The beginning of the period will see the Denver Cyclone from today (Thursday) lingering for a few hours before the south-westerly winds kick in for the first part of the day on Friday. This will keep temperatures cool for the overnight, with low temperatures for Friday being in the upper 40's. Light SE winds shifting SW around sunrise.
Friday will see a warm up in temperatures thanks to this south-westerly flow, but PW values remain around 0.6-0.8 for the day per the GFS model. An upper trough will also make its way through the area midday. With the warmer conditions and this remnant moisture, combined with the energy associated with this upper trough passage, we have a decent chance for some late day thundershowers, especially over the Palmer Divide... POP around 20%. Friday's max temps in the mid 70's with light SW winds, shifting SE in the late afternoon.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Big Thompson Flood - 35 years later...
On this evening in 1976, 8 inches of rain fell above the mouth of the Big Thompson Canyon just above Drake, Colorado claiming 146 lives (including 6 who have never been found). Since then, flood warning systems were created to ensure such a disaster would never occur again.
Let this event remind us how powerful Mother Nature truly is, and she is not a force to be reckoned with. We need to respect the power of nature, and always make ourselves aware of her activities. Today, we have signage along all of Colorado's canyon roadways that say: "In case of flood, climb to safety." Sadly, on that day in the Big Thompson Canyon, the canyon walls were too steep for any human to climb without special gear, and the rains came way too fast for anyone to take proper measures. A lucky few did make it to safety though.
This blog entry is in tribute to those who lost their lives on this fateful day 35 years ago, and I pray they know their deaths have not gone in vain. Meteorologists and emergency managers have learned alot from this event, and this event is still the focus of new journal articles to this day.
Here is a link to Larimer County's website in reference to this event: http://www.larimerco.com/5visitors/51004big_thompson.htm
Let this event remind us how powerful Mother Nature truly is, and she is not a force to be reckoned with. We need to respect the power of nature, and always make ourselves aware of her activities. Today, we have signage along all of Colorado's canyon roadways that say: "In case of flood, climb to safety." Sadly, on that day in the Big Thompson Canyon, the canyon walls were too steep for any human to climb without special gear, and the rains came way too fast for anyone to take proper measures. A lucky few did make it to safety though.
This blog entry is in tribute to those who lost their lives on this fateful day 35 years ago, and I pray they know their deaths have not gone in vain. Meteorologists and emergency managers have learned alot from this event, and this event is still the focus of new journal articles to this day.
Here is a link to Larimer County's website in reference to this event: http://www.larimerco.com/5visitors/51004big_thompson.htm
Friday, July 15, 2011
It's Monsoon Season!
For the first day in a week, I was able to go outdoors into an environment that contained less than 50% relative humidity. Over the past week, 3.14" of rain has fell at my location, and luckily, I live in a location that has received some of the lesser amounts of rain. Other areas nearby have received as much as 2" per day! Needless to say, this has led to saturated soils and the issuance of Flood Watches on a daily basis.
What has caused all of this ruckus in our semi-arid climate? Blame it on the Monsoon! The Monsoon is a yearly climate pattern in which moisture comes north from the Baja California or the Gulf of Mexico and causes slow-moving storms to form over the foothills which then go out over the Eastern Plains. Due to their slow forward movement, flooding rains are not uncommon.
These storms usually come at the height of our metro area's rush hour, which causes traffic jams and numerous accidents, due to the flooded out areas under overpasses and in low lying areas with poor or clogged drainage systems. Also, Cherry Creek usually get filled due to the storm drains feeding into it. Parking lots get turned into temporary rivers and we usually get some serious cloud-ground lightning strikes around here from these storms.
What has caused all of this ruckus in our semi-arid climate? Blame it on the Monsoon! The Monsoon is a yearly climate pattern in which moisture comes north from the Baja California or the Gulf of Mexico and causes slow-moving storms to form over the foothills which then go out over the Eastern Plains. Due to their slow forward movement, flooding rains are not uncommon.
These storms usually come at the height of our metro area's rush hour, which causes traffic jams and numerous accidents, due to the flooded out areas under overpasses and in low lying areas with poor or clogged drainage systems. Also, Cherry Creek usually get filled due to the storm drains feeding into it. Parking lots get turned into temporary rivers and we usually get some serious cloud-ground lightning strikes around here from these storms.
So, while we may be bothered by the daily rains, we need the monsoonal moisture, as it usually provides for as much as 1/3 of our annual precipitation. Now, what is one beautiful occurrence that we get with these daily storms? A gorgeous rainbow with the colorful backlit skies from the sunset...
Until next time, enjoy the moisture, stay dry and get out there and enjoy the colorful show that Mother Nature gives us.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Too Much of a Good Thing
Thanks to a strong La Nina pattern this past winter, we are seeing snowpacks that are twice the normal amount throughout the majority of Colorado's high country. While this is seen as a good thing at first glance, it can also have devastating consequences.
Our snowpack is important for the majority of people on Colorado's eastern plains, especially the farmers and ranchers. Their livelihoods depend on our snowpack and water availability for their crops and livestock. Without adequate water, these cash crops have poor yields which in turn affects the grain markets. From there, the cost is passed onto the common consumer through the higher price paid for a loaf of bread at the grocery store, due to the higher grain prices.
So why should we care about the heavy snowpack? We're better off to have alot rather than not enough, right? Doesn't it me.an that we have some good whitewater rafting conditions to look forward to? Does it mean that we will have plenty of water? We can answer "Yes." to those questions at first, but then we must consider what also occurs each spring in Colorado
Each spring, Colorado experiences a rapid warming of average daily temperatures. While this allows for the plants to grow and the flowers to bloom, it also allows for the snowpack to melt and flow down our streams and rivers. This year, we have about 2.5 times the normal amount of snow to melt, which equals trouble...
Later this week, we will see our rivers such as the South Platte, Cache la Poudre, Clear Creek and others swell to their banks, full of the freshly melted snow from the mountains upstream. As the melting increases, so will the water which poses a flood hazard for those folks with interests near these creeks and rivers.
Myth 1) "This will make for some awesome rafting, right?" WRONG! Flooding rivers mean fast and turbulent waters which exceed the standards set for determining the difficulty of navigating those streams. Should flooding conditions occur, most of the streams that are rated as Class II, III or IV rapids will exceed the standards for the most difficult Class V rapids. This means NO Whitewater rafting for you! Sadly, it also means lost income for the outfitters and guides who provide the tours.
Myth 2) "This means the farmers will have plenty of water." Correct, but only initially... State water law and the interstate water compacts require for so much water to flow into the states downstream. This means that the farmers can only hold their allotted share, while the excess flows downstream. Sadly, with a rapid melt, most of the water will be lost downstream and oftentimes, we experience drought conditions later in the summer months and the water is already gone. Now, if the snow were to melt gradually, there would be a prolonged period of available water, which would be ideal but rarely happens.
These are only two of the many common misnomers that the general public has about an abundant snowpack. In the coming days, if you have interests near one of these streams or rivers, I encourage you to take measures in order to prepare for some flood conditions as the "Great Melting" begins.
Our snowpack is important for the majority of people on Colorado's eastern plains, especially the farmers and ranchers. Their livelihoods depend on our snowpack and water availability for their crops and livestock. Without adequate water, these cash crops have poor yields which in turn affects the grain markets. From there, the cost is passed onto the common consumer through the higher price paid for a loaf of bread at the grocery store, due to the higher grain prices.
So why should we care about the heavy snowpack? We're better off to have alot rather than not enough, right? Doesn't it me.an that we have some good whitewater rafting conditions to look forward to? Does it mean that we will have plenty of water? We can answer "Yes." to those questions at first, but then we must consider what also occurs each spring in Colorado
Each spring, Colorado experiences a rapid warming of average daily temperatures. While this allows for the plants to grow and the flowers to bloom, it also allows for the snowpack to melt and flow down our streams and rivers. This year, we have about 2.5 times the normal amount of snow to melt, which equals trouble...
Later this week, we will see our rivers such as the South Platte, Cache la Poudre, Clear Creek and others swell to their banks, full of the freshly melted snow from the mountains upstream. As the melting increases, so will the water which poses a flood hazard for those folks with interests near these creeks and rivers.
Myth 1) "This will make for some awesome rafting, right?" WRONG! Flooding rivers mean fast and turbulent waters which exceed the standards set for determining the difficulty of navigating those streams. Should flooding conditions occur, most of the streams that are rated as Class II, III or IV rapids will exceed the standards for the most difficult Class V rapids. This means NO Whitewater rafting for you! Sadly, it also means lost income for the outfitters and guides who provide the tours.
Myth 2) "This means the farmers will have plenty of water." Correct, but only initially... State water law and the interstate water compacts require for so much water to flow into the states downstream. This means that the farmers can only hold their allotted share, while the excess flows downstream. Sadly, with a rapid melt, most of the water will be lost downstream and oftentimes, we experience drought conditions later in the summer months and the water is already gone. Now, if the snow were to melt gradually, there would be a prolonged period of available water, which would be ideal but rarely happens.
These are only two of the many common misnomers that the general public has about an abundant snowpack. In the coming days, if you have interests near one of these streams or rivers, I encourage you to take measures in order to prepare for some flood conditions as the "Great Melting" begins.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
"Nice" Winter Weather Has Its Consequences...
Every winter, it's the same complaint: "I wish Spring would get here!" or "I'm sick of the cold & snow!" For those living in the Colorado Front Range, it's a yearly incident. We also have many "transplants" who have moved here from warmer climates, and understandably, hate the cold.
For those who wanted a mild, dry winter; you got your wish! However, this type of winter has dire consequences. Right now, there is a 1200 acre wildfire burning NW of Golden, CO. Luckily, this fire has not claimed any structures yet. Sadly, the 55MPH wind gusts are of no assistance to the firefighters on the front lines. As of the time of this post, we are still under a Red Flag Warning and any open burning (including outdoor cigarette smoking) is temporarily banned, due to the extremely dry conditions.
This wildfire is only the beginning of the problems that can arise from a dry winter. Once the fire is out, there will be more. Most wildfires are either caused by lightning or by an errant cigarette that was discarded from a moving vehicle. Not only do these fires deplete the budgets of the counties they occur in, but they can destroy people's property, kill livestock, and the smoke causes unnecessary respiratory distress for those with allergies, asthma or other respiratory issues.
Next, lets discuss another consequence of a dry winter: Drought. Drought costs farmers and ranchers millions in lost revenue annually. The winter wheat crop of Eastern CO and Western KS is planted in the fall and is totally reliant on the snow to provide the moisture for the seed to germinate the following spring. Since most of the crop is on dryland fields, they are not irrigated. Already, the wheat yields are looking weak due to the lack of moisture. Hopefully with a weakening LaNina pattern, the rains will come soon. (Before it's too late.)
Another consequence is water supply. Luckily, the mountains have normal to above normal snowpacks to balance the shortage on the eastern plains. If there was not this snowpack, there would be terrible consequences for all such as water rationing and higher bills. Farmers need the water from the rivers, municipalities need water from the reservoirs, and we all need water from Mother Nature.
To end: Yes, it's nice to have "nice" winter weather. BUT, it comes with consequences that are not pleasant for anyone. Please remember that our wintertime precipitation is needed. So, even though it is cold and miserable for some, I'm sure the majority of people would rather deal with a few days of misery than to deal with a whole summer of drought and fires.
For those who wanted a mild, dry winter; you got your wish! However, this type of winter has dire consequences. Right now, there is a 1200 acre wildfire burning NW of Golden, CO. Luckily, this fire has not claimed any structures yet. Sadly, the 55MPH wind gusts are of no assistance to the firefighters on the front lines. As of the time of this post, we are still under a Red Flag Warning and any open burning (including outdoor cigarette smoking) is temporarily banned, due to the extremely dry conditions.
This wildfire is only the beginning of the problems that can arise from a dry winter. Once the fire is out, there will be more. Most wildfires are either caused by lightning or by an errant cigarette that was discarded from a moving vehicle. Not only do these fires deplete the budgets of the counties they occur in, but they can destroy people's property, kill livestock, and the smoke causes unnecessary respiratory distress for those with allergies, asthma or other respiratory issues.
Next, lets discuss another consequence of a dry winter: Drought. Drought costs farmers and ranchers millions in lost revenue annually. The winter wheat crop of Eastern CO and Western KS is planted in the fall and is totally reliant on the snow to provide the moisture for the seed to germinate the following spring. Since most of the crop is on dryland fields, they are not irrigated. Already, the wheat yields are looking weak due to the lack of moisture. Hopefully with a weakening LaNina pattern, the rains will come soon. (Before it's too late.)
Another consequence is water supply. Luckily, the mountains have normal to above normal snowpacks to balance the shortage on the eastern plains. If there was not this snowpack, there would be terrible consequences for all such as water rationing and higher bills. Farmers need the water from the rivers, municipalities need water from the reservoirs, and we all need water from Mother Nature.
To end: Yes, it's nice to have "nice" winter weather. BUT, it comes with consequences that are not pleasant for anyone. Please remember that our wintertime precipitation is needed. So, even though it is cold and miserable for some, I'm sure the majority of people would rather deal with a few days of misery than to deal with a whole summer of drought and fires.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Spring is near... It's seedling time!
Good evening!
It's that time of year again! The days are getting longer, the days & nights are warmer... Spring is indeed coming! Are you ready?
This is the perfect time for people in and around the Denver area to start their vegetable and flower seeds indoors. Hold off for a couple more weeks for the melon and gourd seeds. Usually the first two weeks of April are the most suitable for starting those indoors. I started my tomatoes, peppers, and onions a couple weeks ago, and they are now about 2"-3" tall and seem to be enjoying their place in the sunny, south-facing window that is serving as their nursery for the time being.
Most people tend to use Mother's Day weekend as the time to do the outdoor planting in the Colorado Front Range area. They are correct in their thinking, as the last frost has usually occurred by then. For most people in Zone 5, this is true.
The USDA has created a Hardiness Zone map to assist gardeners in determining which plants are suitable for their climate and the best time for planting.
Now that you know your "Zone" you can read the back of any seed package to see if it is suitable for your area. Most people may not think much of it until they have failed plantings. Plants are much more sensitive to even the smallest changes in weather conditions than we can imagine. Believe me, I learned the importance of knowing the "Zones" the hard way!
Another thing to consider when starting your seeds indoors is the quality of the potting soil being used. In my experience, I have had alot of success using "seed starter" soil mixes. These are rich in organic material and hold moisture well. You want a strong, healthy plant when you transplant it to the outdoors.
I will write more on gardening in a future entry. Have a great week and get those seeds started!
It's that time of year again! The days are getting longer, the days & nights are warmer... Spring is indeed coming! Are you ready?
This is the perfect time for people in and around the Denver area to start their vegetable and flower seeds indoors. Hold off for a couple more weeks for the melon and gourd seeds. Usually the first two weeks of April are the most suitable for starting those indoors. I started my tomatoes, peppers, and onions a couple weeks ago, and they are now about 2"-3" tall and seem to be enjoying their place in the sunny, south-facing window that is serving as their nursery for the time being.
Most people tend to use Mother's Day weekend as the time to do the outdoor planting in the Colorado Front Range area. They are correct in their thinking, as the last frost has usually occurred by then. For most people in Zone 5, this is true.
The USDA has created a Hardiness Zone map to assist gardeners in determining which plants are suitable for their climate and the best time for planting.
Now that you know your "Zone" you can read the back of any seed package to see if it is suitable for your area. Most people may not think much of it until they have failed plantings. Plants are much more sensitive to even the smallest changes in weather conditions than we can imagine. Believe me, I learned the importance of knowing the "Zones" the hard way!
Another thing to consider when starting your seeds indoors is the quality of the potting soil being used. In my experience, I have had alot of success using "seed starter" soil mixes. These are rich in organic material and hold moisture well. You want a strong, healthy plant when you transplant it to the outdoors.
I will write more on gardening in a future entry. Have a great week and get those seeds started!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
A Lesson in Geology...
Hello all!
It's been a few months since I've actually had some time to create a blog entry. This past week has been a crazy one as far as current world events are concerned. The 8.9 magnitude earthquake in Japan has devastated the Japanese people. Even though Japan is accustomed to living with strong earthquakes, this one still managed to be very destructive, despite all of the advances in structural engineering and other adaptive measures.
I have found that many people have questions about if this could ever happen here in the United States. Sadly, the answer is "Yes." and I'm not referring to the inevitable "Big One" of California's future either. Let's discuss two other "danger areas" of the U.S. that are not as well known:
The Pacific Northwest - Washington & Oregon :
About 300 miles west of the coastline lies a subduction trench (pictured below). This same type of fault is what lies on the ocean floor east of Japan that was responsible for the recent earthquake. All five of the strongest recorded earthquakes occurred as a result of a subduction trench
Subduction trenches are also responsible for volcano formation, thus explaining the volcanoes in Cascadia such as Mt. St. Helens. Unfortunately, this particular type of fault tends to create the most destructive earthquakes.
Source: Geist, Eric L., 1996. Relationship between the present-day stress field and plate boundary forces in the Pacific Northwest, Geophysical Research Letters, v. 23, p. 3381-3384. Via USGS website.
More can be found about the earthquake risk in the Pacific Northwest (Cascadia) from this website from the United States Geological Survey (USGS): http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/earthquakes/stress/implications.html
The New Madrid Seismicity Zone:
This area of the U.S. is in the middle of the North American plate, so it shouldn't have earthquakes, right? One would be inclined to think that, but they would be sadly mistaken. The area of SE Missouri, W. Kentucky, W. Tennessee & NE Arkansas sits upon the most seismic area east of the Rocky Mountains. This area is what we could call a "sleeping giant". But why?
The last major earthquake swarm occurred in 1811-1812. Despite the limited population in the area of the time, the effects were felt for hundreds of miles. These quakes are estimated to have been around the 6.5 magnitude range, based upon information taken from the historical accounts from the events. If a quake of this magnitude were to occur today, cities like Memphis and St. Louis would suffer damage similar to that of Japan, but without the tsunami (of course).
This area lies upon an ancient network of faults that was created about 500 million years ago. This network, called the Reelfoot Rift was stretched during this time, causing some of the bedrock to sink a few inches in places. Now, 500 million years later, this same area is being squeezed, courtesy of plate tetonics. This squeezing is reactivating the fault network, thus resulting in earthquakes in this otherwise stable continental area. As you can tell from this map, this area is high risk.
Maps courtesy of USGS (website).
Here is an overall map of earthquake risk for the U.S. Do you live in one of the high risk areas?
If so, you may consider your emergency supplies, insurance, and have a plan in place for you and your loved ones should an event occur. Preparation is key to surviving the aftermath of such destructive, yet natural events.
I hope you enjoyed this little lesson in geology. Even when there's no significant weather, there's always something in our natural world that we can talk about. Have a great week everyone and enjoy the spring-like weather!
It's been a few months since I've actually had some time to create a blog entry. This past week has been a crazy one as far as current world events are concerned. The 8.9 magnitude earthquake in Japan has devastated the Japanese people. Even though Japan is accustomed to living with strong earthquakes, this one still managed to be very destructive, despite all of the advances in structural engineering and other adaptive measures.
I have found that many people have questions about if this could ever happen here in the United States. Sadly, the answer is "Yes." and I'm not referring to the inevitable "Big One" of California's future either. Let's discuss two other "danger areas" of the U.S. that are not as well known:
The Pacific Northwest - Washington & Oregon :
About 300 miles west of the coastline lies a subduction trench (pictured below). This same type of fault is what lies on the ocean floor east of Japan that was responsible for the recent earthquake. All five of the strongest recorded earthquakes occurred as a result of a subduction trench
Subduction trenches are also responsible for volcano formation, thus explaining the volcanoes in Cascadia such as Mt. St. Helens. Unfortunately, this particular type of fault tends to create the most destructive earthquakes.
Source: Geist, Eric L., 1996. Relationship between the present-day stress field and plate boundary forces in the Pacific Northwest, Geophysical Research Letters, v. 23, p. 3381-3384. Via USGS website.
More can be found about the earthquake risk in the Pacific Northwest (Cascadia) from this website from the United States Geological Survey (USGS): http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/earthquakes/stress/implications.html
The New Madrid Seismicity Zone:
This area of the U.S. is in the middle of the North American plate, so it shouldn't have earthquakes, right? One would be inclined to think that, but they would be sadly mistaken. The area of SE Missouri, W. Kentucky, W. Tennessee & NE Arkansas sits upon the most seismic area east of the Rocky Mountains. This area is what we could call a "sleeping giant". But why?
The last major earthquake swarm occurred in 1811-1812. Despite the limited population in the area of the time, the effects were felt for hundreds of miles. These quakes are estimated to have been around the 6.5 magnitude range, based upon information taken from the historical accounts from the events. If a quake of this magnitude were to occur today, cities like Memphis and St. Louis would suffer damage similar to that of Japan, but without the tsunami (of course).
This area lies upon an ancient network of faults that was created about 500 million years ago. This network, called the Reelfoot Rift was stretched during this time, causing some of the bedrock to sink a few inches in places. Now, 500 million years later, this same area is being squeezed, courtesy of plate tetonics. This squeezing is reactivating the fault network, thus resulting in earthquakes in this otherwise stable continental area. As you can tell from this map, this area is high risk.
Here is an overall map of earthquake risk for the U.S. Do you live in one of the high risk areas?
I hope you enjoyed this little lesson in geology. Even when there's no significant weather, there's always something in our natural world that we can talk about. Have a great week everyone and enjoy the spring-like weather!
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