Thornton Weather

May 2014 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

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May can bring just about any type of weather to Colorado and amazing sunsets like this are quite common. (LE Worley)
May can bring just about any type of weather to Colorado and amazing sunsets like this are quite common. (LE Worley)

The month of May can bring just about any type of weather to Thornton and Colorado.  Snow is still possible although pleasant days sometimes interrupted by spring severe weather are more common.  Our photo slideshow for the month captures the widely varying weather.

  • Slideshow updated May 26, 2014

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.  May brings some very dynamic weather and the photos are a great way to see the stunning variety.

To learn more about how to send your photo to us for inclusion in the slideshow, see below the slideshow.

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!

Thornton Weather

Live social feed: Thornton’s May 2014 severe weather

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ThorntonWeather.com on Facebook, Google+ and TwitterSevere weather is a common occurrence as we get further into spring and northeastern Colorado is set to experience multiple days of weather excitement. The first day’s activity skipped Thornton and stayed south but that is not expected to be the case Wednesday and Thursday.

Atmospheric conditions are primed for what may be a day of significant severe weather. Large, damaging hail, strong wind gusts, lightning and brief, heavy rain will all be likely. Some tornado activity will also be possible.

We will be monitoring monitoring the severe weather very closely and posting regularly to our Facebook page and Twitter feed.  You can follow along in real time below.  We are also on Google+ here.

For comprehensive look at the storm, please monitor our Winter Weather Briefing page.


 


Severe Weather

Stormchasers capture photo and video of stunning supercell in Wyoming

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Spring brings severe weather to the Great Plains and with those storms comes stormchasers.  One group of chasers captured video and photos of a supercell’s amazing structure as it moved across northeastern Wyoming.

The video, taken by Basehunters, shows the motion of the swirling mass of a low precipitation supercell near Newcastle.  Still imagery provides a dramatic view of the storm cell.

Check them out below.

 

Thornton Weather

Photos, video from 11 years ago showcase potential snow damage from coming storm

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May 10, 2003 - Heavy, wet snow weighed down trees, damaging many. (ThorntonWeather.com)
May 10, 2003 – Heavy, wet snow weighed down trees, damaging many. Click for a larger view. (ThorntonWeather.com)

With a significant spring storm set to impact our area tonight through tomorrow, a similar storm 10 years ago today provides a reminder of the potential for damage.

From May 9 to May 10, 2003, heavy, wet snow fell on the Denver area, much of it focused over northern suburbs like Thornton.  Power lines were downed and trees took a beating.

Here in Thornton we received 7 inches as did Broomfield and DIA.

The National Weather Service ‘day in history’ noted:

“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.”

The image to the right and the photos and video were taken in the ThorntonWeather.com backyard as the storm started to come to an end.

May 10, 2003 - Heavy, wet snow weighed down trees, damaging many. Click for a larger view. (ThorntonWeather.com)
May 10, 2003 – Heavy, wet snow weighed down trees, damaging many. Click for a larger view. (ThorntonWeather.com)
May 10, 2003 - Heavy, wet snow weighed down trees, damaging many. Click for a larger view. (ThorntonWeather.com)
May 10, 2003 – Heavy, wet snow weighed down trees, damaging many. Click for a larger view. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton Weather

Live updates: Thornton’s first severe weather event of the season

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Springtime brings severe weather to Colorado and it is appearing very likely much of that is in store today.  While the best chances will be northeast of Thornton, the potential exists for damaging winds, large hail and possibly tornadoes.

We will be monitoring monitoring the storm very closely and posting regularly to our Facebook page and Twitter feed.  You can follow along in real time below.  We are also on Google+ here.

For complete coverage including the latest forecasts, watches, warnings and more, please monitor our Severe Weather Briefing page.


 


Colorado Weather

Drive into the mountains brings stark reminders of Colorado’s September 2013 floods

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We went for a drive through Estes Park and into Rocky Mountain National Park yesterday.  Always beautiful but now, a bit more dramatic for other reasons.  

The devastation from last year’s floods are still very visible and while much has done rebuilding, much more needs to be done.  Here you can see what is left of a car after being caught in the flood on Highway 34.  In the background, the collapsed hillside is seen and two construction vehicles work to rebuild the riverbank.

Piles of debris and rubble as still visible as you climb up the canyon.  While some houses have been rebuilt, others remain in pieces.

Remnants of Colorado's September 2013 floods. (Tony's Takes Photography)
Remnants of Colorado’s September 2013 floods. (Tony’s Takes Photography)
Climatology

Thornton’s May preview: From snow to severe storms

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Thornton, Colorado May 2013 weather preview.
Thornton, Colorado May 2013 weather preview.

Colorado’s famously highly variable weather seems to showcase itself during the month of May when a variety of weather conditions can be seen.

Winter-like temperatures and snow are possible as are mid-summer like temperatures or the more typical spring severe weather.

As the month starts out in 2014 we are going to enjoy a mild period with unseasonably warm temperatures and dry conditions.  Long range forecasts predict a relatively ‘normal’ May.

However the month can bring extremes.  Snow is not entirely uncommon during the month, oftentimes causing damage to newly bloomed trees.  More common however is severe weather, particularly in the latter half of the month.  Thunderstorms become more frequent and their associated hazards – lightning, wind, hail and tornadoes – are usual visitors.

For a complete look at what lies ahead for the month of May, check out our full preview here.

Weather, natural disasters & climate news and information.