Before and after: NASA satellite imagery reveals flood damage in Colorado

September 20, 2013 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Colorado’s September 2013 floods have been absolutely devastating with over 1,500 homes destroyed and a death toll yet to be finalized. NASA satellites flew over the area near Greeley in recent days and the before and after pictures provide a stunning view from above of the devastation.

Using the ‘sliders’ on the two image sets below you can compare how the area looks normally versus how it looked in the days immediately after the flooding.

[wpw_ba_viewer width=”600″ height=”auto” anim_speed=”600″ start_percent=”0.5″ disable_intro=”false”]
[wpw_ba_img src=”http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EHZnr2QxwDo/UjxBTiFTICI/AAAAAAAAArY/lN8SZl9OGLs/s600/greeley-before.jpg” data_second=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Afkp7QnthD8/UjxBTnDEMrI/AAAAAAAAArU/QsAh-2SWRkw/s600/greeley-after.jpg” title=”Satellite imagery comparison of the area near Greeley, Colorado before and after the September 2013 flooding. (NASA EO)” data_info=”Satellite imagery comparison of the area near Greeley, Colorado before and after the September 2013 flooding. (NASA EO)”]
[/wpw_ba_viewer]Satellite Imagery of Flooding Near Greeley, Colorado – “Though water levels on the South Platte River were receding, muddy brown waters were still out of the river’s banks near Greeley, Colorado, on September 17, 2013, when the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on the Landsat 8 satellite acquired this image. At the time, the river was more than six feet above flood stage, down from more than eight feet above flood stage.” The before image was acquired on June 29, 2013 and shows the area as it normally appears. (NASA EO)

[wpw_ba_viewer width=”600″ height=”auto” anim_speed=”600″ start_percent=”0.5″ disable_intro=”false”]
[wpw_ba_img src=”http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-4P17RwE0yJ4/UjxBUXq6AEI/AAAAAAAAArc/jf6eRTTMaeQ/s600/platte-before.jpg” data_second=”http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-oFx1h0x653Y/UjxBTgBj2KI/AAAAAAAAArM/-rgcmbR2otk/s600/platte-after.jpg” title=”Satellite imagery comparison of the area near Greeley, Colorado before and after the September 2013 flooding. (NASA EO)” data_info=”Satellite imagery comparison of the area near Greeley, Colorado before and after the September 2013 flooding. (NASA EO)”]
[/wpw_ba_viewer]Infrared Satellite Imagery of Flooded South Platte River – “Intense rainfall in northern and eastern Colorado brought widespread, destructive flooding in mid-September 2013. Local citizens reported as much as 18 inches (46 centimeters) of rain from September 9 to 15, with some of the heaviest accumulation along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. A break in the precipitation allowed the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite to acquire the top image of the floods on September 14. The second image, taken by Terra MODIS on September 7, 2013, shows the region before the rains began. The images were made from infrared light to increase the contrast between water and land.” (NASA EO)

Colorado Weather, Examiner.com

Colorado floods extensively damage homes serving the developmentally disabled

September 19, 2013 Examiner.com Leave a comment

The full toll from Colorado’s floods won’t be known for months but for one local Denver area non-profit, the devastation of the waters hit home – nine of them in fact.

The flood waters from Colorado’s floods have destroyed homes and taken lives. In one case, nine homes crucial to serving the needs of the most vulnerable among us were part of the toll.

The basement of a home run by Imagine! for developmentally disabled individuals had water four feet deep due to the flooding in Colorado. Note the water line. (Imagine!) Click to view the photo slideshow.

Colorado Weather, Natural Disasters, Thornton Weather

Interactive map: Rainfall totals from Colorado’s September 2013 flood event

September 17, 2013 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Damage in Jamestown on September 15, 2013. (Boulder OEM) — Damage in Jamestown on September 15, 2013. See the map of rainfall totals from the flooding event below. Click the image to view a photo slideshow of the devastation. (Boulder OEM)

By the numbers, the rainfall experienced across northeastern Colorado since Monday, September 9 has been nothing short of extraordinary. Over the span of a week, many locations received half of what they normally receive in an entire year. Some received more than what they expect annually.

We have created and interactive map (below) that shows precipitation totals from Monday, September 9, 2013 to Monday, September 16, 2013. The numbers are totals as reported by CoCoRaHS volunteers – the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network.

Looking at the map, it is clear that the Boulder area received the most with one station recording an astonishing 21.13” over the 7 day timespan. The official station in Boulder has recorded 16.69” inches this month and 29.65” for the year. These numbers break Boulder’s monthly record and its annual precipitation record.

Denver’s official station at Denver International Airport (DIA) has recorded 4.65 inches this month, enough to put September 2013 in the books as the 2nd wettest on record. However, that total hardly reflects what locations closer to the city’s center received with many recording over 7” this month.

Here in Thornton we have seen 8.85” of rain so far this month, an extraordinary total that brings our total for 2013 to 18.81”. This is clearly the biggest month and year for precipitation since ThorntonWeather.com came online in 2007 and likely the biggest month ever in Thornton.

If you have a hard time viewing the map in the window below, click here to launch a larger version.

Don’t miss a thing when it comes to our ever-changing weather! Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.

Examiner.com

Largest aerial rescue operation since Hurricane Katrina underway in Colorado

September 16, 2013 Examiner.com Leave a comment

Extraordinary rain amounts over the past week have brought extensive flooding across northeastern Colorado from the mountains to the plains. In the waters’ wake, what is being called the largest helicopter evacuation since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 is underway. Read the rest of this story and check out the photos and video on Examiner.com.

U.S. Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment out of Fort Carson, Colo., along with civilian rescue personnel, rescue members of the Jametown, Colo., community and children from Cal-Wood Education Center after severe flooding shut down major — U.S. Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment out of Fort Carson, Colo., along with civilian rescue personnel, rescue members of the Jametown, Colo., community and children from Cal-Wood Education Center. (U.S. Army)

Colorado Weather, Natural Disasters, Thornton Weather

In pictures: Colorado’s record-setting September 2013 rains and flooding

September 16, 2013 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Colorado National Guardsmen respond to floods in Boulder County, Colo., Sept.12, 2013. (Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. Joseph K. VonNida/RELEASED) — Colorado National Guardsmen respond to floods in Boulder County, Colo., Sept.12, 2013. See more images from Colorado’s devastating September 2013 floods in the slideshow below. (Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. Joseph K. VonNida/RELEASED)

September 2013 will forever be etched in the memory of all Coloradans as one which brought amazing destruction – and death. Images of the truly historical event tell the story of the damage in the aftermath but also show the indomitable human spirit and the willingness of Americans to come together and help in times of need.

Northeastern Colorado has a surprisingly arid climate but also is an environment ripe for extreme weather events like the rain and floods we experienced.

The cost and final death toll from the floods will be determined in the coming days, weeks and months but we know already this is one for the record books.

The September 2013 event lasted multiple days and effects were felt from the mountains and foothills to the flat eastern plains. Many locations saw rainfall totals over four days equal to half of what they normally receive in an entire year.

The images in the slideshow below were gathered from a variety of sources. If you have photos to share, please email them to info@thorntonweather.com and we will add them.

Don’t miss a thing when it comes to our ever-changing weather! Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.

[flickr_set id=”72157697969563182″]

Severe Weather, Thornton Weather

Live updates: Thornton’s September 2013 heavy rain and flood event

September 15, 2013 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

ThorntonWeather.com on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter The start of meteorological fall has been highly eventful with record-setting high temperatures followed by virtually unprecedented rainfall. Four days of steady, sometimes heavy, rain has created hazardous conditions in many places along the Colorado Front Range including Thornton.

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

Tweets by @ThorntonWeather

Natural Disasters, Thornton Weather

NOAA satellite image captures ‘biblical’ storm as it strikes Colorado

September 13, 2013 Thornton Weather 2 Comments

This image from the Suomi NPP satellite's VIIRS sensor from the evening of September 11, 2013, shows the storm system that has devastated towns in the foothills of the Rockies in central Colorado. Flash Flood Watches and Warnings are in effect throughout central Colorado, citing excessive runoff causing flash flooding of creeks and streams, roads and roadside culverts. The heavy rains could also trigger rock slides or debris flows in steep terrain. Major amounts of rain over the last several days have saturated soils in many foothill and Urban Corridor locations and additional rainfall in these locations today and tonight will only exacerbate an already serious situation. The High Park and Four Mile burn areas will be especially susceptible to the heavy rains. This image was taken around 2015Z on September 11, 2013. (NOAA) — This image from the Suomi NPP satellite’s VIIRS sensor from the evening of September 11, 2013, shows the storm system that has devastated towns in the foothills of the Rockies in central Colorado. Flash Flood Watches and Warnings are in effect throughout central Colorado, citing excessive runoff causing flash flooding of creeks and streams, roads and roadside culverts. The heavy rains could also trigger rock slides or debris flows in steep terrain. Major amounts of rain over the last several days have saturated soils in many foothill and Urban Corridor locations and additional rainfall in these locations today and tonight will only exacerbate an already serious situation. The High Park and Four Mile burn areas will be especially susceptible to the heavy rains. This image was taken around 2015Z on September 11, 2013. (NOAA)

* Click the image above for a larger view

Five days of rain, one with absolutely torrential downpours, created dangerous and deadly flooding across much of the Colorado Front Range. At one point the National Weather Service warned of ‘biblical rainfall amounts’ and it became hard to argue with that terminology. The rainfall amounts were truly astounding.

Boulder, where some of the worst flooding was seen, recorded 9.08” on Thursday, September 12. Estes Park, where the Big Thompson River flooded its banks, saw 3.9” over the 24 hour period.

Officially Denver only saw 1.1” on the date but that was as measured at Denver International Airport which only saw the edge of the storms. At the previous historical location in Stapleton, 3.68” was measured.

Here in Thornton we seemed to be right in line for the storms and generated one of the higher totals in the metro area accumulating 4.76” on the date. Since the rain started five days ago, we have received an amazing 7.66” (as of this writing).

Don’t miss a thing when it comes to our ever-changing weather! Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.

Colorado Weather, Natural Disasters

Raw video: Colorado’s flooding in Boulder and Estes Park

September 13, 2013 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Water flows over the banks of the South Platte River into Sprat-Platte Lake near Thornton on the afternoon of September 12, 2013. Click for a larger view. (Ed Dalton)

What has been called a 100-year storm and even referred to as being of ‘biblical’ proportions is very slowly coming to an end. The worst of the rain fell on Thursday, September 12 with locations in Colorado’s foothills reporting in excess of 8 inches of rainfall.

Among the hardest hit areas were the college town of Boulder and picturesque Estes Park. Both cities have seen extensive flooding and damage totals across the state will be well into the tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars.

The two videos below capture the raging waters as they pummeled the communities.

The first video shows Boulder as well as some commentary by Gov. John Hickenlooper. The second is of downtown Estes Park.

Don’t miss a thing when it comes to our ever-changing weather! Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.

National Weather, Thornton Weather

Remembering 9/11: NASA imagery of fateful day serves as a reminder

September 11, 2013 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

A zoomed in view of the World Trade Center site as seen by astronauts on board the International Space Station on September 11, 2001. (NASA) Click the image for a larger view.

Twelve years ago today the United States of America was forever changed when war was brought to our own shores for the first time since Pearl Harbor. The imagery of that day still burns vividly in our memories and one from NASA shows the devastation of that day as seen from 200 miles above.

On that fateful day, crewmembers of the Expedition Three crew of the International Space Station were circling the globe.

Commander Frank L. Culbertson, Soyuz Commander Vladimir Dezhurov and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin surely felt helpless as they passed over Ground Zero and could clearly see the plume of smoke emanating from the spot where so many people lost their lives.

The image they captured on that day was stunning – see below. While the World Trade Center was so far below, the devastation was so clear.

Our patriotism pulled us through those trying times and it shouldn’t take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity.

Today let us stand together to remember the victims of that horrible day.

Let us stand together and pay tribute to the lives of the thousands of men and women that have carried the battle forth since then and paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Let us stand together and honor the hundreds of thousands who wear our nation’s uniforms protecting us.

Let us never forget so that we and our children will never experience another day like 9/11.

NEVER FORGET!

Visible from space, a smoke plume rises from the Manhattan area after two planes crashed into the towers of the World Trade Center. This photo was taken of metropolitan New York City (and other parts of New York as well as New Jersey) the morning of September 11, 2001. “Our prayers and thoughts go out to all the people there, and everywhere else,” said Station Commander Frank Culbertson of Expedition 3, after the terrorists’ attacks. (NASA) Click the image for a larger view.

Thornton Weather

Denver tallies 54 90 degree days in 2013, 6th most on record

September 11, 2013 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

For the most part the Mile High City’s temperatures were on track to be pretty average this summer – up until the last half of August and first part of September. Since that time numerous high temperature records have been smashed and the number of days with temperatures over 90 degrees climbed.

As measured at Denver International Airport, Denver has officially recorded 54 days this year with high temperatures at or above 90 degrees. This puts 2013 into the books as tied for 6th place with 2006 and 2007 for the number of 90 degree days.

On average Denver sees 40 90 degree days a year with the last one falling, on average, on September 4th. The latest we have seen a 90 degree day was on October 1, 1892.

The grid below, from the National Weather Service, shows the top 20 years of 90+ degrees with the monthly distributions.

How has Thornton fared by comparison? As usual we were cooler than the airport having recorded 47 days with 90 degree or higher temperatures. Of those, we recorded none in May, 10 in June, 14 in July, 16 in August, and 7 in September.

Certainly it is possible we could see those numbers increase before the year is out. However long term trends are toward cooler and wetter weather so it is likely we are done for this year.

The grid shows the Top 20 years of 90°+ in Denver along with the monthly distributions. (National Weather Service)

Weather, natural disasters & climate news and information.