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Local News

Thornton gets last chance to see the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Atlantis

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The Space Shuttle Atlantis launched yesterday bound for the International Space Station. This weekend affords a chance to see the pair above for the last time. (NASA)
The Space Shuttle Atlantis launched yesterday bound for the International Space Station. This weekend affords a chance to see the pair above for the last time. (NASA)

The Space Shuttle Atlantis rocketed from Kennedy Space Center yesterday on its way to its final rendezvous with the International Space Station. This will be Atlantis’ final flight as NASA prepares to retire the Space Shuttle fleet and it affords Earth-bound viewers their final chances to see the pair from the ground.

Good sighting opportunities to view the ISS and Atlantis will be available across much of the continental United States this weekend and they will occur at times in the late evening that will make it easy for everyone. The weekend and the first part of next week all hold chances for many areas if the skies are clear.

Here in Thornton, on Saturday night the two spacecraft will be at their highest elevation. However, we will unfortunately have a good deal of cloud cover at the appointed time making it difficult. If you can catch a glimpse tonight though, it will be interesting because the pair will not have docked yet and you will be able to see both flying separately overhead.

We have a better chance to see the ISS and Atlantis on Sunday. While they won’t be as high above the horizon, the skies should be a clearer. By then they will have docked and so you will see one bright unit as it moves across the nighttime sky.

To find out when to turn your gaze skyward and where to look, check out our ISS / Space Station viewing page.  For viewing opportunities in other places in the nation, visit this page on NASA’s website.

To see what the cloud cover will be at the viewing times, check out our Thornton point forecast graphics.

Climate Change

Scientists’ open letter on climate change features fake photo, non-climate scientists

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Is it real or Photoshopped? Some scientists apparently can't tell. (©iStockphoto.com/Jan Will)
Is it real or Photoshopped? Some scientists apparently can't tell. (©iStockphoto.com/Jan Will)

Last week 255 scientists released a letter in the scientific journal Science decrying ‘assaults on climate science.’  It seemed like a powerful statement in an effort to stand up for climate scientists under siege after scandals and revelations of errors were discovered.  However, the letter itself has caused controversy as the accompanying photo was a fake and it was discovered most of the signatories don’t even work in climate science fields.

The Climate Change Examiner reported on the original letter and the Photoshopped photo as well as the resumes of the individuals that signed the letter. 

In regards to the photo, the Climate Change Examiner writes:

The photo included with the letter portrays a rather disturbing image of a lone polar bear afloat on a piece of ice in open ocean. The image provides graphical reinforcement to the many warnings the public has heard about shrinking Arctic ice.

However, it has been discovered that the image is in fact faked, a creation using Photoshop that does not portray any real situation or event. Used from istockphoto.com, the caption on that website clearly states, “This images [sic] is a Photoshop design. Polarbear, ice floe, ocean and sky are real, they were just not together in the way they are now.”

The trade magazine included no such disclaimer causing a great deal of embarrassment for an expert trade journal, its editors and the signers of the letter.

That certainly does not help climate scientists’ cause at all. 

Further adding insult to injury, the resumes of the signatories fails to stand up to scrutiny:

An investigation into the professional backgrounds of the scientists finds that many do not work in climate science and some work in fields not even remotely related to it. In fact, among the first 20 listed, none work in climate science.

Pediatric surgeons, an expert in the Maya and the Olmec civilizations, a chemist that studies bacteria, a ‘computer pioneer’ with Microsoft, an electrical engineer, the chairman of a biotechnology firm, and even an expert studying corn are but a few of the 255 ‘experts’ that signed the letter.

There are many other questionable signatories on the letter that tries to convey the message that the ‘science is sound.’ This is of course leading one to question why their statements should be leant any great deal of credence, particularly since the credentials of climate change skeptics are similarly questioned.

In the wake of the Climategate email scandal and discoveries of errors and questionable citations in the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, one would expect scientists would be doing their best to play things straight.  Elementary errors such as these simply further damage their cause and show why the public is losing belief in the anthropogenic global warming theory.

Get the full story here:

National Weather, Natural Disasters

Tornadoes kill 5 in Oklahoma – Video from storm chasers

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A screenshot of video taken of a multiple=
A screenshot of video taken of a multiple vortex tornado that struck in Oklahoma on Monday, May 10, 2010. Watch the video below. (Scott Weberpal / Ryan Wichman)

It is a little known but amazing phenomenon that sometimes accompanies tornadoes – multiple vortices coming from one larger twister. Storm chasers descended on the area of yesterday’s deadly tornado outbreak and two were able to capture amazing video of what looks like small tornadoes circling a larger twister.

When witnessed from the ground, multiple vortex tornadoes are an amazing sight. The larger twister will appear no different than what one might expect, but smaller vortices will be seen rapidly circling around and through the main funnel.

These suction vortexes are usually short-lived and will die out as the main funnel moves and then new satellites will reappear. These satellite vortices are oftentimes present but not visible due to debris and clouds.

Storm chaser team Scott Weberpal and Ryan Wichman captured amazing video of a multiple vortex tornado as it tore through the Oklahoma countryside. Watch the video below.

Weather History

May 9 to May 15 – This week in Denver weather history

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May 9 to May 15 - This week in Denver weather history
May 9 to May 15 - This week in Denver weather history

As we get further into spring our look back at Denver weather history begins to show more typical severe weather.  This week in Denver weather history we see plenty of hail, heavy rainfall, a tornado or two and lightning that caused serious injuries. 

8-9  

In 1957…intense heavy rain caused flash flooding on toll gate creek in Aurora where 3 people were killed in a car. Up to 4 inches of rain fell in 5 hours in the Toll Gate Creek basin.  The rain also caused flash flooding on Sand Creek in Aurora and Denver.  Rainfall totaled 3.29 inches at Stapleton Airport with most of the rain…2.34 inches… Occurring on the 9th.

8-10 

In 1979…4.3 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northwest winds gusted to 30 mph on the 8th. Most of the snowfall…2.3 inches…occurred on the 9th. High temperature of only 35 degrees on the 9th equaled the record low maximum for the date.

9

In 1875…a heavy windstorm swept across the city for most of the day.  West-northwest winds averaged a sustained speed of 31 mph between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm.  The peak wind was sustained to 45 mph at 9:50 am.
 
In 1918…post-frontal winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts as high as 43 mph.  Only a trace of rain fell.
 
In 1941…a tornado was noted at 2:20 pm to the northeast of downtown and was followed by another similar shaped cloud or dust roll estimated 3 miles behind.  Thick dust followed with heavy gusts of wind.  The temperature fell 15 degrees in 10 minutes following the twister.  The mild tornado did little damage except to unprotected frame structures.  Winds were sustained to 50 mph with the passing of the tornado at Stapleton Airport.  It was visible to observers for 10 minutes and was lost from sight as it traveled east into huge rolls of dust.  Hail and rain followed with a few hailstones as large as 1/2 inch in diameter downtown.  No damage was reported from the hail.  Thunderstorm winds sustained to 31 mph produced blowing dust downtown.  Precipitation was only 0.07 inch.
 
In 1983…streams swollen by recent rain and snowmelt caused an earthen dam to collapse…washing out portions of State Highway 67 near Deckers in southern Douglas County.
 
In 1992…three boys…ages 11…12…and 16…were struck by lightning while taking cover under a large tree during a thunderstorm in Jefferson County…just 7 miles northwest of Denver.  The three were seriously injured.

9-10 

In 1889…heavy rainfall totaled 2.15 inches in downtown Denver.  The cold rain was mixed with snow at times overnight.  Temperatures on the 10th ranged from a high of 38 degrees to a low of 32 degrees with north winds sustained to 22 mph.
 
In 2003…a late spring snowstorm hammered the mountains… Eastern foothills…and urban corridor.  The heaviest snowfall occurred north of interstate 70.  The heavy wet snow caused damage to trees throughout metro Denver and downed power lines.  About 40 thousand people along the urban corridor were without power.  Storm total snowfall amounts included:  11.5 inches in Louisville… 8 inches in Boulder and Broomfield; 7 inches in Thornton…Broomfield…at Denver International Airport… And at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport; and 6 inches 4 miles east of Denver.  Snowfall ranged from 4 to 9 inches across extreme southern weld County.  In the foothills…15 inches of snow fell near Jamestown…9 inches at Rollinsville and Rawah…with 8 inches at Chief Hosa and atop Lookout Mountain. The snow was accompanied by thunder on the afternoon of the 9th at Denver International Airport where west winds gusted to 25 mph on the 9th and north winds gusted to 22 mph on the 10th.

10

In 1875…a windstorm sand-blasted the city from 10:00 am until midnight.  Northwest winds sustained to 60 mph brought clouds of sand…which caused high damage to unfinished buildings.
 
Continue reading May 9 to May 15 – This week in Denver weather history →

Natural Disasters

Crew aboard the International Space Station snaps photos of Gulf oil slick

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International Space Station Expedition 23 flight engineer Soichi Noguchi photographed the tail end of the Mississippi Delta (top right) showing the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico on May 5, 2010. (NASA) See a larger image below.
International Space Station Expedition 23 flight engineer Soichi Noguchi photographed the tail end of the Mississippi Delta (top right) showing the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico on May 5, 2010. (NASA) See a larger image below.

As the oil slick from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill continues to encroach on the Gulf Coast, crewmembers of the International Space Station were able to photograph it from their perch more than 200 miles above the Earth.

The image released by NASA and taken by Expedition 23 crewmember and flight engineer Soichi Noguchi clearly show the slick approaching the Mississippi River delta. This image, along with others taken by NASA and NOAA satellites since the explosion in the Gulf of Mexico allow officials to monitor the movement of the slick.

The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig has allowed 5,000 barrels per day to flow into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The original cause of the accident is still unknown however a blow-out preventer designed to stop the flow of oil in the event of an accident apparently did not activate as it should have.

As the slick continues to threaten the coast, its economic impact is already being felt. NOAA has shut down all commercial fishing in a large area between the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana and Pensacola, Florida.

Related (Examiner.com): NOAA and NASA satellites tasked with monitoring Gulf of Mexico oil spill

International Space Station crew captures images of Gulf Oil slick (NASA)
International Space Station crew photographs Gulf of Mexico oil slick. (NASA)

From NASA:

Image above: The Mississippi River Delta and nearby Louisiana coast appear dark in the sunglint. This phenomenon is caused by sunlight reflecting off the water surface, in a mirror-like manner, directly back towards the astronaut observer aboard the International Space Station. The sunglint improves the identification of the oil spill which is creating a different water texture (and therefore a contrast) between the smooth and rougher water of the reflective ocean surface. (NASA)

National Weather

Opryland Hotel in Nashville flooded by 10 feet of water

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The inside of the Opryland Hotel is flooded on Monday, May 3, 2010. See video of the flooding inside the hotel below. (The Tennessean)
The inside of the Opryland Hotel is flooded on Monday, May 3, 2010. See video of the flooding inside the hotel below. (The Tennessean)

With its 1,500 guests evacuated, managers and employees of the Opryland Hotel in Nashville spent Monday watching the water inside the historic hotel rise to 10 feet above floor level. Images taken in the hotel and of the surrounding area show a facility likely to face major repairs once the floodwaters recede.

As the Cumberland River rose hotel officials initially evacuated guests to a ballroom on Sunday. Once the seriousness of the situation became apparent, all 1,500 were sent to other area hotels and many to a local high school.

Video shot by the Tennessean Monday morning shows the hotel’s courtyard under water. Chairs and other debris are floating in the water while tables in water not quite as deep still have their table clothes and silverware on them.

Other famous Music City attractions have been impacted including the Country Music Hall of Fame which has water in a mechanical room and Schermerhorn Symphony Center whose basement is flooded with several feet of water.

Sports facilities in the city have been impacted by the flooding as well. LP Field, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans now has its entire field surface under water. Users on Twitter are reported that Bridgestone Arena where the NHL’s Nashville Predator’s play has flooding.

The city of Nashville received a record-setting two day rainfall Saturday and Sunday. 13.53 inches of rain was recorded between the two days, more than double the previous record.

Emergency officials expected the Cumberland crest Monday.

Natural Disasters

Satellites from NOAA and NASA capture images of Gulf of Mexico oil spill

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Satellites operated by NASA and NOAA are now training their 'eyes' on the growing oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico. (NOAA) See images of the expanding oil as seen from space in the slideshow below.
Satellites operated by NASA and NOAA are now training their 'eyes' on the growing oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico. (NOAA) See images of the expanding oil as seen from space in the slideshow below.

From their perch hundreds of miles in the air satellites provide an invaluable view of our Earth, most often associated with weather and disasters. With the explosion of BP’s Deepwater Horizon well and the subsequent oil spill, these space faring tools are now tasked with monitoring the oil as it hits the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Satellites from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA began tracking the oil slick soon after the April 20th rig explosion. Since then, they have watched from above as the slick approaches Louisiana and the Mississippi Delta threatening an ecological disaster greater than the Exxon Valdez.

In 2005, NASA and NOAA satellites focused on Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans. Today, once again, they focus on the same area but for a different kind of disaster.

The satellite imagery provided by the services is crucial to government agencies planning their response to the spill and its clean up. The satellite imagery can provide near real time position information of the slick as it approaches the Gulf Coast ensuring resources are deployed as necessary.

As the slick continues to threaten the Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida coasts in the immediate future, the satellites will continue to train their eyes in the sky on the area.

A change in wind patterns now threatens to shift the oil to the southwest toward the Florida Keys. While unlikely, if it does so and the oil enters the Gulf Stream, there is a threat the oil could impact the United States East Coast.

From the day after the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig until today, government satellites have captured images of the oil slick as it expands.

Weather History

May 2 to May 8 – This week in Denver weather history

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May 2 to May 8 - This week in Denver weather history
May 2 to May 8 - This week in Denver weather history

As we enter the month of May, our weather history calendar is as eventful as ever however we start to see a transition with fewer snow events and more typical spring events.  Of note are many events that caused flooding, severe winds, tornadoes, and lightning.

29-2

In 1954…a major storm dumped 10.1 inches of snowfall at Stapleton Airport.  Most of the snow…7.5 inches…fell on the 29th and 30th.  The maximum snow depth on the ground was 5 inches on the 30th due to melting.  No strong winds accompanied the storm.

1-2

In 1903…post-frontal rain changed to light snow overnight… But totaled only 2.0 inches.  This was the last snow of the season.  Northeast winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 48 mph on the 1st.

1-5

In 1898…snowfall totaled 15.5 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…6.2 inches…fell on the 3rd.  Most of the snow melted as it fell.  The greatest snow depth on the ground was only 2.5 inches on the 3rd at 8:00 pm. This was the only snowfall during the month.  Northeast winds were sustained to 22 mph on the 1st.

2  

In 1874…strong winds upset two railroad passenger coaches near Georgetown.  The baggage was retrieved and placed in a heavy…large wagon.  The passengers then seated themselves on top of the baggage.  Another strong gust of wind upset the wagon.  The driver’s shoulder was dislocated…and a passenger’s leg was badly injured. In Denver…northwest winds increased and blew in gusts and heavy winds were observed on the ridge tops.  On the Kansas Pacific R.R. east of Denver…the wind was so strong that it blew the train back several lengths…which caused the train to be about 7 hours late arriving in the city.
 
In 1901…south winds were sustained to 50 mph with gusts to 60 mph from an apparent thunderstorm with hail.
 
In 1944…snowfall of 8.3 inches was accompanied by a thunderstorm.  This was the last snowfall of the season and the only snow of the month.  Northwest winds were sustained to 25 mph.
 
In 1955…southwest winds at speeds of 37 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph caused some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
 
In 1983…1 inch diameter hail fell a few miles south of Bennett.
 
In 1984…3/4 inch diameter hail fell in Northglenn.
 
In 1988…I-70 east of Denver was closed for the second straight day…this time due to snow and blowing snow producing up to 2 foot drifts.  While only 2 to 4 inches of snow fell across metro Denver…Strasburg…just east of Denver…received a foot of snow.  North winds peaked to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled only 1.3 inches.
 
In 1995…lightning struck a house in Westminster sparking an attic fire.

2-3

In 1979…heavy rain changed to snow on the 2nd.  Snowfall totaled 3.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport… Where northwest winds gusted to 26 mph.  The greatest depth of snow on the ground was only 1 inch at midday on the 2nd due to melting.  Total precipitation for the 2 days was 1.65 inches.

Continue reading May 2 to May 8 – This week in Denver weather history →

Local News, Thornton Weather, Weather Education

City of Thornton raises severe weather awareness with new brochure

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The City of Thornton has created a new flyer for residents with basic severe weather information. (City of Thornton)
The City of Thornton has created a new flyer for residents with basic severe weather information. (City of Thornton)

Severe weather season is quickly going to arrive in Colorado – we have already seen signs of it in recent weeks.  Helping to bring attention to the dangers severe weather presents, the City of Thornton has created a new flyer with some tips for residents.

Available on the city’s website, the flyer covers the basics of tornado, thunderstorm and lightning safety.  It is a good, brief look at the highlights of keeping you and your family safe when severe weather strikes.

Click here to download and view the brochure (PDF). 

For more in depth information on severe weather and safety, check out the links at the bottom of this story for our Severe Weather 101 series.

It is important to note that neither the City of Thornton or Adams County provide any sort of weather / civil alert system for residents.  Certainly for Thornton this is somewhat ironic considering the city is where the worst tornado to ever strike the metro area occurred. 

We discussed the issue with Thornton officials last year and will be approaching them again in the coming weeks to see if anything has changed since then.  Certainly after last year’s nasty summer weather, residents are on edge.

In the meantime, we cannot stress enough that city residents should have their own NOAA Weather Radio in their homes and businesses.  For more information about these crucial pieces of safety equipment, click here.

ThorntonWeather.com Severe Weather 101 Education Series

Colorado Weather, Natural Disasters

Colorado researchers join VORTEX2 tornado project

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This tornado in Goshen County, Wyoming in 2009 was intercepted by VORTEX2 teams and is considered the “most intensely examined tornado in history.” (NOAA) Watch video of the twister and see more photos at the complete story on Examiner.com. (NOAA)
This tornado in Goshen County, Wyoming in 2009 was intercepted by VORTEX2 teams and is considered the “most intensely examined tornado in history.” (NOAA) Watch video of the twister and see more photos at the complete story on Examiner.com. (NOAA)

For the second year in a row, a team of over 100 scientists and dozens of vehicles will take to Tornado Alley in an attempt to study one of Mother Nature’s most destructive phenomena. Like last year, Colorado researchers will be helping with the project.

Among the Colorado-based participants are University of Colorado students and researchers. They join others from 11 other universities from across the nation including the University of Oklahoma, Penn State University, and the University of Massachusetts.

Perhaps most well known, Dr. Josh Wurman of the Center for Severe Weather Research (CSWR) in Boulder will be a key contributor. Watchers of the Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers series know Wurman well as the operator of a Doppler On Wheels (DOW) radar truck and coordinator of the TV series’ storm chases.

Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment 2 (VORTEX2) is simply the largest, most extensive in-field tornado study in history. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the VORTEX2 team will prowl the Great Plains hunting their elusive prey from May 1st to June 15th.

Once again, a veritable armada of scientific equipment will be deployed. Ten mobile radar units, dozens of vehicles, over 70 other instruments and even an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) will cover thousands of miles on the Great Plains.

There's more to this story on Examiner.com!For the rest of this story including photos of all the equipment and amazing video of the tornado in Wyoming that the team intercepted last year, visit the Denver Weather Examiner.