Tag Archives: weather warning

Tornado Watch issued for all of eastern Colorado including Thornton

May 18, 2010 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

A Tornado Watch is in effect for eastern Colorado through 9:00pm Tuesday night. (NWS)

Update, 7:10pm – Most of the ‘action’ has shifted north of the metro area into Weld County. Multiple tornadoes have been spotted. Residents of Greely, Lockbuie, Fort Morgan and surrounding areas need to be aware of these severe weather conditions.

For the metro area, things have settled down a bit. However, a Tornado Watch remains in effect until 9:00pm. There remains a chance of an isolated thunderstorm moving off the foothills with severe wind, rain, hail and possibly tornadoes.

Have pictures of the severe weather? Email them to info@thorntonweather.com and we will post them!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter or ‘like’ us on Facebook for all the latest!

You can monitor the weather situation closely with these pages on ThorntonWeather.com:

Update, 5:05pm – The Severe Thunderstorm Warning that covered parts of the metro area has expired. However, a Tornado Watch remains in effect until 9:00pm for all of eastern Colorado including Denver.

Thus far the Front Range has been spared any tornadoes but there has been activity elsewhere in the state. One tornado was reported two miles east of Rockport in Weld County and another one mile east of the rest area near the Wyoming border, also in Weld County. No damage has been reported.

Update, 4:10pm – The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for western Adams, northeastern Denver and south central Weld County. Radar indicates a severe thunderstorm that could produce one inch diameter hail over northern Denver and moving north at 25 mph.

Areas under this warning include Lochbuie, Brighton, Denver International Airport, northeastern Denver, eastern Thornton, Commerce City and northwestern Aurora. The warning will remain in effect until 4:45pm.

If severe weather approaches your area, go inside to sturdy shelter and stay away form flood-prone areas. Remember that a severe thunderstorm can produce damaging hail, winds in excess of 58 mph, deadly lightning and heavy rain.

The Tornado Watch that covers all of eastern Colorado continues until 9:00pm.

Original story, 1:20pm: The stage is set for the first significant severe weather threat of the season to the Mile High City. Thunderstorms have quickly built as they moved off the foothills south of Denver and they are expected to increase in intensity as the afternoon progresses.

The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for all of eastern Colorado through 9:00pm tonight. This includes the Denver metro area and the entire Front Range.

Remember that a Tornado Watch means that conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. Residents in the areas under the watch should take appropriate precautions and stay tuned to media outlets for updates to the rapidly worsening conditions.

The biggest threat from these storms will be hail, damaging wind, dangerous lightning and tornadoes. The main area of focus for the worst of this is going to be over the Palmer Divide and areas east. However, it is entirely possible that more widespread severe weather will occur, including over the main part of the Denver area.

We will be updating this page throughout the afternoon and evening as long as the severe weather threat remains.

Severe Weather, Thornton Weather

Breaking weather situation – Tornado watches and warnings posted

April 22, 2010 Thornton Weather 2 Comments

Update, 5:15pm – The Tornado Watch for Adams County has been discontinued.

We did see a number of tornadoes reported in Colorado so far today, mostly in the southeastern part of the start.

In northeastern Colorado, two tornadoes were reported. One was reported at 3:28pm 9 miles southwest of Deer Trail in Elbert County. The second at 3:38pm two miles north of Leader in Adams County.

A very, very wet weather pattern will continue through Saturday and the chance for severe weather remains. Be sure to stay tuned to ThorntonWeather.com!

Update, 4:30pm: The Tornado Watch for Denver, Boulder, Broomfield and Jefferson Counties has been dropped. However, they remain in effect until 8:00pm for Adams, Arapahoe, Morgan, Washington, Weld, Elbert and Lincoln Counties.

Two tornadoes have been reported so far. The first was at 3:28pm nine miles southwest of Deer Trail. The second was 10 minutes later at 3:38pm two miles west of Leader. No damage reports at this time.

Original story, 3:30pm: Yesterday brought our first Severe Thunderstorm Warning of the season and today the situation gets more serious with Tornado Watches and Warnings being posted. The severe weather threat looks to continue through the afternoon.

A Tornado Watch has been issued for much of the Front Range including all of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Morgan, and Weld Counties. This watch includes the entire Denver metro area including Thornton.

Remember that a Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms producing tornadoes in and close to the watch area.

Showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue to develop across the Front Range this afternoon and evening. These are expected to include heavy rain, strong winds, hail and possibly hail. Residents need to take immediate precautions to protect themselves.

Remember, Thornton and Adams County do NOT have any type of weather warning system for residents – no sirens, text alerts, etc. You should have your own NOAA weather radio or stay tuned to local media (and ThorntonWeather.com of course) for all the latest when severe weather strikes.

Thornton Weather

Dry and windy conditions prompt Red Flag Warning for the Front Range

April 3, 2010 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Weather warnings for April 3, 2010. — Thornton and the Front Range are under a Red Flag Warning until 8:00pm Saturday.

Thornton, the Front Range and most of southeastern Colorado are under a Red Flag Warning through 8:00pm tonight. The snow last week is a distant memory and winds and warm temperatures have created very dry conditions.

Winds have been increasing throughout the day and will continue to do so for the next few hours before they gradually ease. Humidities are exceptionally low, below 20% in many areas, and temperatures remain mild. These conditions have dried ground fuels and create a potentially hazardous situation.

Remember, a Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are occurring or imminent. The National Weather Service said the warning will remain in place until 8:00pm this evening.

Grassfires are not uncommon this time of year and if they get started they can quickly spread thanks to the gusty winds. It was 47 years ago yesterday that winds helped to quickly burn 25,000 of land in southern Weld County near Roggen.

Thornton Weather

Winter Storm Watch issued for Thornton for Friday as snowstorm approaches

March 17, 2010 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Weather warning map — A Winter Storm Watch will be in effect for Thornton and the Front Range starting Thursday night. From 5 to 10 inches of snow is possible before Saturday morning. (NWS)

Friday is the last full day of winter and it appears the season if going to go out like a lion. A powerful system coming from the Pacific Northwest is going to bring a major change in the weather with significant snowfall for the entire Front Range.

We have been discussing the potential for this storm in our daily forecasts on Examiner.com all week. Denver will still enjoy one more day of unseasonable warm temperatures but as longtime residents know, the weather here can change on a dime and that looks to happen Thursday night.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Winter Storm Watch which goes into effect late Thursday night and lasts through Friday evening. Snow is expected to start after midnight and unfortunately for commuters it should be at its height by Friday morning at rush hour.

In their statement the NWS warns of “a significant change to harsh winter weather conditions” and that is what this system is going to bring. Temperatures are going to plummet nearly 40 degrees from the temperatures today and what is forecast for tomorrow. Highs on Friday will only be around 30 degrees.

In terms of snowfall, an inch or two will have fallen by Friday morning and then it will continue throughout the day and into the evening. Total snow accumulations for the Denver area could amount to 5 to 10 inches by Saturday morning. Higher amounts in the foothills and along the Palmer Divide are expected.

Continue reading Winter Storm Watch issued for Thornton for Friday as snowstorm approaches →

Thornton Weather

Winter storm arrives in Thornton, snow expected throughout the day

December 23, 2009 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Old Man Winter arrives in Thornton. December 23, 2009. View more images from the weather in the slideshow by clicking on the picture. Image courtesy Shannon Vermilye. — Old Man Winter arrives in Thornton. December 23, 2009. Image courtesy Shannon Vermilye. Click on the picture to view our slideshow of more photos of the weather.

Update, 1:45pm – A white Christmas with snow the ground is an obvious certainty at this point. Most areas around the Denver metro area have received from 3 to 4 inches of snow with higher amounts in the foothills and in Larimer and Weld counties.

The snow continues to fall and will do so throughout the afternoon although we may see a bit of a lull for a short while. Metro area freeways are mainly wet at this point but that could change this evening and tonight when temperatures start to drop.

This evening we will see the winds pick up setting up the potentially for blowing snow conditions that will cause some problems on the roads. Another round of heavier snow is expected to begin this evening and through tonight leading to additional accumulations of 1 to 3 inches. The snow will taper off in the early morning tomorrow and we will end the storm in the neighborhood of 4 to 8 inches total snow accumulation.

A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Front Range extending north beyond the Wyoming border and northeast and east to the Fort Morgan and Limon areas. Further east on the plains a Winter Storm Warning is in effect along the I-70 and I-76 corridors. Travel is likely to become hazardous through Nebraska and Kansas tonight.

Temperatures are the other major part of this storm system. High temperatures will remain quite cold and well below seasonal normals. Overnight lows for the next few nights will dip into the single digits.

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! You can also signup to receive the latest weather alerts and forecasts via email here.

As always, stay tuned to ThorntonWeather.com for truly local weather for Thornton.

Original story, 8:25am – Old Man Winter was a couple days late but he has arrived in the Mile High City overnight. As expected he has brought with him plenty of cold and a bit of snow just in time to give Denver a white Christmas.

Overnight last night most areas across the metro area reported 1 to 2 inches of snow. Areas to the north like Greeley and Fort Collins have received a bit more in the neighborhood of 3 to 5 inches thanks to a decent snow band moving through those areas.

That snow band to the north will begin to move to the south and arrive over Denver this morning increasing our snow totals. We are expecting 1 to 3 inches additional daytime accumulation today and another 1 to 3 overnight Wednesday. This puts us on target for snow totals for the event of 3 to 8 inches.

Temperatures will remain very cold today with the high only reaching the mid 20’s. Tonight winds will pick up and blowing snow could become problematic, particularly in areas east of I-25. Overnight lows will plummet into the single digits.

A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Front Range and mountain areas east of the Continental Divide. When the winds pick up this evening they will lead to blowing and drifting snow and likely impact road travel so caution is advised.

Thursday temperatures remain cold and in the teens. We won’t see much more accumulation but windy conditions will cause what snow has already fallen to blow around, particularly in open areas.

Christmas Day we will see a return of some sun but temperatures remain in the low 20’s. Some of the latest models did introduce a slight chance for flurries so we will keep an eye on that.

Beyond the holiday, warming will gradually continue and the general weather pattern will be dry. Temperatures though are expected to remain a bit chilly and below seasonal norms.

Thornton Weather

Get ready – Old Man Winter to arrive in Thornton tonight

December 22, 2009 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Current weather advisories for northeastern Colorado. Click the image for the latest.

Update, 5:30pm – The snow is still coming, it is just a little bit slower than originally anticipated. A Winter Weather Advisory will go into effect at 8:00pm for the Front Range and a Winter Storm Warning will go into effect for the eastern plains.

Snow will develop later this evening and we still expect to see 2 to 4 inches of snow by morning. The snow will continue through Wednesday and when it ends we will have between 4 and 8 inches total accumulation.

As discussed before (see below), the eastern plains are where the brunt of this storm is really going to hit. Travel on I-70 from Limon through Kansas and I-76 from Sterling through Nebraska is likely to become hazardous later in the day tomorrow.

Original story, 4:14pm – ust in time to potentially snarl holiday travel, a winter storm is bearing down on Thornton and will have far-reaching impacts across the Great Plains. A variety of winter weather advisories and warnings have been issued stretching from Colorado through Kansas north through the Midwest to the Canadian border.

For Colorado, the storm has already begun to affect the southwestern part of the state where snow began falling earlier today. The Colorado Department of Transportation says that chain laws are in effect on US 160 and US 550. As the storm moves further into the state, similar restrictions can be expected.

In Denver, and for much of the Front Range, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 8:00pm tonight through 5:00am Thursday. Snow will begin to develop this evening and continue throughout the day Wednesday before easing late Wednesday afternoon. Look for us to have 2 to 4 inches in the Denver area. By the time the storm is done, we are looking at 4 to 8 inches of total accumulation and with winds blowing from 10 to 20 mph, blowing and drifting snow is likely.

The real threat from this storm will be in areas east and northeast of Denver. The eastern plains of Colorado are forecast to receive 5 to 10 inches and the wide-open expanses and wind could lead to blizzard-like conditions. Travel on I-70 east of Limon through Kansas and I-76 northeast of Sterling through Nebraska will become difficult and possibly dangerous. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for these areas.

This storm certainly won’t come anywhere near the level of the record-setting Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982 however, it will virtually ensure that we have a white Christmas with snow on the ground. Temperatures will be bitterly cold Wednesday through Friday and it may be Sunday before we see them rebound to above freezing.

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!

As always, stay tuned to ThorntonWeather.com for truly local weather for Thornton.

Thornton Weather

Weather advisories issued across Colorado as another blast of cold and snow approaches

December 8, 2009 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

A variety of winter weather advisories have been issued for most of Colorado. In Denver, a Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect and 4 to 8 inches of snow is expected. (NWS) — A variety of winter weather advisories had been issued for Colorado. The Winter Weather Advisory for the Front Range has been cancelled. (NWS)

Update, 1:01pm – The Winter Weather Advisory for the Front Range has been cancelled. The snow may be gone but the bitter cold remains. ThorntonWeather.com recorded a wind chill of -11.2°F at 10:59am!

Temperatures will warm slightly this afternoon before plunging overnight to below zero. Stay warm!

Update, 12/8/09, 6:50am: Bitter cold would be an accurate term to describe the weather the Mile High City is waking up to this morning. Temperatures are in the single digits across the Front Range and wind chills are dipping to zero and below.

The snow we were expecting is going to arrive but it will be slower than expected and likely not as much as original forecast. Snow showers are slowly developing to the west and moving into Denver early this morning but with the severe cold and dry atmosphere, snow is going to have a hard time really getting going.

Continue reading Weather advisories issued across Colorado as another blast of cold and snow approaches →

Thornton Weather

Winter Weather Advisory in effect on Sunday as cold and snow settle in

December 6, 2009 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

A view from Thornton as of mid-morning on Sunday. Broncos fans should be thankful that they dont have to go to a game at Invesco Field at Mile High with wind chills dipping to zero degrees! — A view from Thornton as of mid-morning on Sunday. Broncos fans should be thankful that they don't have to go to a game at Invesco Field at Mile High with wind chills dipping to zero degrees!

Updated, 12/6/09, 10:40am – The Winter Weather Advisory has been canceled. Light snow will continue to fall through the afternoon but it is just too cold and dry to generate a bunch of snow.

Updated, 12/6/09, 10:30am – It is COLD out there! Temperatures in Thornton right now are around 14 degrees but with the breeze wind chills are approaching zero.

The snow arrived in the Mile High City in the early morning hours and has been falling since then in varying degrees of intensity. Most roads around Denver are snowpacked and likely are pretty slick under the snow given the cold temperatures. The City of Thornton is on accident alert so if you must drive, please be careful.

Generally, we are looking at 3 to 5 inches of snow for today with flurries continuing throughout the day and into tonight. Areas close to the foothills and in the mountains will see more in the range of 6 to 8 inches. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 8:00pm tonight.

As we discussed in our morning forecast, it is simply too cold and dry to generate a great deal of snow. The real story with the system is the bitter cold. Most stations on the Rocky Mountain Weather Network are reporting temperatures in the teens with wind chills near zero making it pretty miserable to be outside no matter where along the Front Range you are.

As always, stay tuned to ThorntonWeather.com for truly local weather for Thornton. 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!

Updated, 12/6/09, 6:05am – While being a bit slower to generate than originally thought, the snow has begun to fall along the Front Range and will continue for much of the day, particularly this morning. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued and will remain in effect until 8:00pm this evening.

The Denver metro area can expect 3 to 5 inches of snow accumulation from the system, most of which will be light and fluffy thanks to a lack of moisture and the cold temperatures. Here in Thornton we will probably be at the lighter end of that range. We may see some periods of heavy snow before it begins to taper off this afternoon. A weak upslope will limit the highest accumulations to areas along the foothills and in the mountains.

Continue reading Winter Weather Advisory in effect on Sunday as cold and snow settle in →

Thornton Weather

Early winter storm arrives in Colorado – Snow to continue

October 29, 2009 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Live CDOT webcam image from 120th & I-25 looking south.

Update, 6:10pm: As the storm starts to move to the east, blizzard conditions on the plains east of Denver are causing problems. I-70 remains closed from Airpark Road to Burlington and I-76 is closed from Lochbuie to Fort Morgan. Storm reports indicate blizzard conditions prevail with limited visibility and drifting snow. A Blizzard Warning is in effect for much of the northeastern Colorado plains and will remain so until 6:00am Friday.

Closer to town, things are finally starting to ease up along the Front Range and in the metro area. Gusty winds and cold temperatures will keep wind chills down into the teens and make it uncomfortable to be outside. Drifting snow on roadways is possible thanks to those gusty winds from the north. Additional light snow can be expected, mainly in areas to the west and south.

The Winter Storm Warning for the metro area was allowed to expire at 6:00pm as planned. However, roads are likely to get slick as temperatures drop overnight so please use caution.

Update, 12:38pm: October 2009 enters the record books as the 7th snowiest October on record in Denver. The National Weather Service reported that as of 6:00am today, the official station at Denver International Airport had recorded 14.5 inches of snow fall for this month. 10.6 inches of that had fallen in the previous 24 hours. With the early measurement and the fact the snow is expected to continue throughout the day, it is possible the month will climb further up the charts (see below).

It is also notable that Denver will likely finish the month as one of the coldest Octobers on record. Thus far the average temperature for October 2009 has been 43.9 degrees. Were the month to end today, that would place it in a tie for the third coldest October on record.

DENVER’S 10 SNOWIEST OCTOBERS
(1882-2008)

31.2   1969
22.7   1906
22.1   1997
17.8   1923
16.4   1897
16.2   1929
14.5   2009
14.0   1889
13.8   1905
13.6   1908
13.1   1984
DENVER’S 10 COLDEST OCTOBERS
(1873-2008)

39.0   1969
43.3   1925
43.9   2002, 2009 *
44.3   1923
44.8   1984
45.9   1970
46.3   1877
46.4   1913, 1919
46.6   1905
46.7   1873

* As of October 28, 2009

Update, 10:35am: The snow keeps falling! Light snow will continue across the urban corridor for the rest of the morning with 1 to 4 inches additional accumulation possible. Some areas south may see heavier snow rates, particularly to the south and east.

Blizzard-like conditions are possible in open areas where there is a good bit of wind blowing. Travel to the east is best avoided at this time due to low visibility and icy conditions. Chain laws are actually in effect on I-76 at Wiggins due to hazardous conditions. I-25 remains closed from Wellington to the Wyoming border.

At Denver International Airport, flight delays continue to mount. Delays of 3 to 4 hours are being experienced for arrivals and departures as DIA ground crews struggle to keep up with the falling snow. Frontier Airlines reports that additional cancelations are possible.

Storm spotters have reported amounts as high as 44 inches in Coal Creek Canyon and snowfall reaching near 3 feet is being seen in many places in the foothills. Closer to town, west and south are reporting up to 18 inches while central Denver is reporting close to one foot. ThorntonWeather.com has recorded 14.1″ so far! Click here for the latest storm reports from across the area.

ThorntonWeather.com is of course your source for local information on the storm as it develops. We will also be updating the Denver Weather Examiner site as things develop. Here are some quick links to pages you may find handy:

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

Update, 6:35am, Thursday, October 29, 2009: Thornton and a large portion of Colorado continue to be hammered by a two-day long storm that has dumped more than two feet of snow in the adjacent foothills and a foot across much of the metro area. At ThorntonWeather.com we have recorded 13.2 inches of snow thus far for the event. While the early winter storm has created its share of problems, the relatively slow snowfall rate has allowed it to be manageable by most standards.

Continue reading Early winter storm arrives in Colorado – Snow to continue →

Thornton Weather

Major snowstorm starts to hit Thornton, Blizzard Warning issued

March 26, 2009 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

A Blizzard Warning is in effect for all of eastern Colorado, including Thornton.

Thornton and Denver are preparing for what will be its biggest snowstorm of the season today as the National Weather Service has now issued a Blizzard Warning for all of eastern Colorado. The major storm we had been watching in recent days is now arriving over the Front Range and snow is starting to fall and will become widespread by 7:00am. Initially the snow will melt as it hits the ground but as it gets heavier, it will begin to accumulate.

March is our snowiest month and this is setting up to be a classic late winter / early spring storm with lots of Pacific moisture and a Canadian cold front dipping down from the north. Winds are now starting to come out of the east and northeast providing the required upslope conditions that will slow the storm down and hold it over the Front Range.

Between noon and about 9:00pm the snow will be at its heaviest as will the wind which will cause significant drifting and road travel will become treacherous – the afternoon rush hour is almost certainly going to be a big mess. Road closures are likely to happen at some point later today, particularly south and east. Areas along the Palmer Divide, the foothills and the south metro area will have the most snow with lower amounts as you move north. The Denver metro area can look for snowfall totals between 8 and 16 inches while there could be up to two feet of snow in areas south and west.

Remember, a Blizzard Warning means that severe conditions are expected and winds can gust in excess of 35 mph coupled with significant snowfall. Visibilities may be reduced to a quarter of a mile or less and travel will be extremely dangerous and is discouraged. Be sure you are prepared if you do travel and should you get stranded, stay with your vehicle – do not head out and seek help! Going through these storms is always a major task. We ask that you please be careful if you are on the roads and if you have folks in your area that need a bit of help digging out, lend them a hand.

Since January, Denver has had 15% of its normal precipitation and for the snow season we are at a mere 41%. While the snow will be troublesome, we are truly in need of moisture so this is a welcome sight in some respects.

Weather, natural disasters & climate news and information.