Thornton Weather

Adams County implements Level 3 fire restrictions

Leave a comment

With the landscape tinder dry and conditions ripe for wildfires, Adams County has announced a burn ban in all unincorporated areas.  Effective immediately, absolutely no open burning is allowed.

According the Brighton Blade,

[Adams County Sheriff’s Sgt. Paul] Gregory said the fire ban did not apply to fires within liquid fuels or gas stoves, fireplaces inside buildings and charcoal or propane grill fires at private residences. Fires within permanent fire grates in developed campgrounds are OK. So is burning household trash within a fireproof container that won’t let flame or burning material escape from the bottom of the container. Gregory said the container has to be in the center of an area that is 10 feet in diameter “from which all flammable material has been removed.”

The ban only applies to unincorporated areas of the county so is not applicable to Thornton residents within city limits.  Click the image below for a look at the restrictions.  To date we have not seen any fire ban ordered by the City of Thornton.

Adams County Sheriff Burning Restrictions

Thornton Weather

Weather webcam captures lightning bolt striking nearby

1 Comment

As the sun went down yesterday a thunderstorm moved over the Thornton area.  It provided some brief, heavy rain which was very welcome given our drought stricken landscape.  Accompanying the moisture was a good bit of lightning which lit up the post-sunset sky.

Our west facing webcam captured one bolt as it struck turning night into day for a brief instant.

A thunderstorm on June 23, 2013 delivered rain and a good bit of lightning. ThorntonWeather.com's west facing camera happened to capture one bolt as it struck.
A thunderstorm on June 23, 2013 delivered rain and a good bit of lightning. ThorntonWeather.com’s west facing camera happened to capture one bolt as it struck.
Colorado Weather, Natural Disasters

Satellite imagery captures explosion of West Fork Complex Fire, Papoose Fire and thunderstorms

Leave a comment

Satellites provide an amazing eye in the sky for monitoring the weather and climate.  Their usefulness today was once again proven as they captures wildfires exploding in Colorado’s southwest and thunderstorms to the northeast.

The satellite imagery animation comes from the NOAA GOES East satellite and was assembled by Colorado State University RAMSDIS.  It covers the period from 1:55pm to 4:40pm on Friday, June 21, 2013.

The tandem West Form Fire and Papoose Fire in southwestern Colorado are seen sending massive smoke plumes into the sky.  Afternoon thunderstorms are exploding in the northeastern corner of the state.

Colorado Weather, National Weather

Internet resources for wildfire information and education

1 Comment
Wildfires are a very real danger here in Colorado.
Wildfires are a very real danger here in Colorado.

As wildfires burn across much on the western United States late this summer, the Internet can be a wealth of information for residents that are affected by these blazes or for anyone else. Resources are available for everything from the latest news updates, finding out where the fires are right down to the street level, to safety and education.

This list is by no means all inclusive – if you have a wildfire related link we are missing, please post a comment and let us know and we will update our list!

Updated 6/21/2013

National Level Agencies

Fire Mapping

Weather

Wildfire Imagery

Wildfire Education & Information

Wildfire Assistance

State Agencies

Colorado Weather

Tornado at Denver International Airport rated EF1

Leave a comment
The tornado near DIA sent workers working on the terminal renovations scrambling. (Rob Gardner)
The tornado near DIA sent workers working on the terminal renovations scrambling. (Rob Gardner)

The tornado that struck on the grounds of Denver International Airport (DIA) on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 has been rated an EF1 with winds up to 109 mph.  The twister came within a half mile of Concourses A and B and sent workers and travelers scrambling to tornado shelters.

Scroll down to see more photos of the tornado.

From the National Weather Service:

A tornado developed on Denver International Airport (DIA) grounds on the afternoon of June 18, 2013. The tornado formed around 2:19 PM just north of 70th Avenue. The tornado then moved slowly northwest between Runway 35R and 35L, and moved to within a half mile of Concourses A and B before dissipating at 2:36 PM. The tornado moved extremely close if not over the ASOS (Automated Surface Observation System) and another low level wind shear sensor at DIA. The ASOS weather observing system reported a 97 mph wind gust at 2:27 PM, while the wind shear sensor reported a wind gust to 109 mph at the same time – indicative of an EF1 tornado. There was only minor damage noted to this equipment. The storm responsible for this tornado first developed just south of the airport, and then drift slowly northward across the eastern side of DIA. At 2:05 PM, there was weak rotation beginning to develop underneath this storm as noted by the velocity data below. This rotation then strengthened quickly between 2:10 and 2:22 PM.

Examiner.com

Military deploys firefighters, aircraft to battle exploding Colorado wildfires

Leave a comment

For the second year in a row tinder dry conditions have allowed explosive wildfire growth in Colorado and once again the United States military is deploying resources to assist local firefighting efforts. Among the forces being called into action are massive Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) C-130 Hercules aircraft.  Read the rest of this story on Examiner.com including a video update on the Black Forest Fire

Among assets the U.S. military is deploying to battle wildfires in Colorado are MAFFS C-130s. (U.S. Air Force)
Among assets the U.S. military is deploying to battle wildfires in Colorado are MAFFS C-130s. (U.S. Air Force)

 

Examiner.com

Wildfires erupt across Colorado prompting evacuations, burning homes

Leave a comment

As the second of two days of record-setting temperatures started to come to a close, the tinder dry landscape in Colorado erupted in flame. Tuesday afternoon multiple blazes from the state’s south border to near the north sent residents scrambling to escape the advancing flames.  Read the rest of this story on Examiner.com

Pyrocumulus clouds from the Black Forest Fire are seen from Colorado Springs on Tuesday, June 11, 2013.
Pyrocumulus clouds from the Black Forest Fire are seen from Colorado Springs on Tuesday, June 11, 2013. (Teri & Matt Bertrand)
Examiner.com

Extreme heat shatters four temperature records in two days in Denver

Leave a comment

Under a stubborn area of high pressure the Mile High City has been sweltering with unseasonably hot temperatures. The past two days saw four temperature records be broken as the mercury climbed to regions more akin to the middle of summer than June.  Thornton fell just shy of 100° today reaching “only 99°.  Officially though Denver hit the mark.  Read the rest of this story on Examiner.com

Denver, Colorado saw record-breaking heat with temperatures more like what was expected in July than early June.

Thornton Weather

Denver breaks two temperature records for June 10

Leave a comment

Record setting high temperatures in Thornton.Under the influence of strong high pressure, the mercury soared in the Mile High City on Monday and two temperature records fell.

As measured at Denver International Airport, the mercury reached a high of 99 degrees at 2:53 p.m.  This broke the previous record high temperature for June 10 of 97 degrees set in 1952.

Here in Thornton we were hot but not quite as hot.  Our high temperature topped out at 97 degrees at 2:35 p.m.  This is the highest temperature we have seen thus far this year and the highest reading in Thornton since July 21, 2012 (97.9 degrees).

If you thought the nighttime would bring relief from the heat, you were mistaken.  Denver’s official “low” temperature on Monday was only 68 degrees.  This set a new record high minimum for the date easily besting the previous record holder of  64 degrees last set in 1990.  Thornton was just slightly cooler with a low for the date of 66.8 degrees.

There won’t be much of a break in the heat in the coming days.  While it will be cooler than today, temperatures for the rest of the week are expected to continue to be well above normal.  Get the latest forecast here.

Examiner.com

NASA satellite video showcases deadly Tornado Alley severe weather outbreak

Leave a comment

Severe weather season had been relatively quiet during the first four months of 2013 but with the arrival of May Mother Nature unleashed her full fury. New satellite video released by NASA yesterday captures the last week of the month when tornadoes virtually exploded across the nation’s midsection.  Read the rest of this story on Examiner.com and / or click on the image below to view the video.

A person looks at cars damaged by a powerful tornado on June 1, 2013 in El Reno, Oklahoma. The tornado ripped through the area killing at least 9 people and injuring many and destroyed homes and buildings.
A person looks at cars damaged by a powerful tornado on June 1, 2013 in El Reno, Oklahoma. The tornado ripped through the area killing at least 9 people and injuring many and destroyed homes and buildings. Click the image to view a video of NASA satellite imagery of the deadly weather.

Weather, natural disasters & climate news and information.