornado struck Thornton in what is the worst twister to have struck the Denver metro area. Are you ready should disaster strike again? Image courtesy the City of Thornton archives.

Severe weather is a fact of life in Colorado – from blizzards to tornadoes we can and do see it all.  Each year the weather is responsible for claiming lives in our state and across the nation and the threat is very real.  Storm spotter training allows you to learn how to protect yourself and your family while providing a public service.

Education is key to knowing how to protect you and your family.  Whether you want to be an official storm spotter or maybe just want to learn more about severe weather, storm spotter training can provide you an incredible opportunity to learn.

The National Weather Service Denver / Boulder office has announced a series of Skywarn storm spotter training dates for Colorado for the 2017 season.

The storm spotter program is a nationwide program with more than 280,000 trained spotters.  These volunteers report weather hazards to their local National Weather Service office providing vital information when severe strikes.  Data from spotters include severe wind, rain, snow measurements, thunderstorms and hail and of course tornadoes.

Storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation’s first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time–seconds and minutes that can help save lives.

By completing one of these training classes you can become an official storm spotter.  When severe weather strikes, you can report it by calling a special toll free number or submit your report via the National Weather Service’s website.

These are great sessions for anyone wanting to learn more about the severe weather we experience in Colorado, whether you want to be an official spotter or not.  All training is free.  Topics include:

  • Basics of thunderstorm development
  • Fundamentals of storm structure
  • Identifying potential severe weather features
  • Information to report
  • How to report information
  • Basic severe weather safety

To learn more about the program, see here: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bou/awebphp/spotter.php

Below are the dates, times and locations announced thus far.  The embedded calendar should automatically update with new dates and changes but be sure to check the National Weather Service site for the latest.
National Weather, Severe Weather

New Weather Satellite Sends First Lightning Images

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

National Weather Service announces storm spotter training dates for 2016

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On June 3, 1981 a tornado struck Thornton in what is the worst twister to have struck the Denver metro area. Are you ready should disaster strike again? Image courtesy the City of Thornton archives.

Severe weather is a fact of life in Colorado – from blizzards to tornadoes we can and do see it all.  Each year the weather is responsible for claiming lives in our state and across the nation and the threat is very real.  Storm spotter training allows you to learn how to protect yourself and your family while providing a public service.

Education is key to knowing how to protect you and your family.  Whether you want to be an official storm spotter or maybe just want to learn more about severe weather, storm spotter training can provide you an incredible opportunity to learn.

The National Weather Service Denver / Boulder office has announced a series of Skywarn storm spotter training dates for Colorado for the 2015 season.

The storm spotter program is a nationwide program with more than 280,000 trained spotters.  These volunteers report weather hazards to their local National Weather Service office providing vital information when severe strikes.  Data from spotters include severe wind, rain, snow measurements, thunderstorms and hail and of course tornadoes.

Storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation’s first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time–seconds and minutes that can help save lives.

By completing one of these training classes you can become an official storm spotter.  When severe weather strikes, you can report it by calling a special toll free number or submit your report via the National Weather Service’s website.

These are great sessions for anyone wanting to learn more about the severe weather we experience in Colorado, whether you want to be an official spotter or not.  All training is free.  Topics include:

  • Basics of thunderstorm development
  • Fundamentals of storm structure
  • Identifying potential severe weather features
  • Information to report
  • How to report information
  • Basic severe weather safety

To learn more about the program, see here: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bou/awebphp/spotter.php

Below are the dates, times and locations announced thus far.  The embedded calendar should automatically update with new dates and changes but be sure to check the National Weather Service site for the latest.
Colorado Weather, Thornton Weather

National Weather Service announces storm spotter training dates for 2015

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On June 3, 1981 a tornado struck Thornton in what is the worst twister to have struck the Denver metro area. Are you ready should disaster strike again? Image courtesy the City of Thornton archives.

Severe weather is a fact of life in Colorado – from blizzards to tornadoes we can and do see it all.  Each year the weather is responsible for claiming lives in our state and across the nation and the threat is very real.  Storm spotter training allows you to learn how to protect yourself and your family while providing a public service.

Education is key to knowing how to protect you and your family.  Whether you want to be an official storm spotter or maybe just want to learn more about severe weather, storm spotter training can provide you an incredible opportunity to learn.

The National Weather Service Denver / Boulder office has announced a series of Skywarn storm spotter training dates for Colorado for the 2015 season.

The storm spotter program is a nationwide program with more than 280,000 trained spotters.  These volunteers report weather hazards to their local National Weather Service office providing vital information when severe strikes.  Data from spotters include severe wind, rain, snow measurements, thunderstorms and hail and of course tornadoes.

Storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation’s first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time–seconds and minutes that can help save lives.

By completing one of these training classes you can become an official storm spotter.  When severe weather strikes, you can report it by calling a special toll free number or submit your report via the National Weather Service’s website.

These are great sessions for anyone wanting to learn more about the severe weather we experience in Colorado, whether you want to be an official spotter or not.  All training is free.  Topics include:

  • Basics of thunderstorm development
  • Fundamentals of storm structure
  • Identifying potential severe weather features
  • Information to report
  • How to report information
  • Basic severe weather safety

To learn more about the program, see here: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bou/awebphp/spotter.php

Below are the dates, times and locations announced thus far with the first occurring on Sunday, February 16.  We will try to keep this updated but you can click here for any new dates on the National Weather Service website.

Schedule updated 3/8/15:

March, 2015 – Upcoming
Day City, State Time Location
10 Denver, CO(Denver County) 7:00pm MDT Denver Police District #3
1625 South University Blvd
Denver, CO
Contact Information: DenverCERT@Denvergov.org
16 Holyoke, CO(Phillips County) 1:00pm MDT Phillips County Events Center
22505 US Highway 385, Holyoke, CO 80734
Contact Information: Bob.Heldenbrand@phillipscounty.co
16 Holyoke , CO(Phillips County) 6:30pm MDT Phillips County Events Center
22505 US Highway 385, Holyoke, CO 80734
Contact Information: Bob.Heldenbrand@phillipscounty.co
17 Haxtun, CO(Phillips County) 6:30pm MDT Haxtun Volunteer Fire Dept
101 North Colorado Haxtun, CO 80731
Contact Information: Bob.Heldenbrand@phillipscounty.co
19 Highlands Ranch, CO(Douglas County) 7:00pm MDT annual Douglas County ARES spotter training Douglas County Sheriff Substation
9250 Zotos Drive, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Contact Information: W0RDR@live.com
26 Frederick, CO(Weld County) 6:00pm MDT 8426 Kosmerl Place, Frederick, CO 80504
Contact Information: sstair@fffd.us
26 Parker, CO 6:30pm MDT Rattlesnake Fire Department 46220 Coal Creek Drive, Parker, CO 80138
Contact Information: brandon.lenderink@elbertcounty-co.gov
28 Fort Collins, CO(Larimer County) 8:00am MDT note: annual ARES spotter training…Fort Collins Police Community Room 2221 South Timberline Road
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Contact Information: w0mbh@hotmail.com
30 Akron, CO(Washington County) 6:30pm MDT Washington County Event Center, 551 West 2nd, Akron, CO 80720.
Contact Information: mmccaleb@co.washington.co.us
31 Greeley, CO(Weld County) 6:30pm MDT (Weld County Administration building 1150 “O” Street Greeley, CO 80632
Contact Information: gmarquez@co.weld.co.us
April, 2015 – Upcoming
Day City, State Time Location
02 Hugo, CO(Lincoln County) 2:00pm MDT 103 3rd Avenue
Hugo, CO 80821
United States
Contact Information: lclanduse@lincolncountyco.us
02 Hugo, CO(Lincoln County) 6:30pm MDT Lincoln County Courthouse
103 3rd Avenue
Hugo, CO 80821
Contact Information: lclanduse@lincolncountyco.us
06 loveland, CO(Larimer County) 9:00am MDT Police Institute Room – 810 E. 10th street Loveland, CO
Contact Information: Pat.Mialy@cityofloveland.org
06 Fort Collins, CO(Larimer County) 7:00pm MDT Fort Collins Police Community Room 2221 South Timberline Road
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Contact Information: migavin@poudre-fire.org
07 Fort Morgan, CO(Morgan County) 6:30pm MDT ***NOTE*** date change
American Legion Building, 16913 Morgan County Road
17.10 (Nelson Road)
Fort Morgan Co.
Contact Information: senfante@co.morgan.co.us
09 Aurora, CO(Arapahoe County) 6:30pm MDT Cherry Creek Schools Education Support Facility, 5416 South Rivera Way, Centennial, CO
Contact Information: training@arapahoeares.org
11 Longmont, CO(Boulder County) 10:00am MDT LifeBridge Christian Church
10345 Ute Highway, Longmont, CO
Contact Information: http://www.longmontcolorado.gov/departments/depar
13 Sterling, CO(Logan County) 6:30pm MDT Sterling Public Library community room, 420 North 5th St. in Sterling.
Contact Information: donaldson@logancountyco.gov
20 Aurora, CO(Aurora County) 6:00pm MDT Aurora Central Library
14949 E Alameda Pkwy, Aurora, CO 80012.
Contact Information: acox@auroragov.org
21 Kiowa, CO(Elbert County) 6:30pm MDT Kiowa County Building
215 Comanche Street, Kiowa, CO 80117.
Contact Information: brandon.lenderink@elbertcounty-co.gov
23 Westminister, CO(Adams County) 3:30pm MDT 3645 West 112th Avenue
Westminster, CO 80031 room TBA
Contact Information: rachel.humphrey@frontrange.edu
23 Westminister, CO(Adams County) 7:00pm MDT 3645 West 112th Avenue
Westminster, CO 80031 room TBA
Contact Information: rachel.humphrey@frontrange.edu
25 Commerce City, CO(Adams County) 10:00am MDT 4201 east 72nd, Commerce City.
Contact Information: r1@rampartsar.com
28 Parker , CO(Parker County) 6:30pm MDT Parker Police Station
18600 Lincoln Meadows Pkwy
Parker, CO 80134
Contact Information: gjones@parkeronline.org

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Colorado Weather, Thornton Weather

National Weather Service announces storm spotter training dates for 2014

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On June 3, 1981 a tornado struck Thornton in what is the worst twister to have struck the Denver metro area. Are you ready should disaster strike again? Image courtesy the City of Thornton archives.

Severe weather is a fact of life in Colorado – from blizzards to tornadoes we can and do see it all.  Each year the weather is responsible for claiming lives in our state and across the nation and the threat is very real.  Storm spotter training allows you to learn how to protect yourself and your family while providing a public service.

Education is key to knowing how to protect you and your family.  Whether you want to be an official storm spotter or maybe just want to learn more about severe weather, storm spotter training can provide you an incredible opportunity to learn.

The National Weather Service Denver / Boulder office has announced a series of Skywarn storm spotter training dates for Colorado for the 2013 season.

The storm spotter program is a nationwide program with more than 280,000 trained spotters.  These volunteers report weather hazards to their local National Weather Service office providing vital information when severe strikes.  Data from spotters include severe wind, rain, snow measurements, thunderstorms and hail and of course tornadoes.

Storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation’s first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time–seconds and minutes that can help save lives.

By completing one of these training classes you can become an official storm spotter.  When severe weather strikes, you can report it by calling a special toll free number or submit your report via the National Weather Service’s website.

These are great sessions for anyone wanting to learn more about the severe weather we experience in Colorado, whether you want to be an official spotter or not.  All training is free.  Topics include:

  • Basics of thunderstorm development
  • Fundamentals of storm structure
  • Identifying potential severe weather features
  • Information to report
  • How to report information
  • Basic severe weather safety

To learn more about the program, see here: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bou/awebphp/spotter.php

Below are the dates, times and locations announced thus far with the first occurring on Sunday, February 16.  We will try to keep this updated but you can click here for any new dates on the National Weather Service website.

Schedule updated 4/6/14:

April, 2014 – Upcoming
Day City, State Time Location
07 Loveland, CO
(Larimer County)		 9:00am MDT The Rialto Theater 228 E. Fourth Street Loveland, Colorado 80537
Contact Information: mialyp@ci.loveland.co.us
07 Fort Collins, CO
(Larimer County)		 6:30pm MDT Fort Collins Police Services Building, Community Service Room 2221 S. Timberline Drive Fort Collins Colorado
Contact Information: migavin@poudre-fire.org
10 New Raymer , CO
(Weld County)		 6:30pm MDT New Raymer Community Building 25 Shirley Ave. New Raymer, CO
Contact Information: dustin@dustinpricephotography.com
12 Kiowa, CO
(Elbert County)		 9:00am MDT Old County Courthouse Second floor, 215 Comanche Street, Kiowa, CO 80117
Contact Information: brandon.lenderink@elbertcounty-co.gov
14 Akron, CO
(Washington County)		 6:30pm MDT Washington County Fairgrounds Event Center 551 E. Second Street, Akron, CO
Contact Information: mmccaleb@co.washington.co.us
15 Greeley, CO
(Weld County)		 6:30pm MDT Weld County Administration Building, 1150 O Street, Greeley, CO
Contact Information: gmarquez@co.weld.co.us
19 Commerce City, CO
(Adams County)		 10:00am MDT Sheriff’s Substation Conference Room, 4201 E. 72nd Ave., Commerce City, CO 80022
Contact Information: r1@rampartsar.com
21 Centennial, CO
(Arapahoe County)		 6:30pm MDT Arapahoe County Sheriff, 13101 East Broncoes Parkway, Centennial, CO
Contact Information: awallin@arapahoegov.com
24 Aurora, CO
(Arapahoe County)		 6:00pm MDT Aurora Central Library 14949 E Alameda Pkwy, Aurora, CO 80012.
Contact Information: acox@auroragov.org
26 Strasburg, CO
(Adams County)		 10:00am MDT Strasburg Fire Department Conference Room, 56281 E. Colfax Ave., Strasburg, CO 80136
Contact Information: tmccall@svfd8.org
28 Parker, CO
(Douglas County)		 6:30pm MDT Parker Police 18600 Lincoln Meadows Pkwy Parker, CO 80134
Contact Information: khenry@parkeronline.org
29 Littleton, CO
(Jefferson County)		 10:00am MDT Foothills Park and Recreation District 6612 S. Ward Street, Littleton, CO 80127.
Contact Information: lisan@fhprd.org
29 Denver, CO
(Denver County)		 7:00pm MDT Red Cross facility 444 Sherman St., Denver Co
Contact Information: kc0mht@msn.com
May, 2014 – Upcoming
Day City, State Time Location
01 Hugo, CO
(Lincoln County)		 2:00pm MDT Lincoln County Courthouse 103 3rd Street, Hugo, CO 80821
Contact Information: lclanduse@lincolncountyco.us
01 Hugo, CO
(Lincoln County)		 6:30pm MDT Lincoln County Courthouse 103 3rd Street, Hugo, CO 80821
Contact Information: lclanduse@lincolncountyco.us
06 Boulder, CO
(Boulder County)		 6:30pm MDT SHHQ TrainingRoom 5600 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder
Contact Information: fgonzales@bouldercounty.org
08 Thornton, CO
(Adams County)		 6:00pm MDT Thornton City Hall 1st Floor Training Room, 9500 Civic Center Drive, Thornton, CO 80229
Contact Information: gene.putman@cityofthornton.net
Examiner.com

Weather forecasters working during shutdown issue secret plea to ‘PLEASE PAY US’

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National Weather Service forecasters in Alaska hid a very timely message to President Barack Obama and Congress about the government shutdown in their Friday forecast discussion.

The 5:00 a.m. forecast discussion from the Anchorage, Alaska office of the National Weather Service looked innocuous enough. It contained the usual meteorological information about the coming day’s weather.

However, hidden in the discussion was a special message. Find out more on Examiner.com

National Weather Service forecasters in Anchorage, Alaska had a hidden message for President Obama and Congress.

Thornton Weather

National Weather Service begins 2013 storm spotter training sessions

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On June 3, 1981 a tornado struck Thornton in what is the worst twister to have struck the Denver metro area. Are you ready should disaster strike again? Image courtesy the City of Thornton archives.

Severe weather is a fact of life in Colorado – from blizzards to tornadoes we can and do see it all.  Each year the weather is responsible for claiming lives in our state and across the nation and the threat is very real.  Storm spotter training allows you to learn how to protect yourself and your family while providing a public service.

Education is key to knowing how to protect you and your family.  Whether you want to be an official storm spotter or maybe just want to learn more about severe weather, storm spotter training can provide you an incredible opportunity to learn.

The National Weather Service Denver / Boulder office has announced a series of Skywarn storm spotter training dates for Colorado for the 2013 season.

The storm spotter program is a nationwide program with more than 280,000 trained spotters.  These volunteers report weather hazards to their local National Weather Service office providing vital information when severe strikes.  Data from spotters include severe wind, rain, snow measurements, thunderstorms and hail and of course tornadoes.

Storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation’s first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time–seconds and minutes that can help save lives.

By completing one of these training classes you can become an official storm spotter.  When severe weather strikes, you can report it by calling a special toll free number or submit your report via the National Weather Service’s website.

These are great sessions for anyone wanting to learn more about the severe weather we experience in Colorado, whether you want to be an official spotter or not.  All training is free.  Topics include:

  • Basics of thunderstorm development
  • Fundamentals of storm structure
  • Identifying potential severe weather features
  • Information to report
  • How to report information
  • Basic severe weather safety

To learn more about the program, see here: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bou/awebphp/spotter.php

Below are the dates, times and locations announced thus far with the first occurring on Sunday, February 17 and two scheduled in May in the north Denver metro area.  We will try to keep this updated but you can click here for any new dates on the National Weather Service website.

Schedule updated 3/28/13:

April, 2013 – Upcoming
Day City, State Time Location
04 Kiowa, CO
(Elbert County)		 6:00pm MDT Elbert County Fairgrounds 75 Ute Ave – Kiowa, Co 80117
Contact Information: Cory.Stark@elbertcounty-co.gov
06 Fort Collins, CO
(Larimer County)		 8:30am MDT ARES District 10 training Fort Collins Police Services Building, 2221 South Timberline Road, Fort Collins, CO 80525
Contact Information: k0jef@arrl.net
08 Fort Morgan, CO
(Morgan County)		 6:30pm MDT American Legion Building, 16913 Morgan County Road 17.10 (Nelson Road) Fort Morgan Co.
Contact Information: senfante@co.morgan.co.us
11 Hugo, CO
(Lincoln County)		 2:00pm MDT Lincoln County Courthouse 103 3rd Street, Hugo, CO 80821
Contact Information: lclanduse@lincolncountyco.us
11 Hugo, CO
(Lincoln County)		 6:30pm MDT Lincoln County Courthouse 103 3rd Street, Hugo, CO 80821
Contact Information: lclanduse@lincolncountyco.us
15 Loveland, CO
(Larimer County)		 9:00am MDT The Rialto Theater 228 E. Fourth Street Loveland, Colorado 80537
Contact Information: Pat.Mialy@cityofloveland.org
15 Fort Collins, CO
(Larimer County)		 6:30pm MDT Fort Collins Police Services Building, Community Service Room 2221 S. Timberline Drive Fort Collins Colorado
Contact Information: migavin@poudre-fire.org
18 Highlands Ranch, CO
(Douglas County)		 7:00pm MDT Douglas County ARES training Douglas CO Sheriff’s Office Highlands Ranch Substation 9250 Zotos Drive Highlands Ranch, CO 80126 Phone: 303-784-7880
Contact Information: randy.w0rdr@gmail.com
22 Greeley, CO
(Weld County)		 7:00pm MDT Note: time change! 1150 O Street, Greeley 80632 (970) 356-4000 x 3997
Contact Information: gmarquez@co.weld.co.us
27 Evergreen, CO
(Jefferson County)		 9:00am MDT Evergreen Fire Rescue Admin Building – Auditorium 1802 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen, CO
Contact Information: mswinden@evergreenfirerescue.com
29 Centennial, CO
(Arapahoe County)		 6:30pm MDT Arapahoe Sheriff’s 13101 East Broncoes Parkway Centennial, CO 80112
Contact Information: AWallin@ArapahoeGov.com
30 Denver, CO
(Denver County)		 6:30pm MDT Denver ARES training Denver’s COP Shop, 407 South Broadway, #500, Denver, CO
Contact Information: kc0mht@msn.com
May, 2013 – Upcoming
Day City, State Time Location
02 Parker, CO
(Douglas County)		 6:30pm MDT Parker Police 18600 Lincoln Meadows Pkwy Parker, CO 80134?
Contact Information: khenry@parkeronline.org
04 Elbert, CO
(Elbert County)		 9:00am MDT Elbert School 24489 Main Street Elbert, CO 80106
Contact Information: Cory.Stark@elbertcounty-co.gov
06 Westminister, CO
(Adams County)		 3:30pm MDT Front Range Community College 3645 West 112th Avenue, Rocky Mountain Room (near entrance 2) Westminister, CO
Contact Information: rachel.humphrey@frontrange.edu
06 Westminister, CO
(Adams County)		 7:00pm MDT Front Range Community College 3645 West 112th Avenue, Rocky Mountain Room (near entrance 2) Westminister, CO
Contact Information: rachel.humphrey@frontrange.edu
18 Commerce City, CO
(Adams County)		 10:00am MDT Adams County Sheriff’s Office Sub-station, 2nd floor at 4201 east 72nd Ave Commence City.
Contact Information: r1@rampartsar.com
Thornton Weather

Denver weather radar to receive upgrade to latest technology

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Denver's radar at Front Range Airport is receiving a major upgrade that will greatly enhance weather monitoring capability. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Denver's radar at Front Range Airport is receiving a major upgrade that will greatly enhance weather monitoring capability. (ThorntonWeather.com)

The National Weather Service has begun a significant upgrade to Denver’s weather radar.  The new dual-polarization (dual-pol) radar brings 14 new data types and will greatly enhance the ability of forecasters to monitor and analyze storms.

During the upgrade while Denver’s radar is inoperative, ThorntonWeather.com’s radar page will be using the adjacent radar in Cheyenne.  This will somewhat limit the ability to monitor storms during the two week period while the work is taking place.

The information below is from the National Weather Service and describes the dual-pol upgrade and what it brings to the table in terms of enhancements with monitoring severe weather.

From the National Weather Service:

During a two-week period, beginning August 30, 2012, the Doppler radar at your National Weather Service Forecast Office will undergo an upgrade to incorporate new technology. For these two weeks, radar data will be unavailable from NWS Denver/Boulder! 


This much anticipated upgrade is part of the NWS vision to build a Weather-Ready Nation to better protect lives and livelihoods. This exciting upgrade will incorporate a new technology called dual-polarization, or dual-pol. This new technology will result in 14 new radar products that will enable us to continue providing our suite of high quality products and services to the public. This new technology and data will primarily help forecasters identify the type of precipitation that is falling as well as improve rainfall estimates
Why Upgrade to Dual-Pol?
Current NWS Doppler radars transmit and receive pulses of radio waves in a horizontal orientation. As a result, the radar only measures the horizontal dimensions of targets (e.g. cloud and precipitation droplets). Dual-polarimetric radar transmits and receives pulses in both a horizontal and vertical orientation. Therefore, the radar measures both the horizontal and vertical dimensions of targets. Since the radar receives energy from horizontal and vertical pulses, we can obtain better estimates of the size, shape, and variety of targets. It is expected that this will result in significant improvements in the estimation of precipitation rates, the ability to discriminate between precipitation types (e.g. hail vs. rain), and the identification of non-meteorological returns, such as chaff, ground clutter, and smoke plumes from wildfires that are not uncommonly detected by weather radar systems such as WSR-88D.
Current NWS Doppler Radar
Dual-Pol Radar
The Benefits of Dual-Pol
  • Better estimation of total precipitation amounts
  • Better estimation of the size distribution of hydrometeors (raindrops, snowflakes, hailstones, drizzle)
  • Much improved ability to identify areas of extremely heavy rainfall that are closely linked with flash floods
  • Improved detection and mitigation of non-weather related radar echoes (chaff, smoke plumes, ground clutter)
  • Easier identification of the melting layer (helpful for identifying snow levels in higher terrain)
  • Improved ability to classify precipitation type

The full benefit of dual-pol radar, however, will not be fully realized until NWS forecasters and research meteorologists develop real-time expertise.
What is Polarization?
A radio wave is a set of oscillating electric and magnetic fields, oriented 90 degrees to each other. Polarization of the wave is the direction, or orientation, of the electric field.

Horizontal Polarization
Horizontal Polarization Graph The electric field is oriented horizontally, along the x-axis (blue). The magnetic field is oriented vertically along the y-axis (white).
Vertical Polarization
Vertical Polarization Graph The electric field is oriented vertically, along the y-axis (orange). The magnetic field is oriented horizontally along the x-axis (white).
Want to Learn More?
Colorado Weather, Examiner.com, National Weather, Natural Disasters

Weather warnings and disaster alerts now being delivered to mobile phones

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The next time severe weather strikes, don’t be surprised to receive a message on your cellular phone from Uncle Sam warning you of the danger. A new service launched by NOAA’s National Weather Service and the nation’s wireless service providers has begun sending out weather warnings to mobile phones.  Get more details on this new potentially life-saving system on Examiner.com.  Remember too that ThorntonWeather.com offers severe weather alerts via email.

The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system takes the system into the 21st century giving targeted alerts for weather, natural disasters, AMBER alerts and even alerts from the President of the United States.
The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system takes the system into the 21st century giving targeted alerts for weather, natural disasters, AMBER alerts and even alerts from the President of the United States.