Colorado Weather

Behind the scenes photos show the Fourmile Canyon Fire battle

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A slurry bomber drops retardant on the Fourmile Canyon Fire. (USFS)
A slurry bomber drops retardant on the Fourmile Canyon Fire. (USFS) View more images in the slideshow below.

Much like words have been used to tell the story of the Fourmile Canyon Fire and its destructive power, so too have photos and video.  The U.S. Forest Service has released new photos taken by their crews that tell the story in a way that hasn’t been seen yet – from behind the fire lines. 

On Monday the Fourmile Canyon Fire quickly exploded and soon smoke covered the Denver metro area.  Video taken from a nearby mountain showed the orange glow of the flames as they advanced.  The ferocity of the fire was such that NOAA satellites captured images of the smoke as it traveled as far as Iowa. 

Over the week the fire became the worst in Colorado history in terms of the number of homes lost as 169 were destroyed.  Images taken by helicopter from above showed mountain properties reduced to cinder. 

The images taken by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) are stunning testaments to the bravery of the firefighters on the scene.  Photos of chainsaw wielding combatants, slurry bombers dropping their bright red retardant, and fire raging next to roadways tell the story from behind the lines. 

You can view the new images by clicking on the slideshow image below. 

Slideshow: The behind the scenes battle against the Fourmile Canyon Fire. Below are links to other slideshows we published on Examiner.com over the past week.

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Local News

Do you remember? Please come to the City of Thornton’s September 11th Remembrance

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Please join us as we remember those who died on September 11, 2001.
Please join us as we remember those who died on September 11, 2001.

September 11, 2001 is a date which is forever etched in the memories of all Americans. The events of that horrible day serve as a reminder of the vigilance that we must maintain to defend our nation and the sacrifices that have been made to keep us safe.

In the wake of the attacks, each year the President of the United States designates September 11th as Patriot Day – a day of remembrance to ensure we never forget the men and women who died on that fateful today.

This year we invite everyone to please join us on the 9th anniversary of the attacks at the City of Thornton’s September 11th Remembrance Ceremony.

This event, a joint effort with the City of Thornton, The Thornton Police and Fire Departments, the Thornton Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation, provides us an opportunity as a community to come together and honor the fallen.

The weather should be perfect so please join us at 9:30am on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at Thornton Community Park (2141 E. 95th Ave) for this special event.  The event will be held on the field at the east-most stage.

Colorado Weather, Thornton Weather

Fire burning in Fourmile Canyon sends smoke over Thornton

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The Fourmile Canyon Fire sent smoke over Thornton on Monday. (ThorntonWeather.com)
The Fourmile Canyon Fire sent smoke over Thornton on Monday. (ThorntonWeather.com)

A fast moving wildfire burning northwest of Boulder sent smoke over Thornton on monday and more is expected today.  The Fourmile Canyon Fire started late Monday morning and has burned 3,500 acres thus far. 

Tinder dry fuels, low humidity, warm temperatures and gusty winds fueled the Fourmile Canyon Fire yesterday as it grew quickly. Firefighters took up defensive positions trying to save what homes they could but many were reduced to cinder.

More than 100 firefighters are on scene with 35 engines from 30 local agencies. Boulder County Fire is acting as the primary agency for the fire.

High winds prevented air tankers with retardant from operating for most of the day but the wind eased in the late afternoon and evening allowing some operations. 18 flights by three tankers were carried out before the sun set and they were able to drop 40,000 gallons of retardant on the fast moving fire.

Four additional tankers arrived Monday and will begin operations today, weather permitting.

We are updating the Denver Weather Examiner with all the latest news and photos from the fire.  Please visit there for all the latest.

Thornton Weather

Dry, hot and windy conditions prompt Red Flag Warning

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With plenty of heat and a lack of moisture the fire danger is high along the Front Range on Sunday. (National Weather Service)
With plenty of heat and a lack of moisture the fire danger is high along the Front Range on Sunday. (National Weather Service)

September is starting off as a hot one along the Front Range and indeed across the state of Colorado.  With temperatures set to approach record highs, low humidity and windy conditions the fire danger has prompted a Red Flag Warning for Sunday.

The record high temperature for September 5th is 97 degrees and that is what Denver’s thermometer is expected to rise to today.  Humidity during the heat of the day is forecast to drop below 15% and the afternoon will bring breezy conditions with winds gusting over 30 mph. 

All of those factors will serve to dry out the Colorado Front Range and bring what the National Weather Service calls “extreme fire danger” to the area. 

The service has issued a Red Flag Warning that will be in effect from 10:00am to 9:00pm today covering the Front Range foothills and adjacent areas including Denver and Thornton.  Conditions are expected to be at their peak from 11:00am to 6:00pm.

Similarly, the Western Slope from the Continental Divide west to the Utah border is under a Red Flag warning from noon until 9:00pm. 

Colorado has made it through what has been a relatively hot summer without any major wildfires.  However conditions today are ripe and should a fire get started, it could spread rapidly and with devastating effects.  With the Labor Day holiday weekend many people will be spending time outdoors and extreme caution should be exercised. 

Stay up to date with Denver’s changing weather: Follow us on Twitter and ‘like’ us on Facebook!

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Climatology

Denver’s August wraps up warmer and drier than normal

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Denver wraps up a warm and dry August 2010.

Is it global warming at work?  Probably not but the Mile High City experienced a very warm month of August that nearly ended up in the “top 10” statistical column.  Were it not for things cooling down in the last week that almost certainly would have happened.

Denver’s average temperature for the month was 73.8 degrees – 2.1 degrees above normal.  That put it 0.3 degrees shy of the number ten spot for warmest August on record which was in 1947 with an average temperature of 74.1.  We should be thankful we didn’t reach near the top spot.  The hottest August on record was in 1937 when we hit an average of 76.8 degrees. 

In terms of extremes, the hottest day of the month occurred on the 22nd when the mercury climbed to 97 degrees.  The coldest temperature recorded was on the 17th when we dropped to 47 degrees.  Neither of those were records. 

Overall we recorded 12 days with 90 degree or higher temperatures – three above normal.  Similarly we have seen 41 ninety degree plus days this year which is 10 more than normal. 

Only one temperature record was set for the month.  That occurred on the 18th when a record high minimum of 67 degrees was recorded.  This tied the previous record for the date set in 1986. 

Here in Thornton we were a bit cooler than the Denver measurements.  We saw an average temperature of 72.3 degrees with a high of 93.9 on the 18th and a low of 51.1 degrees on the 17th.

It may not have seemed like it as we did have quite a few days with thunderstorms but we in fact finished August with below normal precipitation.  Denver recorded 1.05 inch but that was 0.77 inch below normal. 

Most of that precipitation however fell within the first seven days of the month when 1.03 of the total was recorded.  Of that, 0.68 inch was recorded on the first of the month.  However, a mere 0.02 inch was recorded for the final three weeks of the month. 

Thornton fared better than the official measurements in terms of precipitation.  We recorded 1.41 inches for the month and the moisture we received was spread out across the month much better.

At the official Denver monitoring station at Denver International Airport they recorded 10 days with thunderstorms.  The max wind gust was 45 mph recorded on the 12th and again on the 16th. 

Below are the official Denver weather statistics for August 2010 from the National Weather Service.  Click here to view Thornton’s summary report.

Continue reading Denver’s August wraps up warmer and drier than normal →

Weather History

September 5 to September 11 – This week in Denver weather history

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September 5 to September 11 - This week in Denver weather history
September 5 to September 11 - This week in Denver weather history

September is typically one of our quietest weather months and in fact it is our sunniest.  That doesn’t however mean we can’t experience weather extremes.  This week in Denver weather history we see everything from scorching heat and severe thunderstorms to snow and damaging wind.  For more about September’s weather, check out our September weather preview.

1-5

In 1995…record breaking heat occurred on the first 5 days of the month when the temperature climbed into the 90’s on each day.  Record high temperatures of 97 degrees on both the 1st and 4th equaled the all-time record maximum for the month.  High temperature of 95 degrees on the 3rd was a record for the date.  High temperatures of 94 degrees on both the 2nd and the 5th were not records.  The low temperature of 64 degrees on the 4th equaled the record high minimum for the date.

1-7

In 1978…the temperature reached 90 degrees or more on seven consecutive days with the highest temperature…94 degrees… Recorded on both the 4th and 6th.

3-6

In 1909…rainfall for the 4 days accumulated to 3.97 inches in Boulder…while in Denver rainfall totaled 2.45 inches on the 4th…5th…and 6th.

5  

In 1899…the highest recorded temperature in September…97 degrees…occurred.  The same temperature was also reached on September 4…1960…and September 1 and 4…1995.
 
In 1940…a severe wind and hail storm confined mostly to the west and north parts of the city occurred shortly after 4:30 pm.  Hail stones ranged in size from 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter. In north Denver…hail piled to a depth of 4 inches.  Flooding occurred in one underpass…which stalled 2 cars.  One girl was injured when the weight of the hail flattened a porch on which she stood. Northeast winds were sustained to 29 mph with gusts to 32 mph in downtown Denver.
 
In 1987…a thunderstorm complex produced hail as large as 1 3/8 inches in diameter…2 miles east of Buckley Field in Aurora.  No damage was reported.

Continue reading September 5 to September 11 – This week in Denver weather history →

Natural Disasters

With Hurricane Earl approaching the East Coast, space station astronauts take pictures

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NASA Astronaut Douglas Wheelcock captured this image of Hurricane Earl on Monday. Click the image for a slideshow of hurricanes as seen from space. (NASA)
NASA Astronaut Douglas Wheelcock captured this image of Hurricane Earl on Monday. Click the image for a slideshow of hurricanes as seen from space. (NASA)

A slightly weakened but still powerful Hurricane Earl continues on its path drawing nearer to the United States East Coast. In recent days, astronauts aboard the International Space Station have been afforded stunning views of the storm from their 220 mile high perch.

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Hurricane Earl’s forecast path will bring it dangerous close to the East Coast from South Carolina through Maine. The center of the storm is expected to remain at sea however the centers “cone of uncertainty” includes much of the coast.

Astronaut Douglas Wheelcock is the commander of the Expedition 24 crew now on board the space station. The West Point graduate and Army colonel previously logged hundreds of hours aboard the Space Shuttle and is in the third month of a six-month stay commanding the ISS.

Like other recent visitors to the space station, Wheelcock is keeping the public up to date with the crew’s activities via Twitter. As the user ‘Astro_Wheels’, Wheelcock has used the messaging service to report on repairs to the station and ongoing experiments and now has posted extraordinary photos of Hurricane Earl.

The two images of the powerful hurricane span roughly 17 hours. The first, taken over the central Atlantic on Monday shows Earl when it was a Category 2 storm with loose, rotating bands. The second, taken this morning, shows how much more organized – and powerful – the storm has become.

The slideshow below contains the images taken by Colonel Wheelcock as well as images of previous hurricanes taken by International Space Station and Space Shuttle crews and NASA satellites.

Slideshow: Hurricanes as seen froom space.

Climatology

September weather preview – the coming of fall

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Denver's September weather preview.As temperatures start to drop, September 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.

However that isn’t to say the weather can’t be a lot more “interesting.”  Extremes can occur during September ranging from heat to cold to yes, even snow. 

Find out more about what to expect in our September weather preview here.

Natural Disasters

All eyes on monster Category 4 Hurricane Earl

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August 31, 2010 - Hurricane Earl passes to the north of Puerto Rico. The major hurricane is a threat to the United States from the mid-Atlantic to New England.
August 31, 2010 - Hurricane Earl passes to the north of Puerto Rico. The major hurricane is a threat to the United States from the mid-Atlantic to New England.

Hurricane Earl continues its slow trek toward the west-northwest after pummeling parts of the Caribbean yesterday.  Today it looks like most areas will be spared the worst of the storm but a forecasted turn to the north may put parts of the East Coast at risk. 

The eye of Earl is currently 146 miles north of San Juan, Puerto Rico and the storm is packing 135 mph winds making it a Category 4 hurricane.  A bit more strengthening is expected over the next 24 hours as the storm continues to encounter warm waters and favorable conditions. 

Of particular concern is the path that Earl may take.  It is expected to gradually turn north and eventually to the northeast.  Within its forecast cone is a vast area stretching from South Carolina to Maine.  With many large population centers within the possibility for landfall, the potential for a major disaster are great.

We are monitoring the storm closely and posting updates to the Natural Disasters Examiner on Examiner.com.  Be sure to check there for the latest.

You can also view our live hurricane tracker here and our tropical weather update page here.

The video below is taken from NOAA satellite imagery and has been processed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS).  It shows the life of Hurricane Earl from sunrise to sunset yesterday.

Weather History

August 29 to September 4 – This week in Denver weather history

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August 22 to September 4 - This week in Denver weather history
August 22 to September 4 – This week in Denver weather history

Certainly this time of year we start to see temperatures drop and the conditions moderate.  This is usually one of Denver’s most pleasant times of years when the heat of summer fades and the snow and cold of winter is still far away.  That however wasn’t the case when the most notable event in Denver weather history this week occurred.  It was in 1961 on the 3rd of September that Denver received its earliest measurable snowfall – 4.2 inches!

19-30

In 1875…grasshoppers appeared in great numbers at 10:00 am on the 19th.  Thousands landed on the ground.  The streets were literally covered with them.  Swarms of grasshoppers were seen on each day.  All gardens in the city were devastated…and in the countryside the grasshoppers were very destructive to ripened grain.  On the 30th the grasshoppers were so numerous as to almost darken the sun.

29

In 1876…after the passage of a gentle rain shower to the east during the late evening hours…the moon shone brightly and a remarkably bright lunar rainbow appeared.

In 1910…an apparent cold front produced sustained northeast winds to 40 mph.

In 1946…the high temperature warmed to only 55 degrees…the record low maximum for the month.

In 1989…a spectacular lightning display knocked out power to 300 blocks in southeast Denver.  One bolt started a fire in a lumber yard in the northeast part of the city…and the attic of a home in the same area was set ablaze by a lightning bolt.

In 1996…3/4 inch diameter hail was measured in Parker.

In 2000…lightning struck two homes in Thornton.  The extent of damage was unknown.

In 2002…two small tornadoes caused damage in southeast metro Denver.  The first tornado…associated with a multi-vortex storm…touched down briefly near E-470 and South Jordan Road.  Some fences were damaged…and a few trees were blown down.  A few of the homes also sustained minor roof damage. Damage from this storm totaled 100 thousand dollars.  The second tornado associated with the storm touched down in a subdivision that was under construction at Gartrell and Arapahoe roads.  Four large condominiums under construction were destroyed.  The most heavily damaged portions of the structures were still in the framing stages.  Adjacent sections where enclosed walls were in place were not destroyed.  A man suffered 4 broken ribs and several cuts and bruises when the trailer he sought shelter in was flipped three times and torn apart by the twister.  Damage from this storm totaled 6 million dollars. A severe thunderstorm produced 1 inch diameter hail near Evergreen.

In 2006…severe thunderstorms produced large hail in the foothills west of Denver.  Hail to 1 inch in diameter fell near Blackhawk.  Hail as large as 7/8 inch was measured near Idaho Springs…along with 3/4 inch hail near Nederland and Conifer.

Continue reading August 29 to September 4 – This week in Denver weather history →

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