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Dangerously cold temperatures set records in Denver

December 15, 2008 Thornton Weather 1 Comment

Dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills have invaded the Front Range.

If you love the cold you must be in heaven this morning. We are awakening to sub-zero temperatures that have now set records for two days in a row.

Last night at 6:35pm the temperature at Denver International Airport reached a frigid -18 degrees. This breaks the 107 year old record of -14 degrees for December 14th set way back in 1901.

This morning the mercury dropped a bit further to -19 degrees at 2:31am. That absolutely smashed the previous record low temperature for December 15th of -6 set in 1951.

Here in Thornton, ThorntonWeather.com also set records for low temperatures since we first went online in October 2006. At 6:06am this morning the mercury was at a mere -14 degrees thus breaking our previous all-time cold temperature record of -13.3 degrees set on February 2, 2007. At 4:08am we recorded a wind chill of -25.3, an all time record for us as well. Certainly our record keeping hasn’t been going on as long as the official Denver ones but it is still pretty neat to see.

At 7:00am, stations on the Rocky Mountain Weather Network were recording temperatures well into the negative teens.

As dawn approached, our temperature map from the Rocky Mountain Weather Network showed many stations across the Front Range reporting temps in the negative teens. With daybreak, we won’t see much of a warm up either as we will only reach a high of 16 degrees today. Denver’s official record low maximum for this date set back in 1914 is 19 degrees so there is a pretty good chance that will be a third record set. Tonight we are expecting a touch of snow, maybe an inch is about it.

When will the cold end? Not for the foreseeable future unfortunately. Long range forecasts going out to next Sunday do not show even one day with temperatures above freezing and there is a slight chance of snow almost every day.

This severe cold almost assures rough travel conditions as the sun isn’t helping to melt the lingering snow. Please be safe out there and allow plenty of time to arrive at your destination.

Thornton Weather

Denver breaks 107 year old record

December 14, 2008 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Denver officially broke the record for the coldest temperature recorded on this date.

Updated 12/15/08 @ 3:30am:

It’s officially cold as heck now! The cold front has caused the mercury to plummet across the Front Range and we have officially set two new low temperature records.

At 5:52pm on Sunday, December 14th, the temperature at Denver International Airport dropped to -15 degrees. That broke the old record of -14 degrees for this date set way back in 1901. The mercury continued to drop and bottomed out at -18 degrees at 6:35pm.

The morning of the 15th has started with a new record low temperature as well. At 12:00am the temperature was -13 degrees, breaking the old record for the date of -6 set in 1951. The temperature is still dropping so that record will undoubtedly get even colder.

It is important to note that prior to DIA opening, temperatures were measured at the old Stapleton site and prior to 1950 they were measured downtown. That makes a 15 mile distance between where temperatures are measured now and where they were prior to March 1995. Those 15 miles can accont for large differences in temperature so the record setting temperatures needs to be balanced with that knowledge as in some ways you are comparing apples and oranges. Click here for a bit of history on the Denver Forecast Office.

Original posting:

We can officially say it is cold now. The National Weather Service has reported that at 5:52pm the temperature at Denver International Airport dropped to -15 degrees. That breaks the old record of -14 degrees for this date set way back in 1901.

Thankfully here in Thornton we haven’t gotten that cold. At 7:00pm Sunday night it is currently -6.2 degrees. We will get down to -11 tonight and then only climb to 18 Monday. Bundle up!

It is important to note that prior to DIA opening, temperatures were measured at the old Stapleton site (and before that downtown). That makes a 15 mile distance between where temperatures are measured now and where they were prior to 1994. Those 15 miles can accont for large differences in temperature so you have to take these new records with a grain of salt.

Thornton Weather

The snow is ending but the arctic cold will remain

December 14, 2008 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

The Rocky Mountain Weather Network is showing temperatures barely above zero across Denver as of 10:00am Sunday morning.

Last night and this morning the metro area received a nice little bit of snow, something which was desperately needed. The northern and western suburbs received more than the rest of the metro area. Areas like Thornton and Broomfield are reporting around 4 inches while Centennial and Parker are just a bit more than an inch. Officially, the National Weather Service reported 1.3 inches at the old Stapleton International Airport site.

The big story though isn’t the snow – it is the frigid cold that is accompanying it. Denver International Airport has reported temperatures as low as 3 degrees below zero and the wind chills are into the negative teens. Currently stations on the Rocky Mountain Weather Network are reporting low single digit temperatures across the Front Range.

Today most of the metro area will remain in the single digits with Denver reaching a high of around 9 degrees. Tonight will be equally frigid and drop to 2 below zero. There will be some minor warming during the work week but it won’t be much and it will be the latter half of the week before we see temperatures above freezing. A chance for snow will also remain each day and night with the best chance being Monday night into Tuesday morning.

120 mph jet stream is sitting over southern Colorado and bringing the cold air down from the north.

This cold air is being drawn down by a rather powerful jet stream that has set in over the southern part of Colorado. Areas to our north in Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas have it much worse than us – Spearfish, SD recorded -13 degrees with a -22 degree wind chill this morning!

With the severe cold and the snow, now might be good time to take a look at our Winter Weather Preparedness series:

Part 1	Winter travel safety
Part 2	Watches…warnings…and advisories
Part 3	High winds
Part 4	Wind chill temperatures and hypothermia
Part 5	Avalanche safety
Review	Winter Weather Preparedness Week review

Weather History

December 14 – 20 – This week in Denver weather history

December 14, 2008 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

December 14 - 20 - This week in Denver weather history.

Our look back in Denver weather history for this week is punctuated by hurricane force winds – numerous times. Some of these storms reached 120 mph, overturned semis, ripped roofs off and more. Also notable is the blizzard we suffered through two years ago this week.

From the National Weather Service:

…THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…

2-17

In 1939…more than 2 weeks of unseasonably warm weather made the month the 3rd warmest on record. Seven daily temperature records were set…including the all time record high temperature for the month of 79 degrees on the 5th. Daytime highs were balmy with 14 days in the 60’s and 70’s. Low temperatures dipped to freezing or below on only 5 days. The period was dry with only a trace of snow on the 12th.

3-15

In 1972…a protracted cold spell held an icy grip on metro Denver when maximum temperatures never reached above freezing for 10 consecutive days from the 3rd through the 12th and minimum temperatures dipped below zero on eleven consecutive days from the 5th through the 15th. Daily low temperature records were set with 15 degrees below zero on the 5th…17 degrees below zero on the 6th… And 18 degrees below zero on the 10th. Daily record low maximum readings were set with 3 degrees on the 6th and 6 degrees on the 9th. The very cold temperatures were caused by 3 to 5 inches of snow cover and a Canadian air mass.

Continue reading December 14 – 20 – This week in Denver weather history →

Colorado Weather, National Weather, Thornton Weather

Weather gifts for the weather geek in your life

December 10, 2008 Thornton Weather 5 Comments

ThorntonWeather.com has some great ideas for Santa Claus for the weather enthusiasts he may be bringing gifts to.

Is there someone on your shopping list that looks out at a blizzard with glee on his or her face? Someone who jumps and runs to the window at hearing thunder or seeing the flash of lightning? Maybe a person for whom the weather warning beep on the TV or radio is music to their ears? Well then this posting is for you. Here are some great gift ideas for the weather geek on your list. If you have any questions about any of these, leave a comment and we will answer them. Also be sure to check out our list of great places to shop for weather gifts.

Books – There are books about every type of weather condition out there. We recently wrote about some of our top picks for weather related books for grownups and adults. Click here for some specific ideas.

Cost: $10.00 and up
Where to buy: Amazon.com

Storm Chasing and Weather Clothing – Any proud weather geek will be happy to not only tell someone about their hobby but also to wear it! Shirts and clothing with tornadoes, hurricanes or even ones that proclaim the wearer as a “Weather Geek” or “Weather Diva” are a big hit. Kids love the stuff too.

Cost: $15+
Where to buy: Weather Geek Stuff

Weather Radios – You don’t have to be a weather enthusiast to appreciate or need a weather radio – these are great gifts for anyone. These radios are relatively inexpensive and allow you to listen to and monitor the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) system. NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, and forecasts as well as other hazard information like earthquakes, avalanches, chemical spills, and even AMBER alerts. Be sure to get one with SAME coding so it automatically turns on when something is happening in your area.

Cost: $40+
Where to buy: Ambient Weather

Emergency Kits – Most folks interested in severe weather are also quite likely a bit survivalist by nature. They know the dangers that the weather presents and want to be prepared for it. An emergency kit for the house or car are not only practical but potentially life saving.

Cost: $50+
Where to buy: The Weather Channel store has some good ones or make up your own from a checklist from Ready.gov (http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/).

GPS Systems – Handheld GPS systems like those from Garmin and Magellan are a must have for any storm chaser. Models can be had for less than $100 for a basic unit to $600 for ones with 3D mapping capability. Spend the extra money to get one with at least basic, non-3D mapping capability.

Cost: $100 and up. Look to spend between $200 and $300 to get a good one with mapping.
Where to buy: NewEgg or GPS City

Binoculars – Low tech but effective. You don’t want to get too close to the action and binoculars are a great way to see things from a distance. You’ll want to look for ones that allow plenty of light in but also aren’t so big the user can’t make a run for it if needed.

Cost: $100+
Where to buy: Cabela’s

Personal Weather Stations (PWS) – Amateur meteorology is a surprisingly popular hobby as you will learn if you take a look. A basic $50 station will provide outdoor temperature and humidity. Stepping up a notch to one for around $200 will get you all that plus wind and the ability to hook it up to a computer to archive statistics and create your own weather website like ThorntonWeather.com. $450+ gets a Davis Instruments weather station which is considered about the best an amateur can buy.

Cost: $50 – $800
Where to buy: Ambient Weather

Digital Cameras and Camcorders – Pictures and video help to capture the weather conditions as they happen and make for lasting memories. With either of them, ones with powerful zoom lenses are a must in order to capture far away action (you don’t want to get too close to a tornado!). Don’t skimp on quality.

Cost: $400+ for a good one.
Where to buy: NewEgg or Amazon

Storm Chasing Vacation – For a weather geek, what could be better than spending a week on the Great Plains hunting down hail storms, supercell thunderstorms and of course tornadoes! Storm chasing as a hobby is growing by leaps and bounds and there are many tour operators that seek to fulfill the dreams of those that want to see extreme weather. This is the ultimate gift! Are you listening to me, Santa?

Cost: $2,500+
Where to buy: Extreme Tornado Tours or Silver Lining Tours are two of the most reputable and known for getting their clients close to the action.

For more info: Do you have any questions about specific items your weather enthusiast might want or questions about any of the above ideas? Post a comment and we’ll do our best to answer!

Thornton Weather

Snowstorm departs and a rough rush hour ensues

December 9, 2008 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

The view from ThorntonWeather.com's east facing webcam at 8:40am.

The snow began tapering off pretty early this morning but not until after it left 4 to 8 inches of the white stuff across much of the metro area. ThorntonWeather.com recorded 4.4 inches but that probably was a bit more – it was just tough to measure as the wind and blown it all over the place. We had some spots with an inch and others with a foot. Thornton seemed to do a good job clearing the major streets but of course residential and side streets were pretty slick.

Today we’ll warm up to just above freezing at 33 degrees and Wednesday is looking very nice reaching near 50 degrees. Thursday there is a slight chance of snow but we are really keeping our eye on the period between Saturday and Monday as there is greater potential there for more snow. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, here are some of the storm reports from across the region:

07:00 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
BOULDER COUNTY, CO – 1 MILE NORTHWEST OF NIWOT

SNOW MEASURED AT 3.9 INCH

07:00 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
GILPIN COUNTY, CO – 3 MILES NORTH OF BLACK HAWK

HEAVY SNOW MEASURED AT 6.2 INCH

06:48 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
JEFFERSON COUNTY, CO – GENESEE

HEAVY SNOW MEASURED AT 12.0 INCH

06:30 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
DOUGLAS COUNTY, CO – 2 MILES WEST OF PARKER

HEAVY SNOW MEASURED AT 7.0 INCH

06:20 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
JEFFERSON COUNTY, CO – 1 MILE SOUTHWEST OF EVERGREEN

HEAVY SNOW MEASURED AT 6.0 INCH

06:15 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
PARK COUNTY, CO – 3 MILES NORTH OF BAILEY

SNOW MEASURED AT 2.5 INCH TOP OF CROW HILL

06:09 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
DOUGLAS COUNTY, CO – ESE CASTLE PINES

SNOW MEASURED AT 5.0 INCH

06:00 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
BOULDER COUNTY, CO – 2 MILES WEST OF BOULDER

HEAVY SNOW MEASURED AT 9.1 INCH

05:52 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, CO – 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF EVERGREEN

HEAVY SNOW MEASURED AT 10.0 INCH

05:50 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
DOUGLAS COUNTY, CO – 4 MILES EAST OF PARKER

SNOW MEASURED AT 5.8 INCH

05:38 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
ADAMS COUNTY, CO – 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF THORNTON

SNOW MEASURED AT 4.8 INCH

05:30 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
DENVER COUNTY, CO – DENVER

SNOW MEASURED AT 5.6 INCH

05:22 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, CO – 12 MILES SOUTHEAST OF AURORA

HEAVY SNOW MEASURED AT 6.2 INCH

05:15 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
ADAMS COUNTY, CO – 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF THORNTON

SNOW MEASURED AT 4.4 INCH

04:30 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: AMATEUR RADIO
BOULDER COUNTY, CO – LOUISVILLE

HEAVY SNOW MEASURED AT 8.7 INCH

04:20 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: NWS EMPLOYEE
BOULDER COUNTY, CO – 1 MILE WEST OF BOULDER

HEAVY SNOW MEASURED AT 8.0 INCH NWS OFFICE

03:15 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: NWS EMPLOYEE
WELD COUNTY, CO – 1 MILE SOUTHEAST OF FREDERICK

SNOW MEASURED AT 3.8 INCH

03:00 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: CO-OP OBSERVER
LARIMER COUNTY, CO – 4 MILES EAST OF FORT COLLINS

SNOW MEASURED AT 0.8 INCH

01:30 AM 12/09/2008 REPORTED BY: TRAINED SPOTTER
PARK COUNTY, CO – N FAIRPLAY

SNOW MEASURED AT 3.0 INCH

Weather History

December 7 – 13 – This week in Denver weather history

December 7, 2008 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

December 7 - 13 - This week in Denver weather history.

Big wind, big snow, a heat wave and Arctic cold all highlight our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

From the National Weather Service:

2-17

IN 1939…MORE THAN 2 WEEKS OF UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER MADE THE MONTH THE 3RD WARMEST ON RECORD. SEVEN DAILY TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE SET…INCLUDING THE ALL TIME RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH OF 79 DEGREES ON THE 5TH. DAYTIME HIGHS WERE BALMY WITH 14 DAYS IN THE 60`S AND 70`S. LOW TEMPERATURES DIPPED TO FREEZING OR BELOW ON ONLY 5 DAYS. THE PERIOD WAS DRY WITH ONLY A TRACE OF SNOW ON THE 12TH.

3-15

IN 1972…A PROTRACTED COLD SPELL HELD AN ICY GRIP ON METRO DENVER WHEN MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES NEVER REACHED ABOVE FREEZING FOR 10 CONSECUTIVE DAYS FROM THE 3RD THROUGH THE 12TH AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES DIPPED BELOW ZERO ON ELEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS FROM THE 5TH THROUGH THE 15TH. DAILY LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE SET WITH 15 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ON THE 5TH…17 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ON THE 6TH… AND 18 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ON THE 10TH. DAILY RECORD LOW MAXIMUM READINGS WERE SET WITH 3 DEGREES ON THE 6TH AND 6 DEGREES ON THE 9TH. THE VERY COLD TEMPERATURES WERE CAUSED BY 3 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW COVER AND A CANADIAN AIR MASS.

5-7

IN 1978…A MAJOR STORM DUMPED HEAVY SNOW ACROSS METRO DENVER. AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT…SNOWFALL TOTALED 8.5 INCHES…NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED TO 46 MPH…AND TEMPERATURES PLUNGED FROM A HIGH OF 49 DEGREES ON THE 5TH TO A LOW OF ONLY 6 DEGREES ON THE 6TH. MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 6 DEGREES ON THE 7TH WAS A NEW DAILY RECORD LOW MAXIMUM READING. MOST OF THE SNOW…6.7 INCHES…FELL ON THE 5TH.

Continue reading December 7 – 13 – This week in Denver weather history →

Climatology, Local News

Next generation weather satellite to be built in Denver

December 6, 2008 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company of Denver will build the next generation of weather satellites. Image courtesy Lockheed Martin Space Systems.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has selected Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company of Denver to build their next generation of weather and environment monitoring satellites. When the GOES-R satellites are launched in 2015, they will provide unprecedented capability to NOAA, the National Weather Service and all weather forecasters through the use of advanced technology.

These extraordinary satellites will provide everything from lightning mapping and improved hurricane forecasting to monitoring of sea surface temperatures. The press release from NOAA provides some of the details on this exciting endeavor:

NOAA, NASA Select Contractor to Build GOES-R Series Spacecraft
New Geostationary Satellites Will Give Forecasters Better Information

December 2, 2008

NOAA and NASA officials announced today Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, of Denver, Colo., has been selected to build two spacecraft for NOAA’s next generation geostationary satellite series, GOES-R. There are two options, each providing for one additional satellite. Scheduled for launch in 2015, the new satellites will provide more data in greater detail which is essential to creating accurate weather forecasts.

The contract has a total value of $1.09 billion for the two satellites. A separate contract to build the GOES-R ground system, which receives, processes and distributes data transmitted from the spacecraft, will be announced later in 2009, officials said.

“GOES-R, with its highly advanced instruments and sensors, will provide about 50 times more weather and climate data than is available with NOAA’s current fleet of geostationary satellites,” said Mary Kicza, assistant administrator for NOAA Satellite and Information Service. “The American public will see real life-saving benefits from this satellite system with more timely forecasts and warnings for severe weather.”

GOES-R will improve the monitoring of sea surface temperatures and also provide more data to hurricane forecasters by giving sharper images of storms every 30 seconds, instead of every 7.5 minutes as the current satellites provide.

Additionally, GOES-R will carry a first-of-its-kind instrument called the Geostationary Lightning Mapper, which will quickly locate all lightning flashes occurring anytime, anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. The lightning mapper will aid in predicting tornadoes, which often spawn from lightning-packed thunderstorms.

Other key benefits expected from GOES-R include: greater monitoring of surface temperatures in metropolitan areas to improve warnings for heat stress, and better data to bolster the forecasts for unhealthy air quality days. GOES-R will feature advanced solar monitoring instruments for space weather forecasts and warnings of solar storms. These storms endanger billions of dollars worth of commercial and government assets in space and cause power surges for the satellite-based electronics and communications industry.

George Morrow, director of Flight Project for NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. said, “NASA Goddard is excited to be NOAA’s partner in this next generation GOES development and we look forward to delivering an outstanding observatory for their operational use.”

NOAA funds, manages and will operate the GOES-R program. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center oversees the acquisition of the GOES-R spacecraft and instruments for NOAA.

For more information: NOAA / NASA GOES-R website

Local News, Thornton Weather

Where to shop for gifts for weather enthusiasts

December 4, 2008 Thornton Weather 1 Comment

The tornado warning logo is one of many from Weather Geek Stuff that is available on everything from clothing to cups.

So do you have someone on your Christmas shopping list that simply must know what temperature it is, no matter where they are or what time it is? Here are some great places to look for gifts for them:

Weather Geek Stuff – Looking for something with a bit of humor to it? Weather Geek Stuff is a great place for shirts, cups and novelties with a variety of “weather geek” logos. They have items with their “Weather Geek” and “Weather Diva” logos and some very amusing weather warning sign logo merchandise that are sure to be a hit.

Galileo Shop – The Galileo thermometer – or thermoscope – was invented by Galileo Galilei in the early 1600s. These glass tubes filled with water use floating spheres to tell the temperature based on Galileo’s specific density principle. They are beautiful to look at in addition to be a fascinating experiment. Galileo Shop has tons of different types and styles to choose from.

One of the many incredible images available in print from Extreme Instability.

Extreme Instability – Storm chaser Mike Hollingshead has a knack for capturing some of the most incredible images of severe weather you have ever seen. From tornadoes to wall clouds to lightning, his images are striking to say the least. On his website you can order prints of his best photos.

Ambient Weather – This company is known amongst personal weather station owners as being one of the best not only in terms of prices but also customer service. They carry every type of weather station from basic wireless outside temperature monitors to professional level weather stations.

Amazon.com – Amazon carries everything from books to bread makers and they have plenty of weather related items. Books, DVD’s, weather radios and more are all available in this one stop shop. Not sure what book to buy? We have you covered there with a guide to some of our favorites – even some for kids.

Thornton Weather

Continuing snow sure to cause a rough afternoon commute

December 4, 2008 Thornton Weather 1 Comment

Where's Denver? This webcam view from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shows Denver obscured in the snowfall at 1:00pm Thursday.

If you can, get out of work early today as the roads are sure to be a mess during rush hour. Snow has been falling across the Front Range all day and snow totals for the metro area are in the 2 to 4 inch range. Probably just as notable is the bitter cold we are seeing – at 1:00pm DIA was showing 17 degrees and a wind chill of only 2 degrees. Denver’s high temperature today will most likely be 22 degrees but that was reached at 1:00am! The wind will continue to keep the wind chills down around zero so bundle up if you head out.

The snow will continue through 11:00pm although accumulations will be pretty light. The north, west and southern suburbs could see up to 6 inches of snow while the central metro area will end up with around 2 to 4 inches. Areas of Larimer and Weld Counties including Fort Collins and Greeley will see between 5 to 10 inches of snow.

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the I-25 corridor north of Longmont as well as most of the central and northern mountains areas. The extreme eastern portions of the state are under an advisory as well. In the mountains, eastbound I-70 has chain restrictions in place at the Eisenhower Tunnel, Loveland Pass and at Vail.

Tonight we will dip into the single digits but Friday brings us back into the 40’s and the weekend looks great.

Weather, natural disasters & climate news and information.