DENVER -- October 20, 2009 The National Weather Service issued a WINTER STORM WARNING for the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Wet Mountains for Tuesday, Oct. 20 until Wednesday, Oct. 21. The warning replaces the WINTER STORM WATCH that had been in place.

This week is Winter Weather Preparedness Week and Tuesday’s topic is about weather warnings, watches, and advisories, and in my experience is it well worth the time to familiarize yourself with these weather alerts. Confusion seems commonplace.

What’s the difference between a watch and a warning? The simplest explanation is that watches mean you should be watching out for extreme weather and a warning means that extreme weather is either happening or is just about to occur. Knowing the difference is important, and below you’ll find a list of definitions.

When winter weather warnings are in place for your community you will likely want to reduce unnecessary travel and pay attention to the most recent weather forecasts. Denver’s 7 and TheDenverChannel.com will provide the most recent information regarding developing storms.

Did you know that warnings, watches and advisories are issued by the National Weather Service, and not by your local media meteorologists?

This keeps the message consistent; if there is a weather warning in effect, then broadcasters have a legal obligation to rebroadcast the warning message as part of our licensing agreement with the FCC. This protocol minimizes public confusion (well, at least it’s suppose to help).

As I mentioned in Monday’s blog entry, know before you go. In other words, know what the forecast is for the area in which you will be traveling. Also, know the difference between a watch, warning, or an advisory, so that you can either plan or react appropriately.

WATCHES, WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES DEFINED:

A WINTER STORM WATCH is issued when winter storm conditions are possible within the next 3 days. The timing, intensity, or occurrence may still be uncertain.

A WINTER STORM WARNING is issued when heavy snow is occurring or will develop in the next 24 hours. Winds greater than 15 mph and blowing snow may accompany the storm.

A BLIZZARD WATCH is issued when blizzard conditions are possible within the next 12-24 hours.

A BLIZZARD WARNING is issued in lower elevations when the following weather conditions are present:

Expected for at least 3 hours

Sustained winds of 35 mph or greater are observed or expected

In the mountains winds need to be in excess of 50 mph for a BLIZZARD WARNING to be issued

Visibility is ¼ mile or less due to falling or blowing snow

A WIND CHILL WATCH is issued when wind chill warning criteria are possible in the next 12 to 24 hours.

A WIND CHILL WARNING is issued for wind chills of at least minus 25 degrees on the plains and minus 35 degrees in the mountains and foothills.

A FREEZE WATCH is issued when freezing conditions are possible during the next 12 to 24 hours.

A FREEZE WARNING is issued during the growing season when widespread temperatures are expected to drop to below 32 degrees.

A HIGH WIND WATCH is issued when high wind conditions are expected to develop in the next 12 to 36 hours.

A HIGH WIND WARNING is issued when the following conditions are observed or expected:

Sustained winds of 50 mph or greater for at least one hour, or gusts to 75 mph for any duration in the mountains and foothills.

Sustained winds of 40 mph for at least one hour, or gusts to 58 mph for locations in lower elevations away from the foothills.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is issued:

When snow accumulations are expected between 4 and 8 inches in 12 hours in the mountains and between 3 and 6 inches in 12 hours at lower elevations.

When falling snow is accompanied by blowing snow to cause travel problems due to lower visibilities.

When wind blown snow will occasionally reduce visibilities and create a hazard for travelers.

For freezing drizzle or a mix of wintry precipitation, such as sleet and snow, that will likely impact travel conditions.

A DENSE FOG ADVISORY is issued when fog will reduce visibilities to ¼ mile or less.

October 19, 2009

Winter Weather Preparedness Week continues this week, and today’s topic is traveling safety through winter conditions.

It’s commonsense, but the time to get ready for that tough wintry commute is now—before the weather takes a turn for the worse.

The best way to stay safe when the weather turns rough this winter is to avoid travelling. If you must venture out, then an accurate forecast and knowledge of current road conditions are a must. That’s where Denver’s 7, TheDenverChannel.com, and Cotrip.org can help you get prepared. Know before you go, and you’ll know what to expect.

Whether your travel plans take you through the plains, urban corridor, or the Rockies, winter driving conditions can be dangerous, and your car or truck needs to be equipped both in terms of maintenance and supplies.

Is your vehicle road ready?

Here’s a list of considerations:

Do your tires have adequate tread?

Do your travel habits mean you should consider snow tires?

When did you last replace your windshield wipers? They should be replaced twice a year.

Consider taking your vehicle into the shop for professional winterization.

Supplies you should consider having in your car:

Tow rope

Tire chains

A sand bag or two stored in the trunk (for traction assistance)

Shovel

Battery jumper cables

Tools for emergency repairs

Snow scraper & brush

First aid kit

Flash light, along with extra batteries

Blankets and/or a sleeping bag

Extra clothes, including hats and gloves

Emergency candles and water proof matches

Prepackaged high calorie food

A pot or empty can (for melting snow for drinking water)

Cell phone and charger

What should you do if you become stranded by a winter storm?

First, stay with your car. Depending on where you find yourself, your vehicle is likely to be your most substantial shelter.

Don’t run your vehicle continuously, but rather run it every hour for about 10 minutes.

Leave windows open just enough to ventilate the car and prevent the buildup of carbon monoxide.

Make sure the exhaust pipe is not blocked.

Increase your vehicle’s visibility by tying brightly colored clothes or ribbons to your side view mirrors, door handles, or the antenna.

Stay active by exercising in your car. Vigorously move your arms, legs, fingers and toes in an effort to minimize the risk of hypothermia and frost bite.

Other weather hazards during the wintertime include avalanches, strong winds, and black ice. These dangers typically lurk outside of our awareness and catch us off guard and unprepared. When dealing with these winter hazards it is important to be proactive and be aware of your surroundings.

Many of Colorado’s high country roads pass through avalanche zones, and while many are marked as such, others are not. Roadways that meander along steep slopes are most vulnerable, especially during and immediately following heavy snowstorms.

Hurricane force winds are possible in the mountains and along the Front Range of Colorado, with wind gusts exceeding 100 mph. Light weight and high profile vehicles are the most susceptible to high winds. Avoiding travel during extremely windy weather is the safest solution. Monitor Denver’s 7 and TheDenverChannel.com for high wind warnings, watches and advisories.

Black ice is an invisible killer, and while you may never encounter an avalanche or winds strong enough to blow you off the road, chances are that you will cross paths with black ice.

What is black ice? Roads that appear to be clear, or just wet, may be covered in a thin layer of ice that is difficult to detect until it’s too late and you’ve lost control of your vehicle. Solution? Anticipate a problem when wintry precipitation has fallen and reduce your speed. Elevated road surfaces such as bridges and overpasses tend to freeze first, creating inconsistent road surfaces.

Do you know if your car has anti-lock brakes? It’s important information, because your braking strategies will be different depending on your vehicles braking system. If your vehicle does have an anti-lock braking system, then don’t pump your brakes if you start losing control of your car. Instead, apply even and steady pressure to your brakes and always give yourself extra distance to stop. By contrast, if you don’t have anti-lock brakes, then gently pump your brakes a few times before applying steady pressure.

Stay safe this winter, and check with our forecasters on TheDenverChannel.com and Denver’s 7 for the latest forecasts before venturing out!

Tuesday’s topic? Warnings, watches, and advisories. What do they mean? What should you do?

October 18, 2009

The week of Oct. 18 – Oct. 24 is Winter Weather Awareness week in Colorado, thanks to a proclamation by Gov. Bill Ritter.

Yes, it’s an annual event. While it may not be breaking news, the week does offer the opportunity to prepare for winter weather hazards.

Personally, winter is my favorite season (the other three tie for a close second, since Colorado weather is fantastic all-year-round!). There is nothing like seeing a fresh blanket of snow hugging the ground.

More seriously, winter precipitation is important for water resources and winter recreation, and it’s possible to take full advantage of Colorado’s winter playground while staying safe from winter’s hazards.

Watch this space during the next week for information related to Colorado’s wintry weather, including tips for traveling safely during winter storms, what watches, warnings, and advisories mean to you and your family, and safety information about avalanches, hypothermia, dangerous winter winds.

Stay tuned, and stay safe!

August 21, 2009

The Aug. 18 Park County tornado was an EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, according to the National Weather Service meteorologists who conducted the survey.

An EF-1 tornado has estimated wind speeds between 86-110 mph and cause minor structural damage.

The storm developed Tuesday afternoon and the tornado first touched down at 1:16 p.m., approximately two miles north of Eleven Mile State Park.

The tornado skipped across mountainous terrain before reaching the north side of Lake George. It dissipated one mile northeast of Lake George around 1:33 p.m.

The tornado was on the ground for close to 10 miles, and the damage path covered 100 yards about four miles west of Lake George.

According to the damage survey, property damage from the storm occurred two miles north of Eleven Mile State Park.

The tornado destroyed two small sheds and one camper, while a steel framed barn suffered major damage. Two homes in the tornado's path received minor damage, limited to broken windows, cracked siding, and roof damage.

Between Eleven Mile Reservoir and Lake George, there were numerous areas with significant tree damage. Ponderosa pine trees as large as two feet in diameter were uprooted and snapped off.

August 7, 2009

After a cool June and July, the summer season seems to have roared back with a vengeance.

With temperatures in the 90s for the past several days, you may be enjoying "Summer Redux 2009." For some of us, the cooler weather during the early days of summer was more of a breath of fresh air.

7NEWS viewer Linda from Arvada shared her thoughts with me in a recent e-mail, and I think she may be on to something!

Sweat is dripping down my nose.
Any minute now, it'll hit my toes.
If you so-o-o live to pant and swelter.
You're bound to love Arizona's weather.

I live for forecasts of coolness and rain.
Some of you think I'm criminally insane.
My best nights' sleep are dark and cool.
Unless I'm about to go back to school.

I dream of sweet four and five year olds.
They hug me, love me and give me colds.
I have about 21 more days to go.
Unfortunately there's no more money to blow.

A few more weeks of sandals and Tees.
That's 504 hours to lounge in jammies.
Don't get me wrong, I love it and all.
I just wish my time off was all in the fall.

My favorite days are red, orange and brown.
The cool breeze of autumn, crunchy leaves on the ground.
No more West Nile mosquitoes or poop-carrying flies.
Kids can go down a slide without burning their thighs.

So sorry that August means summer is fleeting.
For me it means soon it'll be snowing and sleeting.
It's football, Halloween and Thanksgiving dinner.
For some it is sad but for me it's a winner.

I say adios to summer with little regret.
I still don't have air-conditioning yet.
I don't have the body to wear skimpy suits.
I will miss those juicy seasonal fruits.

It's really not over for 7 more weeks.
It's really not over till snow's on the peaks.
For those of you out there admiring your tan.
Summer's for you, I'm just not a fan.

Many thanks to Linda for letting me share her prose with the rest of the 7News universe!

August 1, 2009

What's in a name? That which we call summer feels much more like fall

Saturday morning on 7News, Dayle Cedars asked me if we have had any 100 degree days this summer. I wanted to say yes, but I couldn't recall any examples.

There's a good reason why I couldn’t remember a 100-degree day this summer -- there hasn't been any.

Sure, we've had our 90-degree days (8 of them, actually), but the warmest day of the summer, to date, is July 24's 93 degree reading.

It's been wet, too. Total precipitation for June was 3.30 inches above average, and 1.40 inches above average in July.

A hot and dry summer? I think not.

I'd say it feels more like the Pacific Northwest, but Seattle had a record high of 105 degrees on July 29.

Maybe that's where our summer went. Hmm ....

Oh well, bring on the snow.

July 12, 2009

If your impression of June is that it was cooler and wetter than you remember from back in the day, well, you're right.

During a typical June (well, according to climatology), thunderstorms are recorded on 10 days, but not this year. We had almost double that number with storms recorded on 18 days out of 30.

According to National Weather Service data, the temperature never reached 90 degrees at Denver International Airport during the month. The last time this happened was June 2003, and then you have to go back to 1972 to find a June where temperatures were sub-90 degrees.

After a disappointing winter (we ended the snow season with 38.1 inches of snow, well below the normal seasonal snowfall of 67.1 inches) we made up for it in June.

Denver International Airport is the official National Weather Service observation station for Denver data, and a total of 4.86 inches of rain fell during the month of June, making it the second wettest June on record, since records began in 1872.

The wettest June on record was in 1882, when 4.96 inches of rainfall was recorded.

By comparison, the average precipitation for June is 1.56 inches, which we surpassed on June 23, when 1.64 inches of rain fell at DIA, setting a new record.

June 27, 2009

Call it a Mulligan, a redux, a second chance.

After a dry winter, Mother Nature has decided to inundate metro Denver with rain.

Snow totals for the year? 38.1 inches. Dismal.

That's 22.3 inches below average.

True to the essence of Colorado weather, it's been a crazy ride recently, and we've managed to make up the moisture deficit.

In fact, June 2009 is the second wettest June in Denver since weather records began in 1872. As of June 26, Denver International Airport has measured 4.86 inches, which is 3.52 inches above average.

By comparison? According to the National Weather Service data, Denver had only 0.73 inches by June 26, 2008. What a difference a year makes!

The wettest June on record? June, 1882.

Denver received 4.96 inches that year, and June 2009 is one storm away from establishing a new record for the wettest June in more than 100 years.

June 19, 2009

If you’re heading to the high country this weekend, then keep an eye to the sky.

Another weather system is going to move through the state this weekend, bringing unsettled weather with it.

Check out the satellite and radar imagery before hitting the road. You should be able to see the system as it approaches the Four Corners region of Colorado, and then track it across the state.

There’s a good chance for thunderstorms on Saturday, even during the morning hours. Storms are likely to redevelop during the afternoon, before dissipating by Saturday evening.

That said, there is a slight chance of rain overnight into Sunday morning. You are going to bring your tent fly, right?

Temperatures on Saturday afternoon will be in the 50s, with 30s to low 40s overnight.

Sunday is likely to be a more pleasant day, but afternoon storms are still in the forecast. Temperatures will be warmer, with highs in the 60s.

As always, be safe, and enjoy Colorado’s Rocky Mountains this weekend.

And remember: if you hear thunder, then you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

Be sure to check out @ColoradoWeather on Twitter for weather updates!

June 11, 2009

Heading to the high country for the weekend?

Take your rain gear.

The same weather pattern that is bringing round after round of storms to the Front Range and eastern plains will keep storms in the forecast for the mountains this weekend.

Not that I’m expecting the weekend to be a washout, but I would certainly be prepared for wet weather, especially during the afternoons from Friday through Sunday.

A trough of low pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere is currently positioned over the western United States, resulting in a southwest flow over Colorado.

A series of weather disturbances are cruising through the mid levels of the atmosphere within this southwesterly flow, and stormy weather is the result.

For the Front Range and eastern plains, there will be another risk of severe weather. for the next couple of days.

For the central mountains, the forecast looks stormy in the afternoon through the weekend.

For Friday, expect a sun/cloud mix during the day, with storms developing during the afternoon. Temperatures will be in the upper 40s to mid 50s through the afternoon and in the 30s overnight. Winds will be from the west, between 5 to 15 mph for much of the day, before becoming lighter later in the evening.

Saturday and Sunday will be similar to Friday, with a chance of afternoon storms. Highs will be in the 40s and 50s. Lows will be in the 30s.

Be safe, and enjoy Colorado’s Rocky Mountains this weekend.

And remember: if you hear thunder, then you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

Be sure to check out @ColoradoWeather on Twitter for weather updates!

May 25, 2009

It’s been a bummer of a winter.

Yes, we had snow, especially late in the season, but it was too little too late.

I write that knowing that you probably aren’t a huge snow fan.

For me, snow is like white gold. I can’t get enough of it.

That’s why this winter was so disappointing.

We average 61.7 inches of snow each winter.

For 2008- ’09 we weren’t even close.

We only managed to get 38.1 inches this year.

I’m not holding out hope that we’ll pick up any more, even though the latest snowfall in Denver was recorded on June 12, 1947. Last year it was May 14, 2008.

At least it’s not as bad as the winter of 1888- ’89, when only 20.8 inches fell.

I suppose the same could be said about the winter of 1908- ’09. That was a winter for the record books, when more than 118 inches fell in Denver (118.7, to be exact).

Nine feet of snow may be too much of a good thing.

May 18, 2009

I have a confession.

I twitter. Or maybe I should say, I tweet.

I dunno, but either way, there may be a need for a warning from the Surgeon General.

Twittering (Tweeting?) can be addictive, and I'm sure someone somewhere will discover that it's not good for you.

Whatever.

Admittedly, I'm a newbie.

If you're not familiar with the latest micro-blogging craze, just check out @ColoradoWeather on Twitter.com

Sign up and follow a few folks for a day or two, even people you don't know, like that kid from "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Wesley Crusher, @wilw.

His name is Wil Wheaton, and he's no longer a teen genius in Star Fleet.

He has more than half-a-million followers and he tweets (twitters?) all the time, usually random stuff that makes no sense.

Turns out, he's all grown up now, and I think he's married with a little Crusher cruising around (do you think they let the little one play with the good dilithium crystal?).

He's even a published author, and yes, parental guidance is suggested if you're going to follow his tweets (twitters?).

Twittering is the epitome of parasocial interaction (Google it, or better yet, twitter it. On second thought, Google it. When did Google become a verb?).

As new technologies go, Twitter can be useful and a complete waste of your time.

Some Twitter-heads have given into the Dark Side and use it for spamming purposes. Others use it to market their businesses. Some update their friends and family.

The messages are as varied as the users, and certainly--user beware.

But it can be a great tool for instant news updates from the TheDenverChannel team: @DenverChannel

Or traffic updates from traffic guru Jayson Luber: @KMGHTraffic

For me it's all about the weather, with the occasional personal anecdote.

I'm @ColoradoWeather, and I twitter just enough to irritate my family.

So, hello.

My name is @ColoradoWeather, and I twitter (tweet? whatever).