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Mike's Weather Blog -- June 2005

POSTED: 1:47 am MDT July 7, 2005

June 30, 2005 -- TADD = Turn Around, Don't Drown!

Now that we've dried out and warmed up, we have to be on the lookout for several things, including forest fires. Another danger that can turn deadly in Colorado is flash flooding. As we near July, we often see slow moving thunderstorms that drop very heavy rains over small areas. This leads to flooding.

Let's review some flood safety information.

Flooding claims more lives each year in this country than any other weather related phenomenon.

Flooding can result from numerous situations, including stagnant weather patterns and slow-moving tropical systems...but one of the most dangerous occurrences is the flash flood. A flash flood occurs within 6 hours of a heavy rain event, a dam failure, or a sudden release of water from an ice jam. Though 6 hours sounds like plenty of time to take action, you don't always have that much time. There have been many cases where one has 45 minutes or less to react to a flash flood situation.

Here in Colorado, we are very prone to flash floods due to the varying terrain and our dry, sandy soils. We have several examples of past flood events, and one that comes to mind is the Big Thompson Flood of 1976. In 1982, the Long Lake Dam failure brought destruction to Rocky Mountain National Park, and more recently, you may recall the devastating Fort Collins Flash Flood of 1997. We had some metro-area flooding in the summer of 2004, recapped below.

So just exactly what do you do in a flood situation? Immediately seek higher ground! Don't ever walk through floodwaters. Did you know that just 6" of swiftly moving water could sweep you off your feet? Water is a very powerful force.

If you are in a car and it stalls due to floodwaters, immediately abandon it and seek higher ground. If you approach floodwaters over the roadway while driving, TADD. You don't know how deep the water is on that roadway due to the turbulent flow and debris its carrying, and more importantly, you have no way of knowing if the roadway is still there. Water 6-12" deep can carry your automobile away, and water up to 2 feet deep can even carry a bus!

In the event that conditions are possible for flash floods in your area, the national weather service will issue a FLASH FLOOD WATCH, meaning to simply be alert and prepared for a possible emergency. When flooding is occurring a FLASH FLOOD WARNING will be issued, alerting you to put your plan of action in place.

A fact that many people find amazing is that is doesn't even have to be raining for a flash flood to occur in your area. Some of the most dangerous floods originate miles away. That is why it's important for you to stay tuned to the 24/7 Weather Center here at 7NEWS during active weather for the latest information and updates, and during clear weather for the most accurate forecast of any potentially dangerous weather forecasted for Colorado.

June 29, 2005 -- On This Date In Denver!

Taking a look at weather history, this date in 1990 began Denver's second longest heat wave on record. The daily high climbed to 100° or better on 4 consecutive days. The longest stretch of record breaking heat happened in early July 1989.

On this date in 2000, a near record hot streak for Denver began with the daily high climbing to 90° or better on 17 consecutive days. The longest stretch of 90° or better days is 18, happening from July 1-18, 1874...and again on July 6-23, 1901.

Heat seems to be the major weather event in the record books for June 29th! On this date in 2002, we were in the middle of our 5th longest 90°+ streak, with 13 consecutive days recorded.

Today will mark the beginning of a slight cool down to our recent warm weather, but we'll get back to the 90s over the upcoming 4th of July weekend!

Don't forget our FutureCast weather source when you are making your short-term plans, as well as the 7-Day forecast for those longer-term plans.

June 28, 2005 -- June 2005 Will Land In The Record Books!

June 2005 has already made its way into the "Top 5 Wettest" on record, with 3.99" falling at the official rain gauge so far this month. With 3 days to go, and a decent chance for afternoon showers and thunderstorms Wednesday into Thursday, we may see the precipitation total surpass the 4" mark, and our top 5 ranking climb even higher!

Here is how the top 5 wettest Junes on record stand as of 12:01 am this morning...

To climb into the top 3, all it would take is one good, slow moving afternoon thunderstorm to pass over DIA between now and the end of Thursday!

With that being said, when you have outdoor plans in the next 36 hours, be sure to check out FutureCast, our weather forecast model that is ran right from the 24/7 Weather Center. You have exclusive access here on TheDenverChannel. Just click the link below.

Check FutureCast

Have a great day and thanks for checking the daily blog!

June 27, 2005 -- The Wonderful World Of Weather!

Do you ever wonder why the weather behaved like it did on a particular day? Or have a question about a weather pattern? Wonder what a certain weather term means?

If you have a weather question, just send it to me in an email and we'll not only send you an answer back, but will try and work it in as a future daily blog topic.

mike_nelson@kmgh.com

Have a great day, thanks for watching 7NEWS! And thanks for visiting TheDenverChannel.

June 26, 2005 -- A Bit About June's Full Moon!

The Moon was full this past week, peaking at 10:14 pm Tuesday (June 21). Did you happen to notice how low on the horizon it was at moonrise?

It turns out that the Moon last week took the lowest path in our southern sky than any other Full Moon for the past 18 years!

You know that the Sun is highest in the sky at the summer solstice and lowest at the winter; but did you know the Moon cycle is just the opposite? Summer Full Moons are always low and Winter Full Moons are always high in the sky.

So why was last week's Full Moon exceptionally low?

The geometry was right last week to provide a very low trajectory of the Moon across the sky. Since the Sun and Moon both travel basically along the Ecliptic, and the Ecliptic is tilted toward the Celestial Equator, the Sun and Moon play a yearly game a seesaw. (hence why they are opposite in the sky at the Winter and Summer solstice)

However, the Moon isn't always exactly on the Ecliptic. It actually varies a bit either to the north or south. This time around the Moon was a bit to the south, making its rise exceptionally low on the southeastern horizon and set low to the southwest.

So the Strawberry Full Moon this year, which is how its known to the Algonquin Tribes, is the most memorable of the past 18 years.

Another name for the full moon of June, known by the Europeans, is the Rose Moon.

June 25, 2005 -- Lightning and Wildfires!

Lightning safety awareness week ends today, and I hope you have been able to learn a bit more about this topic, as well as what to do when a storm strikes.

Here in Colorado, something we must often contend with is wildfires. The threat usually increases quite significantly after the middle of June as we enter the hot weather of summer, and generally subsides after September.

With our fairly arid climate, many summer days bring hot temperatures and low relative humidities. Add in our dry and gusty high based afternoon thunderstorms that produce little in the way of rain, but much in the way of lightning, and you have the setup for lightning produced wildfires.

About 2500 wildfires occur each year in Colorado, and half are due to lightning.

During periods of high fire potential in our forests and rangelands, there is nothing we can do to avoid lightning, but there are other things you can do to prevent fires...

Have a fantastic weekend and stay with 7NEWS for all the latest in weather information!

June 24, 2005 -- The Facts About Lightning Strike Victims!

While a death can be tragic and devastating, injuries from a lightning strike can be just as tragic, if not more devastating. Life can change dramatically for those who get struck by lightning. In addition to physical pain and mental anguish, the strike can mean a loss of income and medical bills that total more than a family's assets.

If someone gets struck by lightning, it is critical that medical attention is received immediately. A lightning strike victim DOES NOT carry an electrical charge and is safe to handle.

In the event of a person being struck, first call 911. Check the victim to see if he or she is breathing and has a pulse, and continue to monitor this until help arrives. If necessary, begin CPR. Cardiac arrest is the most common cause of death in lightning fatalities. If possible, move the victim to a safe location. Contrary to what you might have heard in the past, lightning can strike the same place twice!

Believe it or not, only few lightning strike victims actually suffer burns. The body is quite conductive, so most burns are minor. Things that can cause more severe burns are jewelry and metal coins that heat up from the strike and burn the body. In addition, sweat vaporized by the lightning can also cause burns.

When the brain is affected by a lightning strike, the person often has difficulty with mental processes that we sometimes take for granted. Things like short-term memory, multi-tasking, storing new information or accessing old can become quite the obstacle. Victims might also become easily distracted or irritated and exhibit different personality characteristics.

Victims often complain of becoming easily tired after just a few hours of work, and may find it difficult to sleep.

Another very common long-term problem for a lightning strike victim is pain. This is likely because of nerve damage due to the hit. Many survivors must contend with chronic headaches, sometimes intense enough to debilitate the individual.

So make sure you and your family learn all the lightning safety rules we've went over this week to best protect yourselves from lightning when thunderstorms strike.

June 23, 2005 -- Safe Shelters And Indoor Safety!

When lightning strikes, you need to seek shelter in a house or other substantial structure. To provide shelter from lightning, the structure you are in must have a way for the lightning to ground itself. On the outside, this may be through things like a lightning rod or metal gutters. On the inside, it may be through your plumbing, electrical wiring, or telephone lines.

Small shelters such as on athletic fields, golf courses, or in parks...do very little (if anything) to offer protection from lightning. The same goes for small vinyl, wooden, or metal sheds. There is just simply nothing for the lightning to ground itself through.

There are three main ways lightning can enter your home or building...

Regardless of how it enters the structure, once inside, lightning can travel through electrical, plumbing, phone, and radio or television reception systems. It can also conduct through metal wires and bars in concrete walls or flooring.

Phone use is the leading cause for indoor lightning injuries in the United States.

Lightning can travel long distances through electrical and phone wires, especially in the rural areas.

When lightning strikes, stay away from windows and doors, do not lie on the concrete floor of a garage as it likely contains a wire mesh or rebar. Avoid contact with concrete walls as they too often contain a rebar shell. Avoid washers and dryers not only due to their plumbing and electrical connections, but because the dryer vent can contain an electrical path outside.

In addition to direct lightning strikes, lightning can also cause power surges that damage electronic equipment sometimes at far distances from the actual strike itself. To protect your property, unplug all electronics and appliances well before a storm threatens.

Something to keep in mind is that the average flash of lightning contains enough electricity to power a 100-watt light bulb for more than 3 months!

June 22, 2005 -- Lightning Safety Outdoors!

The most dangerous place to be during a thunderstorm is outside. Each year, approximately 400 Americans are struck by lightning. On average, about 67 of these people die, and many more are left with forever life changing injuries.

Lightning can strike up to 10 miles away, and in extreme cases, as many as 20 miles away. Many strike victims are hit either before the storm arrives, or shortly after it passes.

When outdoors, watch for rapidly changing sky conditions. Darkening cloud bases and rapidly growing cumulus clouds mean you need to start heading for shelter. If you can hear thunder, you are within lightning strike range.

A good rule to learn is the 30/30 Lightning Safety Rule. This simply states if the time between seeing a lightning flash and hearing the thunder is 30 seconds or less, seek shelter immediately. Then stay in that safe place until 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder.

If you are outdoors and a completely enclosed sturdy shelter isn't available, find a hard-topped metal framed vehicle. Make sure all the windows are up and that you aren't touching anything metal. You can even seek shelter in a cave, but move as far away from the entrance as possible.

Avoid picnic shelters, sheds, dugouts, bleachers, carports, and patios.

You do not want to be the tallest object around when lightning is present. In the high country, never remain above treeline during a storm. Never seek shelter under a single tree or small group of trees. In a heavily forested area, you can find shelter in a low spot away from the taller trees if no other options are available.

Finally, as a very last resort, when no shelter is available and you are caught outside...squat toward the ground on the balls of your feet. Clasp your hands around your knees or head and put your chin to your chest. This helps make you the smallest object around and minimizes your contact with the ground.

Some additional lightning safety tips when outdoors..

Water conducts electricity

If caught in a small boat during a thunderstorm, crouch down in the center of the craft away from all metal hardware.

When with a group and caught outside, don't huddle together. You should separate at least 25 feet apart from one another.

So what outdoor locations in the United States have the greatest number of lightning strike victims?

Open Fields (ballparks, playgrounds) are #1, followed by isolated trees, bodies of water (including lakes and pools) and golf courses.

Thanks for reading the blog, I appreciate your comments and suggestions. Have a great day!

June 21, 2005 -- Understanding The Science Of Thunderstorms And Lightning!

Something important to know about a thunderstorm is that every storm produces lightning. What is lightning?

It is a giant spark of electricity that can occur between clouds, within clouds, or between the clouds and ground. Lightning heats the air it passes through up to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit within seconds. This rapid heating causes a shock wave that we hear on the ground as thunder.

Thunderstorm clouds can grow tens of thousands of feet into the atmosphere. Precipitation forms in the clouds as rain, ice crystals, graupel and hail. As the ice crystals and graupel collide within the cloud, it causes a charge separation. The lighter ice crystals take on a positive charge and are carried upward by the updrafts feeding the storm. The graupel takes on a negative charge and fall to the lower part of the cloud. As this process continues, the top of the cloud becomes positively charged and the bottom takes an overall negative charge.

As the negative charge continues to grow in the lower part of the cloud, the ground under or near the base of the cloud takes on a positive charge. As the cloud moves, the induced positive charges on the ground follow the cloud like a shadow. Farther away from the cloud base, but still under the positively charged anvil (top of the cloud) the ground may become negatively charged.

When the electrical potential between the positive and negative charges become too great, a discharge of electricity occurs, which we see as lightning.

Cloud to ground lightning can be either a negatively or positively charged flash. A negative flash usually occurs between the negatively charged lower portion of the cloud and the positively charged surface below or near the cloud base. A positively charged flash occurs between the positively charged upper portion of the cloud and the negatively charged areas surrounding the storm.

Let's take a look at the negative cloud to ground flash a bit closer.

In this situation, negatively charged ions that are invisible surge downward toward the ground. These are called step leaders. As the step leader approaches the ground, streamers of positive ions move upward through trees, buildings, and other objects. When these positive streamers meet the step leaders, the connection is complete. The result is a surge of electrical current that moves from the ground to the cloud causing a visible return stroke, which we call lightning.

It sounds like a lot, but this entire process only takes a fraction of a second. This is why if you are in a thunderstorm and your hair raises, you know you are located in a place where the positive ions are rising upward through objects toward the cloud. It makes for an extremely dangerous situation because the return stroke can occur at any time.

The process for a positive flash is much like the negative except that the direction is reversed. Positive ions stream down from the cloud top to meet streamers of negative ions shooting up from the ground. When a connection is made, a positive flash of lightning occurs.

Positive flashes generally make up less than 10% of all cloud to ground lightning flashes. They are capable of striking the ground miles away from the rain portion of the thunderstorm. Because of this, they often catch people off guard. Also, positive flashes usually contain more current and are more destructive because they travel longer distances.

So what is my best advice for lightning safety? Get to a safe shelter before the storm strikes, not when it hits...and stay there until it is completely over. If you can still hear thunder, you are likely still at risk for a strike.

How can you tell the distance of a lightning flash from your location?

When you see a lightning flash, the sound from the shock wave it produces (thunder) almost instantly travels as a speed of 1 mile in 5 seconds. So if the lightning flash happens and you hear the thunder 10 seconds later, that strike was roughly 2 miles from your location.

June 20, 2005 -- Introduction to Lightning and Lightning Safety!

It's kills more people in the United States on average each year than tornadoes and hurricanes, but often goes unnoticed. I'm talking about lightning.

Here are the yearly numbers on average for the United States.

So why does it seem like tornadoes and hurricanes are more likely to kill? The answer likely lies in the fact that lightning happens and is over, where as with hurricanes and tornadoes, they can leave long paths of widespread damage and last for a longer period of time. Also, hurricanes and tornadoes can often kill several people at once, where as lightning usually just takes one or two victims.

Thankfully, 2004 was a below average year for lightning fatalities in the USA, with 31 documented deaths and 280 injuries. Three of those deaths and 32 of the injuries happened right here in Colorado.

The key to reducing the number of lightning victims each year is education and awareness of lightning and its dangers. Part of that awareness is having a plan of action ready to execute before the storm strikes for any location you might be at; from work and school to that weekend trip into the high country. Any adult in charge of a group, particularly those that involve children, should obtain a lighting safety plan. If your organization doesn't have one, it'd be a good idea to sit down and develop a plan.

The greatest number of lightning deaths in the United States occurs during the summer months due to the combination of thunderstorm frequency and a peak in outdoor activities with the longer days. The late afternoon and evenings are often peak times for lighting incidents.

Something people often don't realize is that lightning can strikes as many as 10 or more miles away from the main thunderstorm. A good rule of thumb is if you can hear thunder, chances are you're within striking distance.

Studies show that each year of your life, you have a 1 in 700,000 chance of being injured or killed by lightning. It sounds like a far cry, but when you think of something like the Powerball, where you have a 1 in 120,526,770 chance of winning...suddenly the lightning number becomes much more surreal. It is a serious form of weather that you shouldn't take lightly.

Keep in mind that the 1 in 700,000 number is based solely on the number of documented cases where people have been struck by lightning. There are likely many more cases each year that go unreported.

Check the blog each day this week, as we'll go into detail on several different lightning subjects, from indoor to outdoor safety, and wildfires to understanding the science of thunderstorms.

June 19, 2005 -- Lightning Safety Awareness Week!

Happy Father's Day to all you Dads! Enjoy this very nice weather today, but watch the sun exposure and drink plenty of water when outdoors in this heat. For more information on sun exposure, see the blog entry from the 17th.

Today kicks off lightning safety awareness week, and each day this week, the blog will be dedicated to a new topic full of facts and safety tips. Here is a list of the upcoming topics...

Enjoy the day and have a great week ahead!

June 18, 2005 -- A Dry Hot Forecast!

After a rather cool and wet start to June, it looks like summer has arrived right on time with these last few days of spring 2005 ending on a dry and hot note. We should see 90s much of the coming work week with little to no precipitation for the next few days.

June 17, 2005 -- The "UV" Index!

The UV Index, or Ultraviolet Index, is a scale that was developed back in 1994 by the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to predict the next day's ultraviolet radiation level at the surface. The purpose is to help you determine the appropriate sun protection behaviors. The scale ranges from 0 to 11+.

Here are the details of the scale...

0-2 (Low)

3-5 (Moderate)

6-7 (High)

8-10 (Very High)

11+ (Extreme)

Each UV forecast is reported for a location for the noon hour, though it is important to note that the UV level actually rises and falls throughout the day, due to things such as cloud cover.

Here are a few myths and facts about sun exposure.

MYTH You cannot get a sunburn on a cloudy day. REALITY: Up to 80% of solar UV radiation can penetrate light cloud cover, and puffy cumulus clouds can even enhance UV due to reflection.

MYTH If you take breaks while sunbathing, you won't get a burn. REALITY: UV radiation exposure is cumulative during the day.

MYTH Skin cancer only happens to people who are very fair-skinned. REALITY: Skin cancer commonly occurs in people who tan before they burn.

MYTH UV radiation is not a concern in the winter. REALITY: While UV radiation is generally lower in winter, snow reflection can double the overall UV exposure, and cause sunburn and snowblindness, especially at high altitudes.

Here is another very important fact, especially to us here in Colorado. UV exposure increases about 2% for every 1,000-foot gain of elevation due to the thinner mountain air.

So where do you get the daily UV forecast? Right here on TheDenverChannel!

Click Here for the National UV Forecast

This is a particularly important topic for this upcoming weekend, as we are forecasting a hot and dry weekend with ample sunshine statewide! So as you are out celebrating Father's Day, take the necessary precautions listed above!

June 16, 2005 -- 40th Anniversary Of The '65 South Platte Flood!

Today is a memorable day for many along the South Platte River. Afternoon thunderstorms over Douglas County unleashed a torrent of rainfall from what some describe as a nearly black sky on June 16, 1965. Over a foot of rain fell from the skies near Larkspur. That water roared down Plum Creek and into the South Platte, wiping out bridges, home, and cars in its path.

In Castle Rock, the floodwaters wiped out a bridge on Main Street. As the waters pushed north, orders to evacuate were given in the Denver area. Thankfully in the Denver area, police were able to give hours of advance notice to citizens.

As the wall of water pushed northward, everything in its path was destroyed. From Sedalia to Littleton, the waters kept moving. As the flood entered the Denver Metro, factories along the South Platte were inundated and people became stranded as bridges were knocked out. The water was so powerful, in fact, that every bridge from Littleton north to the Colfax viaduct was taken down by the battering ram like flood.

Countless structures were destroyed, including 600 in the city of Denver alone. One area especially hard hit was the Valverde neighborhood. After the flood was over, many residents never returned. The area became highly industrial as a result. Both Public Service Company power plants along the river were shut down, and the emergency power circuits became water logged and shorted out.

The floodwaters pressed on down the South Platte, isolating communities like Sterling, Fort Morgan, and Brush as the waters spread out over thousands of acres of farmland.

The Great Flood of 1965 brought a lot of devastation to the area, but some good came from the flood. Many communities along the river were forced to clean up the valley from its dirty past, revitalizing it into a beautiful area. Many parks and open spaces were developed as a result. Also, the plans were finalized for Chatfield Dam to be constructed, with the hopes that it would prevent such a disaster from happening ever again on the South Platte in Denver.

The South Platte flood of 1965 caused over $500 million dollars in damage, and took 28 lives. Numerous wildlife and stock perished in the floodwaters.

June 15, 2005 -- Rough Afternoon For Denver This Date In 1988!

It was a Wednesday afternoon this date in 1988 when severe weather broke out in the Denver Metro Area. By the end of the day several tornadoes had touched down.

One touched down just northeast of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, staying on the ground for 30 minutes! It moved slowly and caused little damage. Another tornado was sighted east of Brighton, 2 miles north of Barr Lake.

Northeast Denver was struck with an unusual F2 twister, cutting through a thickly wooded area for 6 blocks. Over 500 city owned trees, many of them 75 to 100 years old, were uprooted. The slow moving twister did little damage to buildings, but caused over $1 million dollars in damage to trees. The control tower at Stapleton Airport had to be evacuated as the slow moving tornado moved nearby.

Another even larger twister cut a 25-minute path through south Denver, causing extensive damage. This F3 rated tornado damaged 80 buildings and caused 5 to 10 million dollars in damage. Numerous cars were destroyed, including a Ford Bronco that was thrown over a church. No one was seriously hurt, though a golfer at a nearby golf course was thrown 40 feet as the twister passed through. A dog tethered to the ground by its leash was suspended in mid-air. People in downtown Denver could see the three twisters at the same time. It was a pretty scary sight from all accounts.

Large hail fell in southeast Aurora.

One of the local CoCo RaHS observers has a picture of the "Broadway" tornado from that stormy day in June. Click the link below to view.

Tornado Picture

We could see some isolated storms today in Colorado, and a few may be strong or even severe at times as a small upper air disturbance passes the state. Remember all the tools we have built right here into TheDenverChannel just for you, including FutureCast and the Watch/Warning display.

As always, we'll bring you the latest weather information both online and on 7NEWS! Have a great day.

June 14, 2005 -- 7-Day Outlook Turns On The Heat!

If you are ready for some warmer and drier weather, this is the 7-Day Outlook for you!

Starting today, the big warmup will begin after a very cool start to June 2005. Temperatures should approach 80 this afternoon with some locations reaching into the mid 80s on the eastern plains.

Wednesday and Thursday bring about a 30% chance for afternoon thunderstorms, with a few possibly strong. At this time this looks especially true for Wednesday afternoon.

By Friday we dry out considerably and warm another 5-10 degrees, with daytime highs near or slightly exceeding 90 degrees over the weekend in Denver.

Be sure to check FutureCast when you have outdoor plans within the next 36 hours. This is an exclusive look at our local forecast model ran right from the 24/7 Weather Center.

Have a great day!

June 13, 2005 -- Much Above Normal June Precipitation!

June 2005 has brought cool temperatures, above normal precipitation, and a very green countryside to much of Colorado. Through June 12, the official reporting station for Denver has picked up a whopping 3.60" of rain, more than double our normal June precipitation. A trace or more of rain has been recorded on 8 of the first 12 days this month. As of today, this June ranks as the 6th wettest June in Denver since records began.

The rainy month puts us at just over a half inch above normal since January 1 for 2005 precipitation.

In the temperature department, if you think it has been cool, you are right! The average monthly temperature so far this June has just been 59.5 degrees. If the month were to end today, that would make June 2005 the coolest on record. June of 1967 actually was the coolest June recorded in Denver, with the average monthly temperature at just 60.7 degrees.

June 12, 2005 -- Busy Month For Severe Weather!

I was just adding up the storm reports in the United States for the first 11 days of June, and it's an amazing number! If you combine all the reports of large hail, severe thunderstorm criteria (58 MPH or higher) wind gusts, and tornado reports...you get 2,695. Most of those reports are large hail, with a little over 100 being tornadoes. Thankfully many of these have just been over open land, and the ones that did hit in populated areas, didn't cause any fatalities.

2004 wasn't quite as busy with the same 11 day period, with just a little over 1,900 severe weather reports across the nation.

June is usually an active month for severe weather, and with more severe weather likely today, especially in Texas and Oklahoma, that combined number of severe weather reports will continue to grow.

June 11, 2005 -- Tropical Storm Arlene!

The 2005 Atlantic Tropical Season began on June 1, and forecasters have predicted another active year for hurricanes and tropical storms. With the new season just 11 days old, we saw our first landfal of a tropical system today.

Tropical Storm Arlene moved into the central Gulf Coast area around 3:00 this afternoon, near Pensacola, Florida, with gusty winds and driving sheets of rain. Waves up to 20 feet were reported with the landfall. This same area was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ivan less than a year ago.

Some coastal flooding along with a few power outages were reported, but the area was spared heavy damage.

June 10, 2005 -- USA Weather Headlines!

It will be cool and unsettled in the central Rockies to start the weekend, while the eastern two thirds of the nation will be warm, with highs in the 80s for a good chunck of real estate.

The central states will run a threat for afternoon and evening thunderstorms, some heavy at times from the Texas Panhandle up into Minnesota. A few of those strong storms could crop up on the plains of Colorado, so stay with us for the latest information.

The desert southwest will be hot with highs nearing 100 each afternoon, and the Pacific northwest will see a cool weekend with highs mainly in the 60s.

All eyes will turn to the central Gulf Coast as we go into the weekend, with Tropical Storm Arlene progressing toward land. Today the storm is passing by the western tip of Cuba and picking up a little forward speed on its northward journey. Landfall is expected late Saturday into Sunday between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Pensacola, Florida.

Have a safe weekend and thanks for watching 7NEWS. Be sure and tune into our broadcasts for the latest in weather information, and remember all the tools available for you right here on TheDenverChannel, including FutureCast.

June 9, 2005 -- Lightning Safety Tips!

Ok, from yesterday's blog entry, you now have your plan of action ready to go at a moment's notice if lightning threatens...how close should you let the lightning get before taking action? Once lightning does occur, how long should you wait before resuming your activities?

Both the above questions can be answered using the 30/30 Rule. It consists of a few different parts. FIRST you need to estimate the distance between you and a flash of lightning. This is called the "flash to bang" method. Once you observe lightning, count the number of seconds until you hear thunder. Once you have the number of seconds, divide that by five (5) to get the distance (in miles) the lightning is from your location.

So using the formula above, if the time you hear thunder from the lightning strike is...

30 seconds, lightning = 6 miles away

It is recommended that you seek shelter if the time between seeing the lightning flash and hearing the thunder is 30 seconds or less.

Second, you should not resume activities until 30 minutes after the last audible thunder.

Put the two together, and you have the 30/30 Lightning Rule.

The best policy to follow is to simply take action as soon as you see thunderstorms developing, especially when you are out in the high country. You don't want to get caught with a rapidly developing thunderstorm overhead and you are still several minutes from shelter.

Keep in mind, there is a such thing as "bolts from the blue." This is a lightning strike that travels a long distance. It has been documented that lighting can travel as many as 20 miles away from the thunderstorm core.

When caught out in the open during a lightning storm, crouch down on the balls of your feet, with nothing else touching the ground. Keep your feet as close together as possible. This reduces your contact with the ground.

Remember, in the high country, lightning strikes get going on summer days shortly after 11 am, not leaving you much time to get in that daily hike when storms threaten. Check the weather before you go, and have a place of safety picked out at your location in case a storm does strike.

Have fun this summer and keep an eye to the sky. If you have any questions or need more information, don't forget, your 24/7 Weather Center at 7NEWS is here for you.

June 8, 2005 -- The Dangers Of Lightning!

Lightning is a threat anywhere you have thunderstorms. Here in Colorado, our nearly daily dose of afternoon thunderstorms poses a real threat to residents and visitors, especially when out in the high country.

There are two questions you need to ask yourself as part of your lightning safety plan of action...

Don't ask yourself these questions once you encounter a thunderstorm, you need to know the answers beforehand. In particular, here in Colorado, storms can fire rapidly and you may not have time to react without proper planning.

So, Mike, how do I know when storms are possible?

Be sure to watch the weather here on 7NEWS before you make your plans. Online, you can come here to TheDenverChannel and consult a variety of resources built into our weatherpage, including FutureCast.

Most importantly, remember that we see afternoon showers and thunderstorms form over Colorado's high country on almost a daily basis during the summer months. So before you make any outdoor plans, make sure you check the weather, but also have that plan of action ready to execute at a moments notice for your destination.

Tomorrow, we'll look more in depth at safety rules, including the 30/30 Rule!

June 7, 2005 -- A Bit on Hail in Colorado!

Often Colorado is labeled "Hail Capital of the United States." To date we still have the title of costliest hailstorm in the nation, thanks to a severe thunderstorm that rolled through the Denver Metropolitan Area back on July 11, 1990. That one storm caused $625 million dollars in damage to property.

Hail is a showery precipitation falling in the form of irregular pellets or balls of ice, measuring 1/3" or larger in diameter. Each year, hail causes nearly $1 billion dollars in property and crop damage nationwide. In Colorado, this unavoidable part of summertime life can cause up to $50 million dollars a year in property damage.

Hail isn't a new type of precipitation and can't be related to anything such as global warming. In fact, there are accounts of the early Americans mentioning "ice balls" that fell from the sky during the summertime. The problem is as a country, we really didn't document hail until after World War II and the booming age of commercial aviation. Therefore, in terms of understanding types of weather, it is one of the youngest studied.

So how does hail form?

Rising currents of air within a thunderstorm, also known as updrafts, carry water droplets to a freezing level in the cloud. The droplets actually remain liquid in the freezing part of a cloud, and become what we call supercooled. The droplets begin to freeze over and as they move around in the cloud, additional layers of water freeze on the original droplet, now a hailstone.

The hail stays suspended in the cloud until its weight overcomes the strength of the updraft. Once this happens, it falls to earth.

Sometimes hailstones can intercept a stronger updraft in the storm on its way down to the ground. When this happens, it travels back to the cloud, only to grow in size. Did you know you can actually dissect a hailstone and see concentric rings, like inside a tree, that represent the trips that particular stone made through the cloud?

Once a large hailstone falls to the Earth, they can travel at speeds up to 100 MPH!

So why are hailstones sometimes very jagged looking, and not perfectly round, like a golfball?

The jagged hailstones result when a larger stone collides with a smaller one, and the two stick together, or aggregate.

Here are some facts about hail in Colorado...

When hailstorms strike at your home, it's good to take pictures for insurance purposes. Place an object in the picture that can help relate the size of the stones, such as a baseball or a coin. If possible to upload them to us, we love getting your weather pictures here in the 24/7 Weather Center.

For more information on hail research, visit the Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study here in Colorado. (www.cocorahs.org)

Have a great day, and thank you for checking the daily weather blog!

June 6, 2005 -- Cold Snaps In June!

Saturday sure didn't feel like the calendar said June, so just how often do we see weather like that this time of the year?

Not too long ago, in 1998, the 4th and 5th brought a cold rain and snow to the Front Range, including here in the Metro Area. Snow accumulated up to 5" in Coal Creek Canyon. The western suburbs of Denver also recorded snow, covering the grass at the Denver Federal Center. Snow even briefly fell at DIA, but the record books for the city show no snow at Stapleton, the official snow measurement site for Denver. Several record temperatures were set during this time, including a high of 47 on the 4th and 49 on the 5th, good enough to be new record low maximums for the date. Overnight on the 5th and 6th the mercury bottomed out at 34 degrees, which established new record lows.

On June 8, 1974, rain changed to a trace of snow at Stapleton Airport in Denver, with some midday accumulations in Aurora and communities to the south of Denver over the high terrain of the Palmer Divide. In the mountains, some people were briefly stranded after heavy snows fell.

June 11, 1947 brought another burst of cold air to Denver with a trace of snow and a morning low of 34 degrees, setting a new record low for the date.

Even though a few cold snaps are part of Denver's early June weather history, BY FAR, the majority of weather events noted have to do with four big hazards we face in the Front Range this time of year.

There are more stormy days ahead for us, possibly as early as mid week, so make sure you stay with TheDenverChannel and your 24/7 Weather Center here at 7NEWS for all the latest news and weather information.

Have a wonderful week!

June 5, 2005 -- Trace Of Snow In June!

For a brief time yesterday morning some wet snowflakes mixed in with the cold rain at Denver's official reporting station, putting a trace into the snow column for June 4, 2005. Snow has only been recorded in Denver's weather history during the month of June on 6 other occasions.

All the above reports happened in the first few days of June, with the latest being June 11, 1947.

June 2005 has been wet, with precip recorded on 3 out of the first 4 days in Denver. We've already seen 1.98" fall at the airport, which is more than the June average of 1.56" in the rain gauge.

Some warmer and beautiful weather has settled into Colorado for the time being, and should last into the day on Monday. Clouds and another chance for showers and thunderstorms comes by midweek.

June 4, 2005 -- A Stormy Recap, Brighter Days Ahead!

Severe storms, funnel clouds, hail, flash flooding, and high mountain snows...must be Colorado! It's hard to believe we're already into June, time sure does fly.

The unsettled and rapidly changing weather is typical of June, and this year, Mother Nature didn't waste any time letting us know. Thursday brought severe weather and powerful storms to the eastern plains, with very large hail and tornadoes. Many crops were lost due to the hail, and a number of homes and vehicles sustained hail damage.

Friday was a fairly quiet day with just garden-variety storms around the region. A few managed to go severe, including one cell over Saguache County where 70 MPH winds caused damage in Moffat mid afternoon. A severe cell popped up over Loveland with 1.75" hail and a 58 MPH wind gust. Heavy rains also fell, sending the St. Vrain Creek out of its banks, and water into some neighborhoods near Lyons. Flooding from the storm was also reported on I-25 at the Loveland Exit, as well as at Highway 60 and 287.

About 4:30 PM, a storm cell rapidly fired over the southern Denver Metro, turning the skies an ominous shade of green and producing a wall cloud that lowered dangerously low to the ground. Several funnels were reported with the cell, prompting a tornado warning for western Arapahoe and central Denver counties. No touchdowns were officially reported, but one 7NEWS viewer did see a small debris cloud in a field near the Wal-Mart on Parker Road. She described it looking like a dust devil.

The stormy skies unleashed a torrent of rain from Lone Tree to eastern Aurora. Amounts in the 2-3" range were quite common. A few totals are highlighted for you below.

There were many reports of flooding, including...

Some damage reports from the area include power lines down near Mexico and Chambers, and traffic lights out at Havana and Illif in Aurora.

The storms pushed east and diminished in intensity, but not before bringing more hail, heavy rain, and funnel clouds to central Adams and Arapahoe counties.

A broad area of very heavy rain developed from the storms and converged on Morgan and Weld counties late evening, prompting more flash flood warnings and small stream flood advisories. Road in Fort Morgan and Brush were reported to have a foot of water shortly after 10:30 PM. Just to the east of Adena, over two inches of rain fell in less than 90 minutes.

Let's not leave out the northern and central mountains, they're getting a taste of winter as the air is cold enough for snow to fall. Vail Pass and the tunnel reported icy spots late Friday into the morning hours today. Moisture has been falling on the western slope too, with nearly a month's worth of rain falling in less than 2 days. June is typically dry for this portion of Colorado.

This is just the start of severe weather season, with several more weeks to go where the weather can turn threatening as fast as it did on Thursday and Friday. Your 24/7 Weather Center is dedicated to forecasting the weather accurately and getting the information to you as fast as possible. We're also working hard to provide tools that help you stay ahead of stormy weather, and to get educated on storm safety rules in case you are caught facing the fury that Mother Nature can unleash.

Right here on TheDenverChannel's weather page, you can get exclusive access to our FutureCast forecast model. This gives you an idea of what the forecasted conditions for the next 36 hours will be like.

Check FutureCast

Watches and warnings are both in text and graphics on our Weather Alerts page.

Weather Alerts

You have access to our weather special, Storm Season, which gives facts and safety rules for flash floods, hail, lightning, and tornadoes in Colorado.

Storm Season

And as always, the meteorologist on duty offers you a detailed forecast discussion and hand written forecast that can be accessed on our weather page, just under the 7-Day forecast.

We love your pictures, both in good and bad weather, and encourage you to share them with us.

Looking ahead, after a cool and showery day today, we'll see rapid clearing in time to round out the weekend and start next week. Mother Nature will give us a rest until about late Tuesday into Wednesday of the new workweek, when thunderstorms will once again enter the picture.

Have a great weekend, and thank you so much for watching and trusting 7NEWS to deliver all your news, weather, and sports coverage.

June 3, 2005 -- Unsettled Weather Again Today!

June is often stormy east of the Continental Divide, and we can expect more scattered showers and thunderstorms today. It shouldn't be quite as busy in terms of supercell tornadic storms on the plains. The farther south and east you travel, the more the threat for severe storms increases.

It is also unsettled in western Colorado, where June is typically one of the driest months of the year. Some locations could pick up their average June precip today alone. In the highest elevations of the Park and Elkhead Mountains above 9000 feet, 5-10" of snow is possible.

June 2, 2005, 7:53 PM -- Damage Reports!

It's been the busiest night of the season in terms of severe weather for eastern Colorado this year, and the damage reports keep coming in. Several supercell thunderstorms struck from Limon to Burlington with hail up to 4.25" in diameter and several tornadoes.

We've heard of houses with windows completely blown out, porch roofs with holes in them, and cars with broken windows. Our own 7NEWS satellite truck sustained damage as 7NEWS Meteorologist Jessica Jamison was chasing a storm between Last Chance and Woodrow.

The storms continue at this hour with a handful or tornado warnings. Please stay right here with 7NEWS and we'll keep you posted on all the latest storm information, both here on the web and on 7NEWS throughout the evening. We'll have live team coverage during our 10 PM news.

June 2, 2005 -- Stormy June!

June may just live up to its stormy reputation right off the bat with some severe weather possible on the eastern plains of Colorado today.

On Wednesday evening a few isolated severe storms moved across far northeat Colorado, with the big storms up in North Dakota, where some tornadoes touched down.

In other weather news, a landslide sent 17 multi-million dollar homes down a hillside in Laguna Beach, California, likely caused by the second wettest rainy season on record. Though it has been dry of late, soils were likely weakened by the wet winter and early spring. More tests will be conducted to determine if indeed the wet season was to blame.

If you have outdoor plans this evening, check out our FutureCast model, ran from the 24/7 Weather Center. You can see the forecast for the next day and a half, in 3-hour steps.

Check FutureCast

You can also see the latest watches and warnings graphically displayed for you.

Watches and Warnings

Have a great day, thanks for reading the blog! Stay with us here on TheDenverChannel and on 7NEWS for any severe weather watches or warnings that might be in effect!

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