Thornton Weather

September 2014 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

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September 3, 2014 - A pastel colored sunset in Thornton. (Michelle Jones)
September 3, 2014 – A pastel colored sunset in Thornton. (Michelle Jones)

The month of September is typically one of the more pleasant months in Colorado.  Temperatures are usually comfortable and there is not normally a lot of weather drama.  That however does not mean there aren’t plenty of photo opportunities.

Wildlife is still quite active along the Front Range and flowers will hold on to their petals for at least the first part of the month.  Then of course there is the weather which you never know what to expect.  Thunderstorms, heavy rain, and even snow are a possibility.

  • Slideshow updated October 1, 2014
  • To learn more about how to send your photo to us for inclusion in the slideshow, see below the slideshow.

Showcasing images captured by ThorntonWeather.com readers as well as some of our own, our monthly slideshow covers the entire gamut of weather-related imagery.

Sunsets, sunrises, wildlife and of course every type of weather condition are vividly depicted in images captured from yours and our cameras.

Click the play button below and sit back and enjoy the images.

What is missing in the slideshow above?  Your photo!

Our monthly photo slideshow is going to feature images that we have taken but more importantly images that you have captured.  The photos can be of anything even remotely weather-related.

Landscapes, current conditions, wildlife, pets, kids.  Whimsical, newsy, artsy.  Taken at the zoo, some other area attraction, a local park, a national park or your backyard.  You name it, we want to see and share it!

Images can be taken in Thornton, Denver or anywhere across the extraordinary Centennial State.  We’ll even take some from out of state if we can tie it to Colorado somehow.

We’ll keep the criteria very open to interpretation with just about any image eligible to be shown in our slideshows.

What do you win for having your image in our slideshow?  We are just a ‘mom and pop’ outfit and make no money from our site so we really don’t have the means to provide prizes.  However you will have our undying gratitude and the satisfaction that your images are shared on the most popular website in Thornton.

To share you images with us and get them included in the slideshow just email them to us or share them with ThorntonWeather.com on any of the various social media outlets.  Links are provided below.

So come on, get those camera’s rolling!

World Weather

Video: Toddlers debate sprinkles versus rain

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Sprinkles vs rain: Toddlers debate the weighty issue. (YouTube / Tara Willmott)
Sprinkles vs rain: Toddlers debate the weighty issue. (YouTube / Tara Willmott)

Certainly politics, religion and even climate change are hotly debated topics but as a video shows, toddlers can get pretty fired up about whether it is sprinkling or raining.

Posted to YouTube yesterday, the video portrays how quickly a discussion about the weather can get heated.

A young boy insists it is just sprinkling – because his mom told him it was – while two twin girls demand it is raining.

Strong words are exchanged and soon some poking ensues.  The boy learns a harsh lesson about disagreeing with girls as one ‘pokes his heart’ and brings him to tears.

Like many debates likely conducted by these toddlers’ parents, in the end everyone insists they are right and no minds seem to be changed.  😉

Colorado Weather

Best drives near the Colorado Front Range for viewing fall foliage

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The leaves in the high country are changing and certainly give meaning to the moniker 'Colorful Colorado.' (ThorntonWeather.com)
The leaves in the high country are changing and certainly give meaning to the moniker ‘Colorful Colorado.’ (ThorntonWeather.com)

This time of year many folks head to the hills west of Denver in search of gold – fall foliage gold.

This year the changing of the colors seems to be occurring a bit earlier than normal and the last half of September should provide some great opportunities.

Where to go?  Below are five of ThorntonWeather.com’s favorite ones near Denver.  After that, we will tell you where you can find a great website that provides regular updates on viewing conditions.

I-70 Corridor – If you’re looking for the easiest route, then this one is for you.  Simply head west on I-70 about 110 miles to Avon.  Between Vail and Avon, both sides of I-70 are lined beautifully with aspen.

Rocky Mountain National Park – One of the most popular summer destinations in the state is of course also a prime spot to view aspen in all their glory.  Once in the park on Trail Ridge Road, head toward Bear Lake.  Glacier Gorge Junction provides a beautiful spot and you of course also get to enjoy all the splendor that Rocky Mountain National Park has to offer.

Peak to Peak Highway – This little road trip can be a dual purpose trip – gambling and fall foliage viewing!  Take U.S. 6 through Clear Creek Canyon and then 119 through Blackhawk and Central Center.  You can of course stop there if your wallet is fat enough and donate some money to the casinos.  From there continue on 119 toward Nederland.  Take highway 72 toward Ward and Allenspark.  There you will find more golden aspen than you can imagine, all with the Continental Divide nearby.

Poudre Valley Canyon –  Heading north on I-25 take Colorado 14 west and into Poudre Canyon and Roosevelt National Forest.  As you continue west you will come very near timberline as you come to Cameron Pass.  Amazing views abound!

Guanella Pass – This is a nice, relatively short drive from Denver.  From C470 take 85 through Bailey and Conifer, a nice drive unto itself.  When you come to the town of Grant, take the Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway north to Georgetown.  The air is pretty thin along the way as you climb in excess of 11,500 views through the Pike and Arapahoe National Forests.  Fair warning – about 10 miles of the road is gravel but it is well maintained.

A couple other possibilities further from the Front Range:

Leadville / Aspen – From Denver take I-70 west to Copper Mountain and then Colorado 91 south over Freemont Pass to Leadville. Along the way there are plenty of viewing opportunities and Leadville is a nice little town to make a stop. From here you can take Highway 24 north back through Minturn and Vail. To extend the drive, take Highway 24 south to Colorado 82 and head toward Aspen. You can stop by the Maroon Bells in White River National Forest to view some of the most photographed mountains in Colorado.

Cottonwood Pass – From Denver take Highway 285 to Buena Vista. Head west on Main Street for seven miles then west on County Road 344 / Colorado 82. From there you start the climb up Cottonwood Pass with absolutely stunning views from the top. If you are up for it, you can continue down the west side of the pass into the Taylor Park area. Be forewarned though that the western half of the pass is unpaved and twisty.

If you do head out, be sure to send us your pictures for inclusion in our monthly photo slideshows!

For more information:

Natural Disasters, World Weather

Video: Russian driver pulls out of garage to find self in midst of F3 tornado

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Screen capture of video showing the aftermath of a tornado in Russia. (LiveLeak)
Screen capture of video showing the aftermath of a tornado in Russia. (LiveLeak)

An amazing tornado video captured by a dash mounted camera was released on YouTube recently.  Apparently taken in Russia on August 29, a surprised driver pulls out of his garage to discover a tornado ripping through the area.

The video begins with the driver backing out of the driveway in heavy rain.  As the vehicle turns to face down the road, trees are being pummeled by strong winds and debris from other houses and nearby buildings flies through the air.

After sitting for a scant few seconds – likely struggling to comprehend Mother Nature’s fury that is erupting around him – the driver tries to go back to his garage.  As he turns back, the garage collapses before his eyes.

Video added at the end shows extensive damage to cars and homes in the area.

It is believed the video is of an EF-3 rated twister that tore a 28 mile path through Kariyevo.

Climatology, Thornton Weather

September snowfall in Denver not so unusual

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September snow in Denver? Possible and not at all unusual.
September snow in Denver? Possible and not at all unusual.

With a significant blast of cold air set to arrive this week, there is a chance for the Mile High City to see its first snowfall of the season.  While such an event would be the first September snow of this millennium, it would hardly be unusual.

Looking back at Denver’s snowfall records dating to 1882, 45 Septembers have recorded a trace or more of snowfall.  That means that out of 132 Septembers including this one, roughly one third of them have seen snow. Overall, the month averages 1.1 inches.

Of those 45 Septembers with snow, 17 were for only a trace.  Twenty eight, or roughly 21 percent, had measurable snowfall of 0.1” or more.

Denver’s heaviest 24 hour September snowfall came between September 24 and 25 in 1936 when a hefty 15.0 inches fell to the ground.  That snowfall contributed to 1936 taking its place as the second snowiest September on record.

For the entire month of September, some years saw rather significant totals.  The top 10 September snowfall totals include:

17.2 inches in 1971
16.5 inches in 1936
12.9 inches in 1959
11.4 inches in 1895
8.7 inches in 1985
7.4 inches in 1995
6.5 inches in 1908
5.8 inches in 1961
5.5 inches in 1965
5.4 inches in 1993

The earliest snowfall on record occurred on September 3, 1961.  On that date 4 inches of snowfall fell at the old Stapleton International Airport and the mercury dropped to a low of 33 degrees.

The last time Denver saw a September snow was on September 23, 2000 when 0.2 inches was recorded.

On average, we receive our first snow on October 19 so should snow fall, it will be well ahead of normal.

The cold that looks to come could very well bring an end to the growing season.  The Mile High City’s first frost on average comes on September 20th followed by the average first freeze on October 7.  Given that, a frost at the current time of the month is not that far off the mark.  It does not appear at this moment we will see that first freeze – yet – but a frost is possible.

Will September 2014 break the 13 year streak with no September snow?  Standby and check our forecast for the latest.

Climatology, Thornton Weather

Thornton’s September weather preview: Usually one of our more pleasant months

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Following on a cooler and wetter than normal August, the month of September arrives and one can’t help but wonder if an early fall lies in wait as well.  The month can bring our first snow of the season but more often than not, it is one of the most pleasant along the Colorado Front Range.

As temperatures start to drop, September usually reminds us that summer is at an end and fall is now here. Sunshine is predominant though as the month actually has the highest percentage of sun out of any month. Sunny days and clear, cool nights are the standard weather pattern for the month.

The month can bring extremes however.  We will of course forever remember last year’s devastating floods brought on by record-setting rain.  Longtime residents might remember September 1971 which brought over 17 inches of snowfall.

Get a complete look at September’s weather and more details as to what we can expect this year here.

Climatology, Thornton Weather

August 2014 weather recap: Thornton sees cooler than normal temps, near normal precip

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Periods of monsoonal moisture contributed to rain and clouds in August 2014.  Coupled with the occasional cold front, the end result was a month that saw temperatures below normal and regular daily thunderstorms.

Thornton’s average temperature for the month came in at 68.2 degrees.  This was more than four degrees cooler than Denver’s long term August average of 72.5 degrees.  Out at Denver International Airport it was similarly cool with an average reading of 70.6 degrees.

Temperatures in Thornton ranged from a high of 94.4 degrees on the 17th down to a low of 47.6 degrees on the 30th.  Only six days saw readings of 90 degrees or higher.

Denver’s warmest reading of 91 degrees occurred on the 17th and again on the 19th.  Low readings of 52 degrees were seen on four days during the month.  Four 90 degree days were recorded at DIA.

In terms of precipitation, Thornton measured 1.55 inches in the rain bucket over the course of the month.  This was slightly below Denver’s August average of 1.69 inches.

The airport however fared better with 2.73 inches as many of the afternoon storms didn’t really get started until they were past Thornton.

Click here to view Thornton’s August 2014 climate report.

Thornton, Colorado's August 2014 Temperature Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado’s August 2014 Temperature Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado's August 2014 Precipitation Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado’s August 2014 Precipitation Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
136 PM MDT MON SEP 1 2014

...................................

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2014...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2014

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH             105   08/08/1878
 LOW               40   08/26/1910
                        08/25/1910
                        08/24/1910
                        08/22/1904
HIGHEST            91   08/19       105     -14       99  08/20
                        08/17
LOWEST             52   08/31        40      12       52  08/09
                        08/30
                        08/25
                        08/24
AVG. MAXIMUM     83.8              87.2    -3.4     89.4
AVG. MINIMUM     57.4              57.9    -0.5     59.8
MEAN             70.6              72.5    -1.9     74.6
DAYS MAX >= 90      4              11.5    -7.5       16
DAYS MAX <= 32      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MIN <= 32      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MIN <= 0       0               0.0     0.0        0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM         5.85   1979
 MINIMUM         0.02   1924
TOTALS           2.73              1.69    1.04     2.78
DAILY AVG.       0.09              0.05    0.04     0.09
DAYS >= .01        13               8.6     4.4        7
DAYS >= .10         5               4.3     0.7        2
DAYS >= .50         3               1.2     1.8        2
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.3    -0.3        1
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    1.45   08/25 TO 08/26

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL            0.0
TOTALS            0.0               0.0

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL       2                10      -8        0
 SINCE 7/1          7                16      -9        0
COOLING TOTAL     182               244     -62      308
 SINCE 1/1        613               688     -75      866

FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/08/1962
 LATEST       06/08/2007
EARLIEST                        10/07
LATEST                          05/05
..................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              8.9
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   3/194
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    48/320    DATE  08/25
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    48/320    DATE  08/25

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            5
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             24
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          2

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     53

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM             14     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                5     RAIN                       4
LIGHT RAIN               17     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       1
HEAVY SNOW                0     SNOW                       0
LIGHT SNOW                0     SLEET                      0
FOG                       6     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      0
HAZE                      1

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
Thornton Weather

August 2014 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

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August 7, 2014 - A butterfly enjoys blooming flowers in Thornton. (Bobby Hake)
August 7, 2014 – A butterfly enjoys blooming flowers in Thornton. (Bobby Hake)

August’s weather typically consists of warm daytime temperatures followed by afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Those storms provide excellent photo opportunities as do the various flora and fauna we see around this time of year.

Thornton’s spring and summer have been relatively wet allowing for a very lush, green landscape. Flowers are blooming and butterflies, bees and birds are all taking advantage of them. The near daily thunderstorms offer rain as well as lightning and sometimes hail. All make for prime photo subjects.

  • Slideshow updated August 31, 2014
  • To learn more about how to send your photo to us for inclusion in the slideshow, see below the slideshow.

Showcasing images captured by ThorntonWeather.com readers as well as some of our own, our monthly slideshow covers the entire gamut of weather-related imagery.

Sunsets, sunrises, wildlife and of course every type of weather condition are vividly depicted in images captured from yours and our cameras.

Click the play button below and sit back and enjoy the images.

What is missing in the slideshow above?  Your photo!

Our monthly photo slideshow is going to feature images that we have taken but more importantly images that you have captured.  The photos can be of anything even remotely weather-related.

Landscapes, current conditions, wildlife, pets, kids.  Whimsical, newsy, artsy.  Taken at the zoo, some other area attraction, a local park, a national park or your backyard.  You name it, we want to see and share it!

Images can be taken in Thornton, Denver or anywhere across the extraordinary Centennial State.  We’ll even take some from out of state if we can tie it to Colorado somehow.

We’ll keep the criteria very open to interpretation with just about any image eligible to be shown in our slideshows.

What do you win for having your image in our slideshow?  We are just a ‘mom and pop’ outfit and make no money from our site so we really don’t have the means to provide prizes.  However you will have our undying gratitude and the satisfaction that your images are shared on the most popular website in Thornton.

To share you images with us and get them included in the slideshow just email them to us or share them with ThorntonWeather.com on any of the various social media outlets.  Links are provided below.

So come on, get those camera’s rolling!

Colorado Weather

Front brings snow to Colorado’s high country, Mt Evans road closed

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August 27, 2014 - Dawn reveals fresh snow on top of Mount Evans. (DU)
August 27, 2014 – Dawn reveals fresh snow on top of Mount Evans. (DU)

Snow at the Centennial State’s elevations can occur any time of year and last night Mother Nature delivered a white reminder that fall and winter are not far behind.

On Monday, the Colorado Department of Transportation closed the road to the top of Mount Evans due to the potential for snowfall.  That potential was realized overnight last night as the observatory webcam this morning  showed a couple of inches of snow on the ground.

This morning CDOT’s website reports the road is, “Closed from Summit Lake to top of Mount Evans due to adverse conditions. There is no estimated time of opening.”

The highest paved road in North America, the road to the summit of Mount Evans usually remains open until the first weekend of October when conditions prevent it from being maintained.  It doesn’t reopen until the Friday before Memorial Day.

Other areas of the high country saw light doses of snow last night.

At 8:20pm last night the National Weather Service reported that 13,495 foot high Berthoud Pass was reporting 34 degrees.  Moderate snow was falling and visibility had been reduced to 1/2 mile.

Snowfall above timberline will be possible tonight with potential accumulations of 1 to 2 inches in some locations.

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Natural Disasters

Major earthquake in Colorado unlikely but not impossible

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US Geological Survey earthquake hazard map for the United States. (USGS)
US Geological Survey earthquake hazard map for the United States. Click for a larger view. (USGS)

Following yesterday’s magnitude 6.0 earthquake in Napa Valley, California and recent, far milder temblors near Greeley, Colorado residents have to wonder if a major earthquake is possible in the Centennial State.

Longtime Denver residents well know that earthquakes here are not unheard of.

From the late 1960s to the early 1980s, small quakes in the Denver area were relatively common.  The majority of those have been attributed to the injection of liquid waste into the Earth out at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.

Similar manmade processes are believed to be the source of recent earthquake activity in Oklahoma and possibly the earthquakes seen in May and June of this year near Greeley.

Southern Colorado near Trinidad routinely sees small earthquakes.  Some of the activity there may be related to mining.  However the area is also home to the Northern Sangre de Christo Fault and the Southern Sawatch Fault, both of which have been sources of activity in the past.

Looking farther back, it was on November 7, 1882 that the largest known quake in the state’s history occurred.  A temblor estimated at magnitude 6.6 struck near Rocky Mountain National Park.  Contemporary news accounts of the day indicate damage was seen in Boulder and the quake was felt as far away as Salina, Kansas and Salt Lake City, Utah.

The latest hazard outlook from the US Geological Survey (USGS) does show a moderate hazard potential for parts of Colorado, particularly the Western Slope.

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