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Mike's Weather Blog -- May 2005

May 31, 2005 -- May Will End Drier Than Normal!

It appears May is going to end quite a bit below normal for precipitation in Denver and right about average for temperatures and snowfall. Two record highs were tied during the month (on the 20th and 24th)

A little less than 70% of the total possible sunshine was recorded during the month, which is typical. May ranks right up there with November in terms of being one of our cloudiest months.

Of course the weather today won't change the statistics too much, but we can't calculate final May tallies until the record books officially close on May 2005 today.

What does June hold in store? Check tomorrow's blog for details!

Have a great start to this short work week.

May 30, 2005 -- A Little Late May Weather History!

What's up with this cool and wet weather in late May? Is this unusual weather for Colorado? Well, not really. Cool pools of air have settled into the central Rockies bringing cool wet weather and high mountain snows several times in our weather history.

In 1995, a similar pattern set up from the 26-31, bringing up to 2" of rain over the period to much of the region.

In 1983, another cool spell settled into the region on the 30-31 with 1-5" of snow above 7,000 feet. Snow flurries fell overnight on the 30th in the western Denver Metro suburbs.

Way back in 1894, heavy rains fell from May 29th through June 1st. This combined with heavy runoff from snowmelt to bring flooding conditions to communities along the Front Range. The floodwaters destroyed every bridge in Boulder where depths up to 8 feet were recorded from University Hill north to near Mapleton Hill.

East of Boulder, the Boulder Creek reached nearly 1 mile wide in places.

In Denver the waters were high, but flooding was mostly confined to open places, such as in the farm fields near Brighton, where the South Platte floodwaters were as much as 6 feet deep!

On Sunday, a widespread .10 to .20" of rain fell in the rain gauges in and around the Denver Metro, with up to an inch of rain along the New Mexico and Colorado border from Trinidad to Springfield. High temperatures only topped out in the mid 50s from Denver to Burlington.

The western slope picked up mostly light amounts of rain yesterday, but heavier rains today could aggravate the already swollen rivers and creeks from the snowmelt.

Have a great day and stay with 7NEWS today for the latest news and weather information!

May 29, 2005 -- Cool and Unsettled!

A cool and unsettled pattern looks to be with us for the next few days with an ongoing chance for showers and thunderstorms through early week, as well as cool temperatures.

Wet weather can be found on the weather maps as well in the lower Mississippi River Valley and the Great Lakes states.

Have fun and be safe the rest of this Memorial Day weekend. Thanks for making 7NEWS and the reading of my weather blog part of your day.

May 28, 2005 -- May Snapshot For Denver!

May is shaping up to end on a fairly average note in the temperature department, and below average on precipitation.

As of May 27, we had a departure from normal of +0.7 degrees for the average monthly temperature. Extremes have ranged from 91 degrees on the 20th to 27 degrees on the 12th. With the cooler weather in store for the last half of the Memorial Day weekend, followed by average temperatures to round out the month, May 2005 should go down in the record books as normal for temperature.

It's a different story for precipitation, with the total as of May 27 standing at just 0.38", a departure from normal of -1.69" for Denver. We should add to that later Sunday into Monday but its likely May 2005 will end drier than normal.

We'll add up the numbers for these last few days of May and bring you the final totals next week!

Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend!

May 27, 2005 -- The Doppler Radar!

The Doppler Radar is a system that uses the doppler shift of radio waves to detect air motion that can result in tornadoes and precipitation. It is much better than previous weather radars in that it can detect speed and direction of rain and ice, as well as detect the formation of tornadoes sooner than older radars.

So what is the doppler shift, or sometimes referred to as the doppler effect?

The doppler shift is a change in the observed frequency of wave energy due to the relative motion of the observer and the wave's source. Here is an example you can relate to. When a police siren is approaching you and it gets louder and louder...once it passes, the volume level of the sound decreases. You can also think of a train approaching you and then it passing, and the difference in the sound of its horn during the process.

This is the same principle the Doppler Radar uses, the change in frequency to determine the velocity and direction of wind.

May 26, 2005 -- Holiday Weekend Weather Travel Line!

The 24/7 Weather Center has a free service just for you, and all you have to do is make a phone call.

Our Weekend Weather Travel Line will be open today from 5:00 - 6:30 PM, at 303-832-2557. Just dial that number and a staff of meteorologists will be on hand to take your call and give you a personalized forecast for your travel destination this long holiday weekend.

We hope your Memorial Day weekend is a great one, and thank you for watching 7NEWS, your source for weather, 24/7!

May 24, 2005, 8:17 PM -- Severe Storm Threat Shifts Southeast!

After a very busy afternoon in the 24/7 Weather Center tracking severe storms, things are quiet now on the radar with the exception of far southeast Colorado, and a few isolated non-severe storms tracking along the Wyoming/Colorado border. A severe thunderstorm watch will remain in effect until 2 AM for Baca, Bent, Prowers, and Kiowa Counties. All other watches in Colorado have been lifted with the exception of the ongoing Flash Flood Watch for western Colorado. Very warm temperatures are making for rapid snowmelt of our late season snowpack.

SOME STORM REPORTS FROM TODAY, AS OF 8 PM

May 24, 2005, 2:37 PM -- Scattered Severe Storms Likely, Watches In Effect!

It is shaping up to be an active weather afternoon across eastern Colorado this Tuesday. We've already seen a handful of severe thunderstorm warnings and even a few tornado warnings. Hail, dangerous lightning, strong winds, and tornadoes are all possible this afternoon.

A tornado watch is in effect for all of northeast Colorado until 8 PM, including the Denver Metro Area. A severe thunderstorm watch covers southeast Colorado until 8 PM.

Stay right here with us in the 24/7 Weather Center, we're on alert for you and will have all the latest watches and warnings.

May 24, 2005 -- Severe Weather Possible Again Today!

We've seen a handful of days with isolated severe weather this season, mostly out on the eastern plains of Colorado between Limon and Burlington. Yuma, Kit Carson, and Washington Counties have been hit particularly hard already this year with large hail on a few different occasions. We haven't seen much severe weather in the Urban Corridor this spring with the exception of May 10 when 2" diameter hail fell from Longmont to Greeley.

Today could potentially be our first widespread severe weather event in the Urban Corridor and across the northeast plains of Colorado. A very weak front has stalled out this morning along the northern border of the state, evident by a band of light showers from near Craig to Holyoke. In the western portion of the state the air is quite dry so the precipitation is likely evaporating before reaching the ground.

One weather parameter we look at this time of year is the dewpoint, a measure of the moisture available in the atmosphere for thunderstorms. A typical "magic number" that a meteorologist would like to see in Colorado would be 45 degrees, with 50s all the better for severe storm potential.

Click For Current Dewpoints

Indeed a juicy airmass is in place over eastern Colorado with mid 40s to mid 50s on the dewpoint. South and southeast winds through the afternoon should help sustain those dewpoint temperatures, if not increase them.

Next we need to look at afternoon air temperatures, and 80 degrees looks like a safe bet this afternoon as a warm airmass remains over Colorado. This temperature range would be about what we need to "cook" the atmosphere and fire off storms.

The stalled out front this morning will wash out during the day, but the remains should act as a focus for lifting air, as well as our varied local terrain, to generate storms.

Of course its very difficult to pinpoint just when and where storms will fire, but today is one of the better widespread setups we've seen this spring. Any storms that do fire will have a large hail potential, along with strong damaging winds and dangerous lightning. Up to a half inch of rain will be possible in a short period of time. Isolated tornadoes are always a possibility, though wind shear isn't too terribly strong this morning. That could change with afternoon heating. Wind shear is simply the change of wind direction and speed with height.

The 24/7 Weather Center will be on alert for you all day long, ready to bring you the latest watch and warning information if needed. Storms would likely start organizing in the 3-6 PM window this afternoon. FutureCast, our exclusive weather model ran here in the 24/7 Weather Center, does a good job showing this.

Click For FutureCast

We invite you to stay with TheDenverChannel today for the latest weather updates, and to watch 7NEWS. Scott Mace will have updates on 7NEWS at 11am, and I'll keep you posted at 5 and 6 PM.

If you need to brush up on your severe weather awareness skills, we've got the information you need right here on TheDenverChannel, including Storm Season 2005, our first ever primetime weather special featuring information on tornadoes, lightning, hail, and flooding.

Click For Storm Season 2005

Speaking of flooding, the record heat over the region will prolong the flood threat in much of southern and western Colorado. Creeks, rivers, and streams continue to run high, with water levels increasing by the day as the deep late season snow pack continues to melt. Flood watches remain in effect over much of that area. You can get all watches and warnings graphically displayed for you on our Storm Alerts page.

Click For Weather Alerts

Have a great afternoon! Don't be afraid due to the storm potential today, but be weatherwise and keep an eye to the sky. Know your safety rules and have a plan of action ready in case the skies turn stormy.

May 23, 2005 -- May's Full Moon!

Each month's full moon has nicknames that sometimes date back to the Native Americans of what is the present day northern and eastern United States.

The May Full moon, which occurs tonight, was often called The Full Flower Moon, because this time of year flowers are abundant everywhere.

Some other names given to this month's full moon include The Full Corn Planting Moon, and the Milk Moon.

On a non-lunar note, the record heat will continue across our region with the late season snowpack rapidly melting. Flooding concerns continue for many southern and western rivers, creek, and streams in Colorado. Stay with 7NEWS for all the latest information!

May 22, 2005 -- Record Heat!

Dozens and dozens of new record highs were set on Saturday from southern California to Louisiana, and as far north as Colorado and Kansas. The cause? A very strong area of high pressure sitting over the desert southwest.

To our north the weather is unsettled as a new storm system moves onshore in the Pacific Northwest. Colorado sits right in between the two air masses and thus our state is likely to see influences from both systems over the next few days. More record heat is possible south and west while cooler air moves down into northern and eastern Colorado. This clash of the airmasses will likely touch off some afternoon thunderstorms this week, some could become severe on the eastern plains. At this time it appears hail will be the biggest threat from any storms that develop.

Be sure to brush up on those severe weather awareness tips and plans of action as it is the time of year when severe weather can strike on any given afternoon. Don't forget all the resources we have for you here on TheDenverChannel to stay ahead of the storm, including FutureCast and our Storm Season weather special.

Some of the new records set on Saturday include...

More records are likely in many of these areas again Sunday into early this week as the ridge of high pressure slowly retreats.

For many areas of Colorado, the near record or record heat means our deep late season snowpack will continue to melt rapidly. Some rivers and streams are already bankful. A few near record crests have even been reported thus far. Watch out from Del Norte (along the Rio Grande) to near Milner (along the Elk River). Many of the streams, creeks, and rivers in western Colorado are running high and fast so use extreme caution when out fishing or rafting.

If you live near a rapidly rising creek, river, or stream...pay close attention over the next several days to your local situation. Flooding can cause great danger to life and property. Never cross a flooded road in your vehicle; remember just 6-9" inches of fast moving water can move most cars and even some trucks. Additionally, you have no idea if the roadway is still in tact under floodwaters.

Is your location under a flood watch or warning?

Click here for Colorado Watches and Warnings

Have a great day and a wonderful week ahead. Stay with us here in the 24/7 Weather Center and we'll do our best to keep you ahead of the weather this week with the latest forecast information.

May 21, 2005 -- The Atmosphere!

The atmosphere is a blanket of air that surrounds Earth. It reaches nearly 350 miles above the surface, so therefore, we can only see what is happening close to the ground.

Life is sustained on our planet because of the atmosphere. It absorbs the energy from the sun, recycles water and other chemicals, and works with the electric and magnetic fields to produce a climate that supports life as we know it.

There are four distinct layers of the atmosphere, and we can identify these by characteristics such as temperature, chemical composition, movement, and density.

TROPOSPHERE

This layer begins at the Earth's surface and extends some 5 to 10 miles above the ground. It is the most dense of all the layers, and temperatures usually decrease as you climb up. It is in this layer that almost all the weather occurs. A distinct line seperates the troposphere from the next layer, and this line is known as the tropopause. Sometimes you hear tv meteorologists refer to the "lower atmosphere" in their weather segments...this is the layer we are talking about.

STRATOSPHERE

Above the troposphere you will find the stratosphere, a layer some 30 miles thick that is very dry and less dense than the troposphere. The temperature gradually increases with height here because of ultraviolet radiaton from the sun. It is here you find the ozone layer. 99% of all "air" is located between the troposphere and stratosphere. Again, a distinct line can be found at the top of the stratosphere, seperating it from the next layer, and this line is called the stratopause.

MESOSPHERE

This layer extends some 50 to 55 miles above the stratosphere, and here temperatures decrease with height once again, like in the troposphere. Solar energy from the sun is absorbed by chemicals in this layer of the atmosphere. A distinct line called the mesopause seperates this layer from the next. The stratosphere and mesosphere together are called the "middle atmosphere."

THERMOSPHERE

This layer starts just above the mesosphere at the mesopause, and extends to 372 miles in height above the earths surface. Temperatures increase with height due to solar energy. Chemical reactions occur much faster here than on the Earth's surface, and we refer to this as the "upper" atmosphere.

The total atmosphere is composed of roughly 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, and 1% Argon. Some very other influential components are also present, including water, greenhouse gases, and carbon dioxide.

Beyond the atmosphere's 4 distinct layers described above you will find the exosphere. This layer goes from the top of our atmosphere (the thermosphere layer) until it reaches space. Hydrogen and helium are are the main elements present and density in the exosphere is very low.

Have a great weekend and be sure to stay with us here in the 24/7 Weather Center for all the latest weather information!

May 20, 2005 -- Warm Weather And Deep Snowpack!

The warm weather of the last few days combined with our deep late season snowpack has created the potential for flooding conditions in parts of Colorado. Portions of west-central and southwest Colorado are under a flood watch this weekend. Bankful conditions have already been reported along Vallecito Creek in La Plata County.

The snowpack statewide is becoming more and more unstable as the melting process begins with this warm mid-May weather. We saw a deadly avalanche today at A-Basin. If you have plans in the high country this weekend please use extreme caution!

Some records fell across the Centennial State today including 87 degrees at Alamosa, smashing the old record of 80. Grand Junction set a record high of 93. Denver tied the record for this date with an afternoon high of 91 degrees, and Colorado Springs tied its high with 88!

May 19, 2005 -- Warmest Day Of The Year!

Mid-May can bring warm weather to the central Rockies, and today was a great example. We saw the warmest day thus far this year for many locations in Colorado. Alamosa tied its record high for this date with the thermometer topping out at 81 degrees.

Other area temperatures didn't reach record levels, but were quite warm, including...

May 18, 2005 -- First Tropical Storm of the Season!

The Pacific hurricane season has kicked off with Tropical Storm Adrian. Adrian is currently located 260 miles southwest of San Salvador, El Salvador and moving to the east-northeast at 8 m.p.h.. With increasing winds and favorable atmospheric conditions, Adrian is expected to reach hurricane strength on Thursday. There is a Tropical Storm Warning and Hurricane Watch for El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Some areas are already seeing locally heavy rainfall and strong winds.

The typical hurricane season is from May 15 to November 30. Although, there can be some tropical storms and hurricanes before and after these dates if conditions just right. The National Hurricane Center has released the 2005 Tropical Storm Outlook and it appears to favor an above normal Atlantic hurricane season. The Atlantic is expected to have 12-15 tropical storms, 7-9 hurricanes and 3-5 major hurricanes. On the other hand, the eastern Pacific season should be below normal. The following atmospheric conditions in the Atlantic Ocean could aid in the development of more storms:

Thank you for making the 24/7 Weather Center your choice for weather information. Please stay tuned to 7NEWS and thedenverchannel.com for the latest on Tropical Storm Adrian.

May 17, 2005 -- Colorado's Hail!

Most of the rain that we get in Colorado forms from a mix of water droplets and ice crystals in the clouds. Under certain conditions, water will remain in liquid form even with temperatures that are well below freezing. This type of water is called "super-cooled". In most of our summertime clouds, we have a mix of super-cooled water and ice crystals floating around high above us. The ice crystal rapidly grows as they "feed" off of the super-cooled water and they basically form big fat snowflakes. These snowflakes fall slowly to Earth and begin to melt as they reach warmer air closer to the ground. The resultant raindrops will fall to Earth at about 15-20 mph.

In stronger thunderstorms, the tiny ice crystal gets bombarded by the super-cooled water thanks to the extreme turbulence in the storm cloud. The ice crystal forms a small stone of ice which is the beginning of a hailstone. If the storm is quite strong, there are intense updrafts of wind that can keep the growing hailstone suspended in the cloud for a long time. A hailstone that is the size of a golf ball needs an updraft of nearly 60 mph to stay aloft. A baseball sized stone requires a 100 mph updraft to keep it "afloat".

Some interesting facts about Colorado's Hail:

Hail can be very damaging for Colorado's agriculture and businesses. Top 8 damaging hailstorms in Colorado:

As severe weather season continues to blossom here in Colorado and around the nation, don't forget you can get graphical views of watches and warnings right here on TheDenverChannel.

May 16, 2005 -- So Far This Month!

We're half way through May so let's take a look at how we are doing climatologically compared to normal. So far this month, we've officially seen 0.23" of rain at the Denver International Airport. That is a departure from normal of -1.04 inches month to date. Keep in mind, on average a typical May brings 2.32" of moisture.

In the snow department, a typical May brings 1.3" of the white stuff to Denver. This year, May has brought 1.4" of snow to Denver.

Temperature extremes so far this May 2005 have ranged from a low of 27 on the 12th, to 80 degrees on the 10th. If you think its been cool this moth, you're correct! The departure from normal this month is -3.2 degrees.

Have a nice week and stay with 7NEWS and the 24/7 Weather Center for all the latest news, weather, and sports!

May 15, 2005 -- Record Highs in Hawaii and Alaska!

While it's been rather cool and unsettled here in much of the intermountain west of late, the same is not true for our friends in portions of Alaska and Hawaii.

A dry airmass with light trade winds and plenty of sunshine has brought record highs to Honolulu on 8 of the last 9 days! Afternoon highs have been right around 90 degrees.

Across Alaska it's been warm of late too with record highs set recently set in Galena and record high minimums (overnight lows) set in Fairbanks.

On the flip side, record low maximums were recently set in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where daytime highs on Friday didn't even reach 43 degrees at either location!

May 14, 2005 -- What Is A 100-Year Storm?

You've likely heard the term 100-year storm before, but just what does it mean? Well, some think it means the chance for a storm to happen once, within 100 years, and then not to be experienced again for another 100 years. This isn't exactly correct.

A 100-year storm would mean that a weather event has a 1% chance of happening at a particular location within any given year. The most recent 100-year storm in the United States happened this week in Grand Island, Nebraska.

GRAND ISLAND SAW AN ALL-TIME 24-HOUR, 12-HOUR, and 6-HOUR RAINFALL RECORD SET IN JUST ONE STORM!

7.21" of rain fell in a 24-hour period from one storm, with 6.38" of that falling in just a 6-hour timeframe. Undoubtedly they had widespread flooding and damage in the town and surrounding communities.

Nothing like that is in store for Saturday in Colorado, but some afternoon showers and thunderstorms are certainly possible. It is just that time of year when they can and likely do pop up every afternoon with the daytime heating.

Be sure and check the FutureCast here on our website to get a feel for what the weather will be like over the next 36 hours. Have a great weekend!

May 13, 2005 -- A Bit On Clouds!

There are numerous types of clouds with all kinds of neat names. Everything from mammatus to billow clouds, and cumulonimbus to cirrostratus clouds. All clouds can be classified into 3 basic categories.

Low-level clouds are mostly composed of water droplets with their bases usually at or below 6,500 feet in the atmosphere. When cold enough, these clouds can contain ice and snow. They fall into the stratus cloud family. Nimbostratus clouds are usually dark gray and wet looking. They often bring a continuous light to moderate rain or snow. The stratus cloud is often wet looking and grayish in color, covering the entire sky. They resemble fog.

Mid-level clouds are also mainly composed of water droplets, but can contain ice and snow. Their bases are usually between 6,500 - 20,000 feet in the atmosphere. These clouds fall into the cumulus family of clouds. You will often see the prefix "alto" before mid-level clouds. One type is the altocumulus cloud, which appears like gray puffy masses, often in bands or lines. On a warm and humid summer day, seeing these clouds early on in the morning can often mean afternoon thunderstorms. An altostratus cloud is gray or blue-gray and usually covers the entire sky. They often form ahead of soggy storm systems.

High-level clouds are almost exclusively composed of very small ice crystals, helping to make them almost transparent. Their bases are usually above 20,000 feet in altitude. These clouds fall into the cirrus family. Cirrus clouds are thin and whispy in appearance, blown from west to east by strong upper level winds. They can often form into what looks like long streamers. Cirrus clouds indicate fair or pleasant weather. Cirrostratus clouds are very high, thin, sheet like clouds that still allow the sun or moonlight to shine through. They often cover the entire sky. Cirrocumulus clouds are like small round puffs, and sometimes look like little ripples in the sky. Because of the fish scale look they can take on, you might hear this called a "mackerel sky."

The large clouds that build upward into the sky, like huge towers, begin as cumulus congestus clouds, but become cumulonimbus clouds as they continue to grow vertically. Tops on these clouds can grow to as high as 40,000 feet, sometimes even taller. A lot of water vapor and energy are associated with these clouds, and they ultimately are associated with thunderstorms. From these, hail, high winds, and tornadoes can form.

We have more cloud terms scattered throughout our glossary here on TheDenverChannel, located under weather news. Have a great weekend and stay with us for all the latest news, weather, and sports!

May 12, 2005 -- Storm Season!

The severe weather over the past few days is only the beginning of Colorado's severe storm season. Typically we see the season start in April or May and last until August. The peak for tornadoes is June, while the peak for flash flooding is a bit later, in late July and early August.

Back in April the 24/7 Weather Center aired a special on 7NEWS called Storm Season. This special was written to inform you of the dangers of severe weather in Colorado during the spring and summer, as well as to offer the safety tips you need to stay safe when severe weather strikes.

Due to popular demand we are now streaming this special right here on TheDenverChannel, and invite you to check it out. You can get there by clicking the link below.

Watch Storm Season

Have a great day! If you are ready to make those weekend plans, I have some good news...warmer and drier weather is in store across Colorado!

May 11, 2005 -- Another Unsettled Day!

A much cooler day is on tap for much of northeast Colorado, including the Denver Metro, but warm air will continue over the southeastern quarter of the state. The cause? The front we've been watching all week has pressed into the state and stalled along the Palmer Divide.

This time of year can be very difficult to forecast when cold fronts are involved. By nature, cold air is heavy and dense, therefore it sinks, or moves southward. But at the same time it can be rather shallow (in depth) and therefore easily get caught up with features like terrain (Palmer Divide) putting the brakes on that southward movement.

The front will separate two very different air masses today and could very well be the focal point for severe storms later this afternoon.

In the mountains, rain and snow showers will be likely, with a few inches possible in the highest elevations today and overnight tonight.

Around the nation yesterday south-central Nebraska had another round of severe storms for the second time in a week. Over a dozen tornadoes were reported in the Minden, Grand Island, and York areas.

Stay with 7NEWS this afternoon for all the latest on any storms that fire. Also, remember all the resources we have for you to use here on theDENVERchannel. Have a great day!

May 10, 2005, 9:05 PM -- Severe Storm Threat Diminishes!

The severe thunderstorm watch in effect until 1 AM was lifted as of 9 PM this evening. Expect breezy conditions overnight and cooler weather.

May 10, 2005, 8:32 PM -- Severe Storms Possible!

All warnings have expired as of this posting, but a severe thunderstorm watch does remain in effect until 1 AM for all of northeast Colorado. Stay tuned to us this evening and tonight on 7NEWS at 10 PM for the latest storm coverage and forecast information.

May 10, 2005, 7:02 PM -- Severe Storm Near Greeley!

We continue tracking a storm cell almost directly over Greeley with large hail and even some funnel clouds reported. This is the same storm that formed over Boulder County and moved northeast across Longmont, south of Berthoud, and over Johnstown. The number of 1-2" diameter hail reports received this evening are almost too numerous to count now. If this storm approaches you, please take shelter. Stay with 7NEWS for the latest. We will scroll all warnings across the bottom of your screen, and as always, they are available on the weather page of our website, under the 7 Day forecast and below the text forecast discussion.

May 10, 2005, 5:52 PM -- Severe Storms In Northern Metro!

A severe storm near Longmont is moving northeast with 1-2" diameter hail. Please keep and eye to the sky and take shelter if in this area. The storm will move into SW Weld County and SE Larimer County over the next 30 minutes. Lyons, Milliken, Mead, Berthoud, and Johnstown are in the path of this storm.

May 10, 2005, 5:07 PM -- Winds of Change!

The front is moving through and we are seeing some rapid development of thunderstorms now along the foothills, with a severe thunderstorm 31 miles south of Fort Collins at this time. A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for N. Central Boulder and S. Central Larimer Counties until 5:45 PM. Be on the lookout for quarter sized hail with this cell, as well as strong winds and dangerous lightning.

May 10, 2005, 1:30 PM -- Changes are Brewing!

As beautiful as it is outside at this hour, its hard to believe a storm in on the way! Cloud cover is already spreading into western Colorado, and will continue to overtake the state throughout the afternoon and evening hours.

At this hour, temperatures range from 86 degrees at Springfield, to 66 at Eagle.

A slew of winter storm watches have been posted to the north and west of Colorado. At this time none are in effect for Coloradol but that could change over the next 12 to 18 hours. Stay right here with us in the 24/7 Weather Center, and watch 7NEWS at 5, 6, and 10 PM this evening for the latest forecast information.

May 10, 2005, 8:10 AM -- Warm Then Storm!

A beautiful day is already underway with mostly sunny skies and temperatures near 60 at this early hour in the Denver Metro Area. The clouds are lurking just to our north in northern Wyoming and western South Dakota, where temperatures are in the 40s this morning with light precipitation. That will push our direction by this time tomorrow.

A second surge of colder air is sitting right along the Canadian/US border with temperatures in the low 30s this morning. That will arrive by Thursday making for another cold and damp day.

For now, expect windy conditions and an increase in clouds throughout the day across Colorado. Get out and enjoy this beautiful weather as we won't likely see the sunshine for any long periods of time after today until Friday.

Afternoon thunderstorms are likely to fire along the front, currently located in southern Wyoming. A few could be severe and they might push into Colorado as upper air dynamics become more favorable. Recall yesterday's blog about the dewpoint? Take a look at the current dewpoint map of Colorado.

Click here to see current Dewpoints.

Very dry air is in place over the Urban Corridor out to Greeley and Limon, but convective dewpoints are in place over Sterling and Scottsbluff. Any storms that become severe will have the best dynamics in place over far northeast Colorado.

Check the blog later today for additional updates on our weather situation, have a great day!

May 9, 2005 -- A Bit About the Dewpoint!

What is the dewpoint? It is a temperature that you often see reported in a weather observation. To put it simply, that temperature tells us what the air temperature would need to be in order to have 100% relative humidity, or a saturated atmosphere overhead.

In Colorado the dewpoint is a very important number to look at. When it is very low, say 25 degrees or less, it can often mean high fire danger. A scenario that we hate to see, but the reality is here in Colorado it happens alot, is a hot and dry day with gusty winds. You always need to be careful with fire danger when outdoors, but if you observe the dewpoint between 5 and 25 degrees, with warm air temperatures (70s and higher, but especially 80s and 90s) you need to use extra caution. Add in gusty winds and it just makes the situation that much more volatile.

For thunderstorm development we have a much different set of criteria here in Colorado than say if you moved here from Little Rock, Arkansas. In the mid-south for instance, they look for dewpoints in the upper 50s for a minimally primed atmosphere to get severe thunderstorms, but ideally hope to see 60s and 70s.

Here in Colorado, we look for mid 40s to get a round of severe thunderstorms, with 50s being ideal. Dewpoints approaching the low 60s in Colorado is a significant thing, and would indicate that we have a very real potential for thunderstorms that could create very heavy rains. You'd likely see a flash flood watch in effect on a day with 60 degree dewpoints. They don't happen too often in Denver.

So why such a difference in thunderstorm criteria for Denver, versus another city like Little Rock, or even Philadelphia? The simple answer is altitude (elevation). Our air pressure is less due to our "Mile High" status and it can't hold as much moisture as lower altitudes can.

Did you know we offer the dewpoints at major reporting stations across Colorado right here on theDENVERchannel each hour?

Click here to see current Dewpoints.

A sharp contrast in dewpoints over a small area would indicate a dryline is present, and this would likely be a focal point for thunderstorms. Here is a scenario based off the map above. The idea is to "connect the dots" so to speak. For a more in depth analysis, you would want more reporting stations on a larger scale, and to connect temperatures in 2 degree increments. For this illustration...lets connect stations in 5 degree increments.

Suppose Greeley, Limon, and Pueblo were all sitting at 35 degrees for a dewpoint temperature. You would draw a line connecting the three locations. Now pretend the points to the east (Scottsbluff, Sterling, Burlington, and Lamar) all had dewpoints of 50 degrees or higher. That is a significant difference over a small area, especially considering what I talked about above, where a dewpoint in the 50s for Colorado is prime for severe weather. It would become clear that some type of boundary was present over eastern Colorado (given the pretend scenario above).

Now keep in mind there are many other factors to look at besides the dewpoint, such as winds aloft and air temperatures. But hopefully you can see the importance of the dewpoint temperature and why we report it during our newscasts.

The dewpoint is also a great place to start if you want to get a feel for what the day might hold in store. It's a good indicator of sky conditions. The closer your air temperature and your dewpoint temperature are, the more likely you will have clouds and possibly even precipitation. The farther apart the two temperatures are...the drier the air, and its likely you'll just have scattered high clouds or clear skies.

Keep that little temperature in mind as we go throughout the summer; it's a very important aspect of meteorology and in the prediction of severe thunderstorms.

May 8, 2005 -- Typical Spring Week Ahead!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers!!! You work so hard all year and deserve a day of pampering by your family.

Weatherwise we have some snow to contend with in the northern and central mountains of the state. Here on the eastern plains just some mid and high level clouds as a low pressure system tracking through South Dakota spins some moisture back into the state. Where the sun does poke through and generate some afternoon heating, don't be surprised to see isolated showers and thunderstorms roll through, much like yesterday. These won't drop copious amounts of rain, but a few hundredths isn't out of the question.

Our exclusive FutureCast model does show the clouds hanging onto the region today with some clearing to take place during the overnight hours tonight. Clouds and some isolated showers will return by Monday afternoon.

Did you know that you have exclusive access to our FutureCast model right here on theDENVERchannel.com?

Click here to see FutureCast.

As I eluded to earlier this week will be somewhat of a roller coaster ride as we approach 80 degrees by Tuesday and fall into the 50s by Thursday. The weather will remain quite unsettled on the larger scale, or synoptic scale as we call it in meteorology, with afternoon showers and thunderstorms likely almost each day. Some afternoon storms will possibly become severe on the plains, especially Tuesday and Wednesday, as Colorado sits in this active weather pattern. We'll watch it closely for you!

Before any severe weather strikes, be sure to brush up on your severe weather "plan of action" skills. We have some tools for you right here on theDENVERchannel. At the bottom of this blog is a link to past entries. April 24-30 was Severe Weather Awareness week here in Colorado, and each day's entry was dedicated to a new severe weather awareness topic.

Also, if you missed our exclusive primetime weather special back in April, Storm Season, its available for your viewing pleasure on the weather page. Just look for the link under "Weather News."

My staff and I will continue working hard to develop new and exciting weather resources in the days and weeks to come. We want to be your complete source for all weather information.

Have a great upcoming week, enjoy your family time this Mother's Day, and stay with 7NEWS and the 24/7 Weather Center for all the latest.

May 7, 2005 -- A Preview of What's to Come!

Yesterday's round of severe weather on the plains is just a preview of what's to come as severe weather season gets underway across Colorado. Kit Carson County was particularly hit hard with several reports of hail and even a possible funnel west of Burlington. Other hail reports came out of Cheyenne, Yuma, Phillips, and Kiowa Counties.

Today looks to be quieter in terms of severe weather, with strong gusty winds topping weather headlines. In the mountains snow will be possible, especially in the northern locations.

Taking a look back in weather history on this date for the Denver area, most of the noted weather events involved hail from afternoon thunderstorms. Rain and hail fell in 1873, 1876, 1926, 1943, and 1958.

In 1977, baseball sized hail damaged windows in Wheat Ridge and piled up 4" deep in Arvada. In 1995, a severe storm struck Aurora with hail 4-5" deep near Quincy Reservoir. Lightning struck the Aurora Police communications tower causing serious problems. Streets were flooded due to the heavy rain and hail. A funnel was reported near DIA where hail also fell.

In 2003 a tornado briefly touched down near Bennett but caused no damage.

May 6, 2005, 10:51 PM -- Lingering Showers on the Plains!

All severe weather watches and warnings at this hour have expired and some lingering showers will continue to push across the eastern plains of Colorado into Kansas and Nebraska. A Winter Storm Watch does remain in effect for the northern mountains (Elkhead and Park Ranges) as well as the White River Plateau, western Jackson, and western Grand Counties above 9000 feet. 5-12" of snow may accumulate beginning late Saturday into Sunday.

May 6, 2005, 9:56 PM -- Still a Few Storms on the Plains!

The severe thunderstorm watches previously in effect for much of Colorado's eastern plains have been allowed to expire...but a few storms are still roaming at this late hour. Lincoln County is currently under a severe thunderstorm warning with a pretty strong storm just to the east of Limon. Hail, gusty winds, heavy rain and dangerous lightning can be expected.

May 6, 2005, 8:41 PM -- Stormy Weather on the Plains!

One round of storms has exited into Nebraska and more are firing across southeast Colorado, where Pueblo and Las Animas Counties are under warnings at this hour. Stay here on theDENVERchannel and with 7NEWS for the latest.

May 6, 2005, 7:51 PM -- Another Round of Storms for Eastern Colorado!

The storms across northeastern Colorado earlier have pushed off into Nebraska, where a line of strong to severe storms is current stretching from Scottsbluff to Sidney. Additional cells are located in extreme northwest Kansas.

Here in Colorado, the 24/7 Weather Center is tracking a new line of storms east of Colorado Springs and north of La Junta. Crowley County is currently under a severe thunderstorm warning until 8:30 PM.

May 6, 2005, 6:26 PM -- Storms Continue Across Northeast Colorado!

Severe thunderstorm warnings continue for Phillips County until 6:30 PM, Logan County until 6:45 PM, and Kit Carson County until 7 PM. The severe thunderstorm watch that covers much of the eastern plains is still valid until 9 PM. The watch covers most locations along and east of a line from Fort Morgan to Limon, to Pueblo and Trinidad.

May 6, 2005, 5:36 PM -- Busy Weather Afternoon Across Portions of Colorado!

A severe thunderstorm warning continues for Yuma and Kit Carson counties until 6 PM. We'll continue to track these storms for you until the radar is clean. Tune to 7NEWS at 6 PM for the latest weather information.

Some showers are moving through the Denver Metro at this time, with rain falling here at the 24/7 Weather Center. You may see some lightning and hear thunder, as well as encounter brief heavy rain and even some small hail. Take it easy on the roads as a little splashback can make for slow traveling conditions.

May 6, 2005, 5:06 PM -- Busy Weather Afternoon Across Portions of Colorado!

A severe thunderstorm watch continues for much of eastern Colorado until 9 PM. This doesn't include the immediate Denver Metro Area, but we've seen strong storms as close as southern Weld County this afternoon.

Severe Thunderstorm warnings continue for Kit Carson, Cheyenne, and Bent Counties until 5:15 PM. Yuma County has a warning until 6 PM.

In southwest Nebraska, Dundy County was under a tornado warning as a strong storm passes through with 2" hail.

Other storm reports include...

In the northern mountains we'll look for up to a foot of snow possible by the end of the weekend. A Winter Storm Watch has been posted for the Elkhead and Park Mountains, as well as the White River Plateau and Western Jackson and Grand Counties above 9,000 feet.

Stay with us for the latest!

May 6, 2005, 4:18 PM -- Severe Weather Threat This Afternoon!

Severe thunderstorm warnings continue on the eastern plains for Otero, Bent, Cheyenne, and Kit Carson Counties. We're busy in the 24/7 Weather Center watching these and some other strong storms this afternoon.

Right now a strong cell is located over central Weld County near Greeley. It hasn't reached severe levels at this time but expect gusty winds, brief heavy rain, small hail, and dangerous lightning.

Stay with 7NEWS and theDENVERchannel for all the latest. 7NEWS at 5pm is on after Oprah.

May 6, 2005, 3:55 PM -- Severe Weather Threat This Afternoon!

Keep it here on 7NEWS and theDENVERchannel this afternoon for all the latest weather information. Currently we have a severe thunderstorm watch in effect for the eastern plains until 9 PM, a Winter Storm Watch for the Elkhead and Park Mountains/White River Plateau overnight, and a handful a severe thunderstorm warnings on the eastern plains. Bent, Cheyenne, Otero, and Kit Carson Counties are currently being warned.

At this time no watches and warnings are in effect for the 7-county Denver Metro Area, but there are some storms in the area that will produce gusty winds and brief heavy rain. Small hail is also possible.

I will have all the latest information after Oprah on 7NEWS at 5 PM, please join us.

May 6, 2005 -- Local Weather Spotters Needed!

Weather spotters help numerous local groups watch the skies over Colorado, and a handful of local opportunities are coming up for those looking to be more involved.

The National Weather Service has 3 area spotter trainings left if you are interested in becoming a local spotter. Classes are listed below.

The Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study (CoCo RaHS) is looking for additional precipitation spotters all over the region, and has some local trainings coming to Sterling and Lakewood. Classes are listed below and more information can be found at www.cocorahs.org under the calendar section.

As always, your 24/7 Weather Center greatly appreciates reports of severe weather, as well as digital pictures via the internet. We are available by phone or email.

Thank you for reading Mike's Weather Blog and for watching 7NEWS! Have a great upcoming weekend.

May 5, 2005 -- Trivia: Why is today's date significant?

Today is not only Cinco de Mayo (Feliz Cinco de Mayo!) and 05-05-05 on the calendar...but it's also the average date of the last freeze in Denver. That doesn't mean the temperature still can't fall below freezing, as we've seen that as late as June 2 in the past...but on average, we see overnight lows stay above that 32 degree mark from this point forward.

Taking a quick look back into weather history for the area, we see a variety of things for this date. Everything from a record high of 89 degrees in 2000, to 12" of snow falling on the city back in 1917.

In 1973 a driving rainstorm dropped 3.56" of rain at Stapleton Airport with numerous damages caused by area flooding. The storm produced major downstream flooding on the South Platte River all the way to Nebraska in the days that followed. One person died do to flooding.

In 1978, heavy snow fell in the Front Range with 14" reported in Denver, 12" in Evergreen and Golden, and 24" in Boulder where an office and hotel building collapsed from the weight of the snow.

Not all the past events for May 5 involve snow. A thunderstorm dropped over a half inch of rain along with hail on the city in 1920, and in 1969, funnels were reported near Parker with a tornado reported 15 miles east of Stapleton.

May 4, 2005 -- Storm Seminar 2005!

A great big thank you to all our friends, both new and old, who attended Storm Seminar 2005. It was so great to have you attend!

Just over 200 people were at each session! A very special thank you goes out to our speakers and host hotels.

Your 24/7 Weather Center appreciates your loyalty and will continue working hard to provide you the weather resources you need to stay on top of Colorado weather.

Have a great day!

May 3, 2005 -- Dry and Warmer!

The cool and damp weather will be replaced with a much drier and warmer airmass as we approach midweek, with just a slight chance for afternoon thunderstorms, which will become more and more typical over the weeks to come.

Much of the country has been affected by this cool weather with a host of frost and freeze advisories that were in effect last night. Over the past few days record lows have been set as far south as Austin, Texas.

On Monday, snow blanketed much of the Texas Panhandle with up to 6" reported in some locations. Amarillo checked in with 4.8", but on 2" accumulated on the ground due to melting.

May 2, 2005 -- A Look at May!

The cool start to May 2005 continues for Colorado and much of the country, but a warm-up is in store as we head to the coming weekend, and a chance of thunderstorms will enter the picture later this week.

May is often a month of great contrast, with temperatures ranging from the freezing mark to the low and mid 90s possible. It normally marks the beginning to our severe weather season.

May is also the wettest month of the year on average for Denver, making it tied with November as the cloudiest month of the year.

The average high for Denver throughout the month of May is right around 71 degrees, with an average low in the mid 40s. The average precip is 2.32" and snowfall for the month averages 1.3 inches.

Temperatures extremes range from 19 degrees the morning of May 3, 1909...to 95 degrees on the afternoon of May 26, 1942.

May 1, 2005 -- Chilly in Colorado, Heat Wave in Alaska!

It's been a chilly and damp spell for the Centennial State, which is excellent news for our water situation. It's very important that we maintain the snowpack through spring each year...and this cool weather, along with additional moisture, is just almost a perfect situation.

Our friends up to the northwest in portions of Alaska have been basking in the heat, with several days of record highs this month. King Salmon and Anchorage have seen 5 days in a row with record highs. Other places that have set record highs at least one day this month include...

New all-time record highs for the month of April have been set in Valdez and Anchorage.

With temperatures ranging from the upper 50s to lower 70s across much of the state, flooding has become a huge concern due to ice jams forming on area rivers and streams.

A wildfire just north of Homer, Alaska, has doubled in size since starting on the 29th.

Back here in Colorado, our cool and wet weather will continue as we start the first week of May, but a return to dry and warmer weather is in the 7-Day forecast.

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