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Mike's Weather Blog -- October 2005

POSTED: 11:49 pm MST October 31, 2005

UPDATED: 11:55 pm MST October 31, 2005

October 31, 2005 - It's Winter Weather Preparedness Week, Today's Topic -- Winter Travel Safety

When you live in a colder climate, driving in wintry conditions sometimes cannot be avoided. Today we'll discuss how you can best prepare yourself for winter travel.

First and foremost...if you must travel in wintry weather...you need a well-equipped vehicle. This includes having adequate tires, tire chains, sand or cat litter for traction, a shovel, tool kit, windshield scraper and brush, battery cables, first aid kit, flashlight, blankets and sleeping bags, extra clothing, candles, waterproof matches, high calorie packaged food for quick energy, and an empty can to melt snow for drinking water.

Of course the best way to prevent dangerous winter travel is to avoid it. You can do this by staying with 7NEWS for the latest forecast information. We've developed several tools over the past year to help you get the latest forecast. One of your best tools is "My 24/7 Weather," a point-and-click forecast by the hour for anywhere in the state or nation. The Colorado map includes several key passes that become of high concern during wintry weather, including Monument Hill and Raton Pass.

In the sidebar on this page, you will find links to "My 24/7 Weather" as well as radar, satellite, and more.

If you should become stranded in a winter storm, stay with your vehicle and don't panic. If you have others with you, take turns sleeping. Run the motor for 10 minutes every half-hour to maintain warmth. NOTE: You need to keep the windows slightly cracked to prevent a buildup of carbon monoxide, and make sure you keep snow away from the tailpipe.

Keep your vehicle visible with a bright piece of clothing tied to the antenna or door handle, and remember to periodically exercise by moving your fingers, toes, arms, and legs.

Be on the lookout for black ice. This is a thin layer of ice that forms on a road. It can be dangerous because you don't see the ice, and the road actually looks clear to the driver. It is most common at night, so always use extreme caution. If you detect black ice, reduce your speed by letting up on the accelerator, and allow plenty of extra stopping distance.

Some other winter hazards on the roads include strong downslope winds, which can sometimes reach speeds of 100 MPH in the Front Range Foothills and adjacent plains. These winds can be especially dangerous on north-south oriented roads.

Avalanches are a huge hazard when traveling through the mountains, especially after a fresh snowfall or during periods of rapid snowmelt. While avalanche control work is preformed by CDOT, caution is still advised when traveling along avalanche prone roads.

October 30, 2005 - Today Starts Winter Weather Preparedness Week In Colorado

Governor Bill Owens has declared October 30 – November 5, 2005, Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado. The “Blizzard of the Century” in early March of 2003 left thousand of people stranded in their homes for days, closed schools and businesses, felled power lines, caved in roofs, and was the most expensive winter storm from snow and ice damage in Colorado history.

“This blizzard really pointed out how important personal preparedness can be,” said Tommy Grier, Director of the Colorado Division of Emergency Management. “We can’t stress enough the importance of maintaining an emergency supply kit year round. The devastating hurricanes this year show how quickly emergency supplies can be depleted – how important pre-planning is. It’s just good common sense to prepare ahead of time.”

The Colorado Division of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service stress the importance of families and individuals getting together an emergency supplies kit for any kind of emergency or disaster Coloradoans might face like winter storms, floods, or wildfires.

Grier points out, “We all need to have emergency kits for the home and car and we need to use common sense regarding travel and deteriorating conditions. Winter storms can strike quickly, with little warning. Local officials and emergency personnel work to clear the roads and restore any disrupted services caused by a storm, but sometimes this can take hours, and – in rare cases – days.”

Are you prepared?

Keep enough basic supplies in your home to meet your needs for at least three days. The kit lists items to consider when preparing an emergency kit such as:

The 72-Hour Family Emergency Kit details what you might need in your car’s emergency kit if a severe winter storm were to strike unexpectedly while traveling.

Governor Owens’ proclamation states that, “With an informed and prepared citizenry and organized disaster emergency teams, the public can better cope with and survive the effects of severe winter weather and the State of Colorado can reduce the risk to life and property.”

Winter weather in Colorado can change rapidly, and it is important to be prepared for these rapid changes.

You can always count on your 24/7 Weather Center here at 7NEWS for all the latest information. We've worked hard to make our website complete with the resources you need to stay ahead of this storm. This includes forecast discussions by the meteorologist on duty, detailed forecasts, local forecasts through "My 24/7 Weather," improved radar views, and much more.

Each day this week the blog will be dedicated to a different winter weather preparedness topic.

October 29, 2005 - Beta Becomes 13th Hurricane, Daylight Saving Time Ends

Tropical Storm Beta reached hurricane status on Friday to become the 13th hurricane of the season.

Beta is lashing the Island of Providencia with heavy rain and damaging winds, and will affect the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua on Saturday with a landfall by midday Sunday. Central American countries such as Nicaragua and Honduras will see flooding rains, mudslides, and a significant threat to life and property as a result of this slow moving storm.

The storm will be slow to move out of the region with weak winds aloft. By Wednesday, Beta will be well inland but still causing torrential rains over El Salvador and Guatemala.

Meanwhile, here in the United States, today is the last day for Daylight Saving Time, which officially ends at 2 AM tomorrow. Be sure and set your clocks back one hour before going to bed tonight, and enjoy that extra hour of sleep!

October 28, 2005 - Beta Forms In The Caribbean, Poses No Threat to U.S.

This record breaking year for the Atlantic Hurricane Season just keeps on rewriting history books with the 23rd named tropical system now on the map.

Beta formed in the south Caribbean Sea late Wednesday and has grown in both size and strength, but will not pose a threat to the United States.

This storm is located off the coast of Nicaragua and will bring heavy rains and gusty winds to the Mosquito Coast over the next few days. Beta is moving at a snail's pace and will affect much of Central America for the next three to five days.

If you have travel plans to Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, or Coast Rica...you will want to monitor the latest on this storm from the National Hurricane Center.

A current view of Beta is available through the Caribbean Infrared Satellite view, linked in the sidebar under the Radar and Satellite section.

October 27, 2005 - Daylight Saving Time Ends This Weekend

It's that time of year! Daylight Saving Time ends this Sunday at 2 AM local time.

Many call it "Daylight Savings Time" but in fact, the correct way to say it is with "Saving" not being plural. Because it flows off the tongue better to say "Savings" we often see it that way.

A good habit to adopt is to check your smoke detector(s) when you set your clocks back an hour Saturday night or Sunday morning.

So why do we do this each year? The history is actually quite interesting and dates back to the 1700s.

The main purpose is to make better use of daylight in latitudes where the number of hours with daylight varies each year. Along the equator, where the number of hours for day and night are equal all year long ... Daylight Saving Time is not observed.

Studies have shown that by adopting Daylight Saving Time energy is saved, up to as much as 5% during the first week of Daylight Saving Time each year. Other studies show crime and traffic accidents are lower with more daylight, helping to save lives.

Though a benefit on many fronts, some have a difficult time with the change. For those with sleep disorders, it can be a tough transition. Other just find it a bother to change the many clocks scattered about their house!

Daylight Saving Time can cause some odd things to happen. For instance, if you are riding an Amtrak train when clocks fall back at 2 AM local time on October 30th this year ... you will have to stop "in your tracks" so to speak, and wait for the hour to pass before resuming travel. This is so the rail service can keep it's published schedules. In the spring, when clocks spring forward one hour, all trains instantly fall behind schedule, but just keep going and do their best to make up for lost time.

In the state of Indiana, citizens must really know where they are going and keep a close watch on the time since the state has three different time arrangements to contend with!

Today, approximately 70 countries use Daylight Saving Time in all or part of their nation. The only major industrialized country not to have introduced this concept is Japan.

2006 is the last year for Daylight Saving Time, as we have known it for so long here in the United States. If you are a fan of Daylight time, you will like the Energy Act of 2005, signed by President Bush on Aug. 8 of this year.

Starting in 2007, Daylight Saving Time will begin on the second Sunday of March (currently the first Sunday of April) and end the first Sunday of November (currently the last Sunday in October).

Have a great day, and thank you so much for watching 7NEWS, visiting theDENVERchannel, and for reading the blog.

October 26, 2005 - October Thus Far And A Bit About Watersheds

Do you live in a watershed? It's perhaps a thought provoking question. Here is the definition of a watershed.

A watershed (also known as a drainage basin) is a geographical feature of the landscape where precipitation collects and then drains to a common water body (e.g., stream, lake, bay, wetland) and/or sinks into the earth to become groundwater.

Take our survey to the right and let us know if you live in a watershed.

With less than a week to go this month, I thought we'd take a look at the numbers to see where we stand climatologically in Denver.

October has been right on target in the temperature department thus far, with an average monthly temperature around 53°.

It has been wetter than normal by over an inch thanks to that soggy storm October 9th and 10th. The Denver International Airport has seen 2.13" of precipitation so far this month.

We've set five new records ranging from a new record high to record daily precip...to a new record low!

There have been 5 days so far this month where precipitation was recorded.

Next week we'll have a complete recap of the month in the weather blog.

October 25, 2005 - The Halloween Weather Outlook

Colorado is in for a beautiful stretch of tranquil, seasonal weather this week, and it looks as if it will hold right through Halloween.

It is a common belief to many that it almost always snows on Halloween in the Denver area. Is there any fact to this myth?

We've got all the answers, plus a few surveys about what you think the weather will be like for the trick-or-treaters this Halloween.

Just follow the link below for more.

Halloween Weather Facts And Take Our Trick-or-Treat Quiz!

In other weather news, Hurricane Wilma has literally made tracks since slamming the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico over the weekend and south Florida on Monday. Wilma has traveled more than 1000 miles, with over half of that since Sunday night.

The storm will indirectly affect the northeast states today as a noreaster combines with influence from Wilma and the remains of Alpha...bringing huge surf, heavy rain, and heavy wet snows to the higher elevations of New England.

Travel will be slow in and out of the major hubs today across the northeast.

October 24, 2005, 5:15 PM - All Warnings Dropped Across Florida

As of 5 PM all warnings have been dropped across Florida, but remain in effect for the northwest Bahamas. Gale force winds may still be experienced in Florida, but drier air is working into the region along with cooler temperatures.

Wilma will continue to race off to the northeast, bringing stormy weather to New England by midweek as the storm merges with a trough of low pressure.

This is one part of the country that doesn't need anymore precipitation, so we'll have to watch closely for potential flooding from New York to Maine.

October 24, 2005, 2:15 PM - Drier Air And Clear Skies Working Into Florida

Wilma picked up a little steam once over the Gulf Stream east of Florida and is still a major hurricane. Within the last hour, Settlement Point on the western tip of Grand Bahama reported a sustained wind of 96 MPH gusting to 119 MPH!

Though over 100 miles offshore, Wilma is still buffeting portions of south Florida with tropical storm force winds, but conditions are certainly improving by the hour as Wilma races to the northeast.

Wilma set yet another record for the 2005 Hurricane Season. The United States has never been hit by 4 Category 3 or stronger hurricanes in the same year. This year, we've seen Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and now Wilma.

October 24, 2005, 11:40 AM - Wilma Pushes Away From Florida But Not Before Leaving Her Mark

She came, she left, she did damage. Yes, Hurricane Wilma continues to dominate weather headlines after a rush-hour landfall in southwest Florida.

Wilma closed schools and businesses all across the southern portions of the Sunshine State, allowing residents to seek shelter from the storm.

Many locations are without power and there has been some significant flooding in some locations, particularly the Keys and in the Naples area. A very strong onshore wind helped push a surge up to 5 feet across some communities.

The very large eye of Wilma is now well off the coast of West Palm Beach, and the conditions will continue to improve throughout the day with the exception of some stiff northwest breezes. It will be quite a shock to the system for many Floridians as a taste of fall ushers in behind the storm. Yesterday some locations saw a heat index near 100° thanks to dewpoints near 80°. By tomorrow lows will be in the 50s with dewpoints only in the 40s.

October 24, 2005, 7:40 AM - Hurricane Wilma Roars Across South Florida

Hurricane Wilma roared ashore around 6:30 AM this morning, 22 miles south of Naples, Florida, in Collier County. The eye made landfall near Cape Romano, an uninhabited island. Maximum sustained winds were 125 MPH making Wilma a strong category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

The difference between this hurricane versus many that we've seen this season, including the path of Wilma across the Yucatan...is the system's speed. Wilma came onshore with a forward speed of 20+ MPH, opposed to Cancun where the storm was stationary at times with 140 MPH winds over land.

Despite the rapid movement of Wilma, there has still been a significant amount of damage.

Some storm reports thus far follows...

October 24, 2005, 12:40 AM - Wilma Is Pounding South Florida

Sustained hurricane force winds are already being felt across the Keys, and before too long will be across southwest Florida. We should be looking at a landfall between 4 and 8 AM Today.

October 23, 2005, 9:10 PM - Wilma Charging Toward Florida's Southwest Coast Tonight

Hurricane Wilma is a bit better organized tonight as she charges toward the Florida Coast. Tropical Storm force winds have already swept into the Keys, with Key West reporting a sustained wind of 43 MPH gusting to 60 MPH as of 11 PM Eastern.

There is still a chance that wind shear will weaken Wilma slightly before landfall, but regardless, central and south Florida are in for a rough overnight and day on Monday.

Waves up to 20 feet will slam portions of the southwest Florida coast, and tornadoes are almost a given across the peninsula.

Due to Wilma's speed...both coasts (the Gulf and Atlantic) will experience category 2 hurricane force winds.

It is an extremely humid and sticky night across south Florida. The 11 PM report from Miami Beach was 83° with a dewpoint of 81°...making for a heat index of 96°!

Stay tuned for the latest here in the blog.

October 23, 2005, 3:31 PM - Tropical Storm Force Winds Approaching Florida Keys

Tropical storm force winds are just offshore at this hour and will begin moving through Key West this evening. Wilma is picking up speed and a little strength as she churns toward shore.

Using our new "My 24/7 Weather" feature here on TheDenverChannel (free point-and-click forecasts anywhere in the Metro, State of Colorado, or United States) we can clearly see how Wilma will impact Florida. Key West should see sustained winds approaching 70 MPH overnight, while the strongest winds should be in the Miami area between 6 AM and Noon on Monday. You can see how quickly Wilma will cross the Sunshine State with clear skies expected by noon Tuesday.

Even as far north as Tampa and Orlando the hurricane will bring sustained winds up to 60 MPH Monday morning into early afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Mexican Government has dropped all watches and warnings for the Yucatan as the weather continues to improve.

October 23, 2005, 8:50 AM - Wilma Picking Up Speed And Maybe Some Steam

Hurricane Wilma made the forecasted turn toward the northeast overnight as a trough of low pressure building over the southeast picks up the storm and takes control of the steering.

Hurricane Warnings continue for all of south Florida, including the Keys, the west coast south of Longboat Key and the east coast south of Titusville. New Hurricane Warnings have been issued for the northwest Bahamas. Much of the rest of Florida's coastline along the peninsula, north of the hurricane warning areas, are under a tropical storm warning.

Hurricane warnings have been dropped for the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.

What's going to happen throughout the day today?

Forecast tracks are still not in 100% agreement as to where landfall will be in Florida. Models range anywhere from Fort Myers on the north to staying over water and just skirting by the southern tip of the state on the south.

Regardless of which path she takes...the size of Wilma alone will affect an area up to 250 miles on either side of the hurricane.

Please stay with us today for all the latest information.

October 22, 2005, 8:53 PM - Wilma On The Move, Hurricane Warnings Issued In Florida

Hurricane Wilma is emerging back over water tonight and will begin making a northeast turn toward Florida over the next 12 to 18 hours.

Hurricane Warnings have been issued for the entire Florida Keys, and for the entire Florida coastline south of Longboat Key on the west, and south of Jupiter Inlet on the east.

Conditions are still stormy over the Yucatan, but improving by the hour compared to the horrific conditions over the past day and a half.

If you have friends and family in south Florida, they need to be making final plans now as to if they will be evacuating, and if so, where to. In fact, due to the large size of Wilma...even central Florida will be affected by this storm, in places such as Tampa and Orlando, by tropical storm force winds.

With land-falling tropical systems, you always have the threat for severe thunderstorms with tornadoes. We've already seen outer bands of Wilma bring flooding rains and tornado warnings to south Florida.

There is wind shear in place over the southeast Gulf of Mexico, and that may help weaken this storm a bit just prior to landfall...but there is also nearly 400 miles of very warm waters for Wilma to travel over before reaching the Sunshine State.

BOTTOM LINE: South Florida should continue preparing for the potential landfall of a major hurricane sometime during the next 18 to 36 hours.

Stay with 7NEWS both on your television and computer for all the latest. As always, we'll be your local and only hurricane authority with complete 24/7 coverage through the blog.

We invite you to email a link for the blog to anyone who may find it helpful.

October 22, 2005, 4:59 PM - Wilma To Emerge In The Gulf, Alpha Forms South Of Hispanola

2005 is now officially the busiest Atlantic Hurricane Season on record with the formation of Tropical Storm Alpha south of Hispanola. Never in history have we exhausted the pre-determined list of male and female storm names. We are now using the Greek Alphabet.

Alpha will make a landfall on the south coast of Hispanola, weaken over the mountainous terrain, and then emerge in the Atlantic. It should sweep north and get caught up in the westerlies, not affecting the United States.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Wilma is just about to emerge into the Gulf of Mexico and should show signs of the forecasted northeast turn during the next 24 hours. An increase in forward speed is likely, putting Wilma over Florida sometime Monday. Some strengthening is likely as the waters are still quite warm in the Gulf. Wilma will have to endure wind shear that will try and prevent additional intensification...so a lot remains to be seen.

Weather conditions will improve by the hour in Cancun and Cozumel from here on out, and the world will slowly get a feel for the amount of damage that has been done as crews can safely investigate.

October 22, 2005, 8:40 AM - Wilma Nearly Stationary Over Resort Of Cancun

Hurricane Wilma has weakened slightly now that the eye is over land, down to a Category 3 at last advisory. But at this point, there isn't much difference between 140 MPH winds and 120 MPH winds for the resort towns and Cancun, Cozumel, and surrounding locations. They have endured well over 24-hours of non-stop assault from the storm, with a constant driving rain and incoming surge from the coast.

The storm is only drifting slowly to the north and will continue to pound the northeast tip of the Yucatan Peninsula today.

Damage is going to be horrific for these resort towns, with many buildings destroyed.

Several automated stations operated by the Mexican Navy have provided invaluable data to the National Hurricane Center while tracking Wilma. As Isla Mujeres, just offshore the northeast tip of the Yucatan, a sustained wind between 95 and 105 MPH has been recorded for over 9 hours!

When will the storm let up over Cancun?

Wilma will continue to drift over the Yucatan today, and conditions will very slowly start to improve as we move through the afternoon and into the overnight.

Once the storm gets back out over the Gulf, we'll see a surge in strength most likely, in conjunction with a turn to the northeast and a dramatic increase in forward speed as the storm gets under the westerly winds aloft. Combine that with an incoming trough of low pressure which will pick up the storm and sweep it northeast, the wind and rain will start to end for Cancun and Cozumel overnight tonight and into the day on Sunday.

We should be looking at a landfall in Florida sometime Monday.

The one variable that remains uncertain is the strength of Wilma at the time of landfall in Florida. Strong windshear over the southeast Gulf will fight the storm and could tear away at the strength Wilma regains once over the Gulf, but nonetheless, we will still be looking at a potent hurricane. Folks in Florida shouldn't let their guard down.

Stay with 7NEWS on your television, as well as TheDenverChannel.com and Mike's Blog on your computer. We'll keep all the hurricane information up to date for you as we track Hurricane Wilma's path of destruction across the Yucatan.

October 21, 2005, 11:40 PM - Wilma Continues Her Assault On The Yucatan

The damage is likely going to be similar to what we saw with Katrina across Mexico's Yucatan after nearly 24 hours of hurricane Wilma's 140 MPH winds.

Right now there isn't much to say other than we'll just have to wait and see after daylight hits on Saturday, and Wilma pulls northward into the Gulf of Mexico. The assault has been non-stop during the day on Friday, and crews have not safely been able to get out and assess the damage other than just a few reports via cell phone here and there.

Check back with the blog on Saturday morning for the latest on Wilma, and where she will head next. There is still some uncertainty as to exactly where in Florida landfall will be...it depends on this trough of low pressure digging into the southeast, which will help steer the storm.

Thanks for checking the weather blog, have a nice night.

October 21, 2005, 12:20 PM - Wilma Is Lashing Cozumel and Cancun At This Hour

The eye of Hurricane Wilma is over the small island of Cozumel this afternoon, and the northwest eyewall is nearing the coast of the Yucatan just south of Cancun.

Cozumel and Cancun have been experiencing hurricane force wind gusts and torrential rain for several hours now. It is difficult to determine exactly what is currently happening because many of the automated reporting stations have stopped sending reports via the internet due to power outages and/or equipment failure, including the Cancun International Airport, which last reported at 8 PM Thursday. The last report from Cozumel via the automated weather station at the airport was 3 PM on Thursday, and they already had sustained winds of 46 MPH out of the ENE with Wilma still 100 miles away at that time. The rain gauge had recorded 6.28 inches between 9 AM and 3 PM Thursday.

Checking some of the buoy reports offshore, you can see just how churned up the waters of the Caribbean and southern Gulf of Mexico are as a result of Wilma. Buoy number 42056 has reported waves between 27 and 35 feet each hour over the past 24 hours. The most recent report was 27-foot seas.

In the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, seas are running at 10 to 15 feet, and these large swells will reach the northern Gulf of Mexico by late today. Some of the buoys in and around the Florida Keys have failed with past storms and unfortunately we aren't receiving data until they can be fixed.

What does Wilma's future hold?

She will remain a dangerous hurricane even though the brief landfall on Mexico's Cozumel Island and Yucatan Peninsula will weaken the storm, but how much will depend on her time over land. It likely won't be enough to let our guard down in Florida.

For now, send your best thoughts to the citizens and visitors of Mexico's Yucatan, and let's continue to watch this storm with an "eagle eye" with regards to the next 3-5 days and south Florida.

I'll have the latest today on 7NEWS at 5 PM after Oprah, and at 6 PM after World News Tonight.

October 21, 2005 - Wilma Bearing Down On Yucatan, Future Still Uncertain

Hurricane Wilma's outer bands began affected Cancun and Cozumel on Thursday, with conditions going from bad to worse throughout the day today. By midnight winds were already sustained at 60 MPH on Isla Mujeres according to an automated weather station operated by the Mexican Navy. Data from Cuba showed that the Isle of Youth was seeing up to 20 foot waves batter it's south coast.

Where will Wilma go?

We know the storm will continue in a northerly fashion and will certainly make a turn toward the northeast once it gets caught up into the westerlies; this will take Wilma on a direct path to Florida.

But where in Florida, and how strong will Wilma be at landfall...still remain uncertain.

Why?

Wilma will encounter wind shear over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico along with much drier air. This will work against the storm and potentially weaken the system.

However, there is a current of very warm waters in the Gulf that Wilma will pass over which would help feed the storm. Also, depending on how far northwest the storm travels today before turning north will determine if it experiences any decrease in strength from moving over portions of the Yucatan.

With everything we have to go by at this point, it looks like the best estimate for landfall strength in southwest Florida will be somewhere around 115 MPH, making Wilma remain a major hurricane.

Stay with 7NEWS today for all the latest forecast updates on Hurricane Wilma.

Meanwhile, our weather will be a mix of sun and clouds with fall-like temperatures. Some scattered rain showers will dot the radar. Things will improve for Saturday and then another fast moving front will arrive Sunday.

October 20, 2005, 9:46 PM - Wilma May Strengthen Back To Cat 5 Status

The latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center shows Wilma is showing signs of better organization, meaning it could regain Category 5 status before reaching Cozumel during the day on Friday.

The storm is really churning waters up, as far away as the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Bouy reports about 200 miles off the coast of western Florida have seen wave heights increase from 4 to 6 feet all the way to 13 feet over the past several hours. This bouy is several hundred miles northeast of Hurricane Wilma. Large waves are expected as far north as the coasts of Alabama and Florida's Panhandle by late tomorrow.

October 20, 2005, 6:06 PM - Wilma On Track To Hit Yucatan Peninsula Friday

Hurricane Wilma continues churning slowly toward Cozumel and Cancun, with a landfall or very close side-swipe likely sometime during the day Friday.

A 7NEWS viewer emailed me this afternoon saying this is just about the track Hurricane Gilbert took in 1988. Gilbert caused some places to go without power for up to 11 weeks!

The latest radar and satellite images are linked in the sidebar to the right, along with Wilma's latest position, winds, and track.

One very important concept to realize about Wilma is that the storm is HUGE! Tropical Storm force winds extend up to 200 miles away from the center, with hurricane force winds extending about 90 miles from the center.

It will be a huge rain maker, with 10 to 20 inches of rain likely. Some of the mountainous regions of western Cuba could see isolated rain totals up to 40 inches!

October 20, 2005 - Watching Wilma, Tools To Track From Home

Hurricane Wilma is churning west-northwest through the Caribbean Sea today, and should gradually make a turn due northwest in time. This will put the storm on a direct path to the Cozumel and Cancun vicinty of Mexico.

This will be the second time this year a hurricane has threatened these Mexican resorts; back in July Hurricane Emily hit the area.

Once Wilma moves a bit more to the northwest, she will get caught up in the very strong westerlies, and make a sharp turn to the northeast. This will accelerate the forward speed of Wilma and put the storm on a direct path for southwest Florida, an area devistated by Hurricane Charley in August of 2004.

The blog is your resource for all the latest information on Hurricane Wilma. We'll keep this sidebar here until the storm no longer is a threat to land. The links will stay updated with the latest.

October 19, 2005, 2:14 PM - Latest Storm Winding Down

The midweek storm system is winding down after dropping some generous amounts of moisture across parts of Colorado. A light to moderate rain fell much of the night across Colorado's southwest counties, with 1.50" of rain at Hesperus and Ignacio. Around an inch was recorded at Bayfield, Durango, and Ouray.

In the Denver Area most locations have seen between a quarter and half inch of rain, with the heaviest amounts north of the city. Loveland and vicinity has seen a steady rain all morning and into the afternoon.

In the mountains it has been snowing, with up to 6" falling at Leadville. While more snow is possible this afternoon above 8500 feet, accumulations will be under advisory criteria.

There has been a widespread power outage in Lake County since this morning. If you have a medical emergency or concern, please call 719-486-1249. Additional information is available over the radio on 530 AM or 107.9 FM. Officials are asking you not call 911 unless you have an emergency.

October 19, 2005 - Today Will Start A Cool, Unsettled Weather Pattern For Colorado

A cold front slipped through last evening leaving an upslope flow at the lower levels for the front range. Combine that with an approaching low pressure, and you have the setup for cooler and wetter weather today.

This storm system doesn't have a lot of cold air to work with, so we should see snow levels remain above 8,000 feet for the most part.

We'll see a roller coaster ride in the temperature department over the extended period, bouncing between the 50s and 60s each afternoon across Metro Denver.

Be sure and check out our free "point and click" forecast service called My 24/7 Weather. A link to this and other resources to keep you ahead of unsettled weather can be found to the right in our 24/7 Storm Tracking Sidebar.

Have a great day and be sure to stay with 7NEWS and your 24/7 Weather Center for all the latest weather information.

October 18, 2005 - Keeping An Eye On Wilma In The Tropics

Interests in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea will want to monitor this storm closely over the next few days as erratic behavior is possible.

The 21st storm of the year is in an environment with very light winds aloft to steer the storm, and near an area of wind shear that could hinder development in the 4 to 6 day time frame.

Wilma is currently forecasted to drift westward, then north...with a curve to the northeast over time. At first Wilma will be in a region very favorable for rapid strengthening, but in time could experience strong wind shear that would affect the system's intensity.

Much remains to be seen but know that we'll keep you posted with all the latest reports from the National Hurricane Center.

October 17, 2005 - 24/7 Weather Center Sponsors Two Free Upcoming Events

There are two exciting events over the next few weeks that you will want to mark on your calendars.

One is "Super Science Saturday" coming up on Saturday, October 29th. It will be held from 10 AM through 4 PM at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. This is a fantastic event for kids, families, and teachers. Details can be found under weather news or by clicking the link below.

Super Science Saturday

Coming up on Wednesday, November 9th, is our Second Annual Winter Weather Seminar in Broomfield. Come learn all about Colorado's winter weather and how you can stay ahead of the storms! More information can also be found under weather news, or by clicking the link below.

Second Annual 7NEWS Winter Weather Seminar

If you've been busy lately and haven't had time to see the new features added to our weather page, check out the links below!

My 24/7 Weather is an exciting new resource for you to use when you need a forecast for anywhere within Metro Denver, Colorado, or the United States. We even offer selected destinations in Canada, Mexico, and Jamaica! Simply find where you are going and click on the map for a forecast. No need to register or provide personal information. Best of all, this service is FREE!

We also have improved radar views for you to track storms that move into Colorado. Just use the links below.

Front Range Nexrad Radar
Central Mountain Nexrad Radar
Northeast Plains Nexrad Radar
Southeast Plains Nexrad Radar
Northwest Colorado Nexrad Radar
Southwest Colorado Nexrad Radar
Colorado Doppler Radar
Colorado Doppler Radar Loop

Thanks for starting your week with Mike's Weather Blog! Have a great day and week ahead.

October 16, 2005 - Hassle-Free And Dependable Forecasts With A Few Clicks

The 24/7 Weather Center is so excited to debut our latest service to you, My 24/7 Weather. It's as simple as logging onto TheDenverChannel's weather page and clicking My 24/7 Weather. (No need to provide your personal information like some other services require) From there you have the Denver Metro, State, and National Maps with a point and click functionality that will deliver you a fast and dependable 48 hour forecast.

The information is from the same forecast model ran here at 7NEWS that generates our FutureCast. In your free personalized forecast you will find hourly wind, temperature, humidity, sky condition and other forecast information. In the text you will even find forecasted precipitation amounts for your area when unsettled weather is in the forecast.

We have selected international destinations available to you in Canada, Mexico, and Jamaica. It is looking quite unsettled in Jamaica over the next 48 hours thanks to our latest tropical system brewing in the Caribbean.

By all means you are more than welcome to share this service with your friends and loved ones, both local and abroad. Just have them visit TheDenverChannel.com and click on weather, or enter My247Weather.com into their web browser.

We will continue to work with this service and make it the absolute best it can be for you. If you have comments or suggestions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We'd also like to know how you are using this new feature. Perhaps for business travel, recreation, or both? Let us know.

You can email me directly, Mike Nelson or our Weather Producer, Chris Spears.

Have a great week ahead, thanks for staying with TheDenverChannel.com and 7NEWS!

October 15, 2005 - Exciting News From The 24/7 Weather Center

Today I'd like to give you a personal tour of My 24/7 Weather and some information on how this product works.

This feature has been in the works for nearly a year now through a partnership between 7NEWS and The Kentwood Company. My 24/7 Weather was designed with you in mind, to provide accurate and dependable weather from your home or office to weekend destination and vacation spots.

Using the sophisticated weather model that our FutureCast Forecast uses, My 24/7 Weather will provide you with a 48 hour forecast for the location of your choice, complete with temperature, wind speed and direction, humidity, sky conditions, and precipitation chances by the hour.

Unlike other similar services, there is no need for you to provide your email address, personal information, or longitude/latitude for the desired location. Just log on to our website and click for your personalized forecast.

Forecasts are available for Colorado, the Denver Metropolitan Area and Nation. On the national map you can point and click for a forecast not only in the United States, but also for selected locations in Canada, Mexico, and Jamaica.

Understanding the importance of work and play, we've included locations on the national map where you might escape from your home in Colorado for a long weekend, such as Lake McConaughey, Nebraska, or Moab, Utah.

We encourage you to share this product with your friends or loved ones, either locally or abroad. Just have them visit TheDenverChannel.com and click on weather, or enter My247Weather.com into their web browser.

We'd love to have your feedback on this new service. You are more than welcome to send us your comments and/or suggestions. We'd also like to know how you utilize My 24/7 Weather, either for work or recreation.

You can email me directly, Mike Nelson or our Weather Producer, Chris Spears.

Have a great weekend and thank you for visiting us here on TheDenverChannel. We appreciate you watching 7NEWS!

Meteorologists Jessica Jamison and Richard Ortner will keep you up to date all weekend long with the latest forecast information.

October 14, 2005 - Mother Nature Puts The Squeeze On New England

The past two weeks have been dominated by cloudy and wet weather up and down the northeast coast thanks to a stubborn weather-pattern.

An area of low pressure to the south with high pressure anchored to the north have combined to put the squeeze on that part of the world over the past few weeks. By squeeze, I mean a very strong onshore flow of moisture thanks to the circulation around the high and low interacting.

La Guardia Airport has recorded over 10" of rain since October 1st, with nearly 12" in Central Park. Some locations in Orange County, New York, saw over a foot of rain between October 7th and 9th.

Other very heavy rain totals between the 7th and 10th came from western Massachusetts and Connecticut, eastern New York, southern Vermont and southwest New Hampshire...where a widespread area of 10 to 15" rainfall was recorded.

October 13, 2005 - Hurricane Vince Is One For The Record Books

Hurricane Vince recently formed in the far eastern Atlantic, in a very rare location for hurricanes. Vince formed east of the Azores, and moved east-northeast making landfall in southwestern Spain as a tropical storm earlier this week. Vince was the first tropical system ever recorded to make a landfall in Spain.

Water temperatures in this part of the world are some 5 to 7 degrees cooler than the 80° threshold a hurricane usually needs to sustain itself. Forecasters think this was the farthest north and east a tropical system has formed in the Atlantic Basin.

The 2005 Hurricane Season is now the second busiest on record for the Atlantic Basin since records began in 1851. We're only one storm behind the record year of 1933. So far this season we've seen 11 hurricanes develop, second only to 1969 when there were 12 during the season.

The next named storm would be Wilma, and after that, we'd have to go to the greek alphabet to name any additional tropical systems.

The hurricane season ends on November 30.

October 11, 2005, 8:50 PM - Winter Storm Recap

The winter storm that brought life to a temporary halt across portions of east-central Colorado has moved on, but not before dumping some very generous amounts of moisture.

Much of northeast Colorado saw anywhere from 1.50" to 3.00" of liquid precipitation. (either in the form of rain or melted snow) A few areas really took the cake as far as most precipitation. A CoCoRaHS station near the town of Bennett saw over 24" of snow which combined with the rain that fell, amounted to just under 5.00" of moisture.

Kit Carson county also picked up a lot of moisture, all in the form of rain, with a widespread 3.50 to 4.00" in area rain gauges.

Across the seven-county Denver Area, many rain gauges topped 2.00" of rain and melted snow.

Even southwest Colorado got in on the act with over an inch of rain in Cortez.

Over two feet of snow fell just south of Breckenridge, melting down to 2.75" of water!

October 11, 2005, 6:30 AM - All Advisories And Warnings Dropped, Records Set in Denver

Colorado received some very beneficial precipitation over the past 48 hours, with many places east of the divide seeing up to 1.00" of liquid equivalent precipitation, and much of the northeastern plains seeing over 2.00" of either rain/melted snow or all melted snow.

With the heavy snow east of I-25 we saw hundreds of trees damaged or destroyed, with central and eastern Arapahoe and Adams counties really hard hit. From south of Watkins to Bennett, Strasburg, and Byers numerous trees are down. Other hard hit areas extend from northern and central Douglas county into northern Elbert county.

For the second day in a row, a new 24-hour record precipitation for Denver was recorded at the airport.

Also yesterday the 10th the high temperature for Denver only reached 34° at DIA, good enough to break the previous record low maximum of 38° last set in 1946.

Check back with the blog later this afternoon for a complete storm total recap of liquid equivalent precipitation and snow totals across Colorado. You are welcome to invite those on your email list to check in with us to.

Thanks to many of our viewers, we have a nice slideshow set up with over 60 pictures documenting the storm. A link to this is in the sidebar.

We'll keep the 24/7 Storm Tracking sidebar updated today for the lingering low clouds/fog/flurries as the storm continues to pull away from the area.

October 10, 2005, 10:10 PM - Some Locations Have Seen 2 Feet Of Snow

The snow has really piled up for some portions of Colorado with this storm, including...

The snows have brought widespread tree damage, with Deer Trail especially hard hit.

The rain has really been something with this storm, including 1.75 to 2.25" from downtown Denver to Fort Collins, and Greeley to Akron to Burlington.

Precipitation will linger throughout the night with a very slow clearing taking place Tuesday.

October 10, 2005, 6:30 PM - Winter Storm Warnings Continue, Some Locations Have Seen 2 Feet Of Snow

Winter Storm Warnings continue for the Palmer Divide, eastern Metro Denver, and the southern Colorado foothills/adjacent plains. Some locations are closing in on 2 feet of snow!

I'll have updated totals once the evening reports arrive.

October 10, 2005, 7:30 AM - Denver Continues With Winter Storm Warning, Heavy Rain And Snow Falls Across State

Heavy snow has fallen this morning in the I-25 Urban Corridor, especially on the west and south sides of town. Trees are weighed down with snow potentially bringing down some powerlines. The roads are wet and slushy, but travel is moving at reduced speeds.

The eastern plains of Colorado will continue to be inundated with rain this morning, with snow likely west of Fort Morgan and Limon. Blowing snow will limit visibility for travellers along I-70 east of Denver, and along rural roadways. An additional inch or two of snow accumulation is possible during the next three hours.

Snow will continue falling in the foothills and mountains this morning. Heavy snow has been reported along the foothills above 6,000 feet, and an additional 1"-3" of snow is possible by mid morning.

We've seen some impressive snow totals so far this morning come into the 24/7 Weather Center, including...

We've also seen some pretty impressive rain totals coming in from the eastern plains, with well over 1.00" at Akron, Yuma, and Wray.

A bit later this morning we'll have a more in depth listing of area totals.

Winter Storm Warnings continue up and down the Front Range today with a Winter Weather Advisory for the Fort Collins vicinity. Additional winter weather advisories cover many of the mountains west of the divide.

October 10, 2005, 12:33 AM - Winter Storm Continues, Numerous Advisories In Effect

By midnight much of the Metro Area had changed from rain to snow, with road signs and grassy surfaces already covered in Aurora near I-225 and Parker Road.

Accumulations through midnght include...

Winter Storm Warnings cover most of the Front Range Mountains and Foothills east of the Divide, as well as the adjacent plains and Palmer Divide. Many locations will measure snow in feet before all is said and done.

Prepare for a slow Monday on the roads, and potential power outages due to falling trees and powerlines under the weight of the heavy and snow.

October 9, 2005, 5:49 PM - Winter Storm Bearing Down On Colorado, Warning Continues For Denver Metro

A slew of weather advisories cover Colorado at this hour, including a Winter Storm Warning from Cheyenne to Raton Pass. This includes Metropolitan Denver, Fort Collins, Castle Rock, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and Trinidad.

Storm accumulations are going to vary widely across the lower elevations, with a widespread 1 to 3 feet in the higher terrain. It isn't out of the question to see some totals near 4 feet in favored foothill locations.

In the lower elevations, 8 to 14" is likely through the I-25 Urban Corridor, with higher amounts in and around the Palmer Divide.

Snow levels are currently around 7500 feet, and will lower to near 5000 feet in the 9PM to Midnight time frame.

The snow is going to be sloppy and heavy, not ideal for shoveling. Many injuries during winter storms happen when trying to shovel, ranging from strained backs to heart attacks. Please use extreme caution and take it slow when cleaning your driveways and sidewalks.

With an early season snow, the moisture content is often quite high. Combined with trees that are still full of leaves, we will likely see numerous downed trees and powerlines. If possible, periodically take a broom and help knock snow off the trees and shrubs around your house if you notice them stressing from the weight of the snow.

This would be a good time to bring outdoor pets inside for the duration of this storm.

Farther east, it will be mostly a rain event for the plains with up to 2" of moisture over the next 48 hours.

Higher elevations east of I-25 (such as Limon) will see up to 4" of snow from this storm.

October 9, 2005, 3:24 PM - Winter Storm Warning Metro Denver, Snow Causing Accidents In High Country

Winter Storm Warnings continue for the northern and central mountains east of the divide, the Front Range Foothills and the I-25 Urban Corridor from Cheyenne south to Monument Hill. Warnings have been expanded to include some of the southern mountains west of Pueblo.

Rain began falling in the Denver Area around noon with light amounts thus far, on the order of a tenth of an inch, but the intensity will increase this evening as the storm nears. Right now it looks like we'll change to a rain/snow mix after midnight then all snow by the morning rush hour.

Meanwhile it has been snowing this afternoon in the mountains with very slow and slick travel over Vail Pass and at the Eisenhower Tunnel.

Accumulations are going to be tricky and vary widely with terrain and where the deeper cold air sets up. It is entirely possible for some foothill locations both west of Denver and west of Pueblo to see 2 to 4 feet of snow out of this storm, with up to a foot in the Denver Metro. Heaviest accumulations will be on the west and south side of town.

The eastern plains will see a rain event, with up to 2" falling on locations such as Limon between now and Tuesday. Already with this system we've seen over an inch of rain falling on several southwest Colorado towns, including Cortez and Durango.

Power outages and downed trees will be a real possibility where snow does fall, as it will be very heavy and sloppy. If you are able to periodically knock the snow off your trees and shrubs I would suggest doing so.

This will be an extremely hard snow to shovel due to the moisture content, so use extreme caution. Many injuries come out of snowstorms like this one as a result of shoveling; everything from thrown backs to heart attacks.

Stay with us here on TheDenverChannel, and with 7NEWS on your television. If you have Comcast Digital Cable, you can tune into Channel 247 for our 24 hour news and weather channel for all the latest.

The 24/7 Storm Tracking sidebar at the top of this story will remain in place throughout the storm to offer you a source for local radar and current information.

If you capture digital pictures of this storm, we'd love to see them.

October 9, 2005, 9:24 AM - Storm Moving In, Winter Storm Warning Metro Denver Overnight

A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for the Front Range Urban Corridor from midnight tonight through 6 PM Monday. Rain showers will move in this afternoon and change to snow overnight, with up to a foot falling on Denver before all is said and done. High terrain south of the city could see up the 20" from the storm. Warnings are also in effect for the foothills. the mountains east of the divide, and the Pikes Peak/Woodland Park region where up to 2 feet of snow is possible.

A Winter Storm Watch continues for southern Colorado's I-25 Urban Corridor and ajdacent foothills/mountains, including Colorado Springs.

A Snow Advisory is in effect for Casper Mountain, Wyoming, as well as cities like Cheyenne and Laramie for up to 8" of snowfall.

A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for portions of Colorado's western mountains from until 3 PM Monday. This advisory includes Telluride, Aspen, Vail, and Steamboat Springs. Up to a foot of snow is possible above 8,000 feet by Monday afternoon.

The snow will be heavy and wet, and will potentially take down some trees, especially at lower elevations where the leaves haven't fallen yet. There could be some power outages as a result of the incoming storm. Winds will gust at times making for reduced visibility on area roads.

Some good news on this storm...it is packing a lot of water! Total rain and melted snow could exceed 2.00" in the Denver Area.

October 8, 2005, 6:24 PM - Winter Storm Watch Continues, Includes Metro Denver

A Winter Storm Watch continues for portions of the Colorado High Country, Front Range Foothills, the I-25 Urban Corridor, and for our viewers in southern Wyoming as an approaching storm system intensifies this evening. The watch is valid late Sunday into early Tuesday.

A Snow Advisory is in effect for Casper Mountain, Wyoming, from midnight until noon Sunday where 3-6" of snow is expected.

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for portions of Colorado's western mountains from midnight until 3 PM Monday. This advisory includes Telluride, Aspen, Vail, and Steamboat Springs. Up to a foot of snow is possible above 8,000 feet by Monday afternoon.

Out ahead of the storm we saw very warm temperatures under sunny skies, thanks to a prefrontal weather pattern, which produces a strong southerly flow at the surface. Afternoon highs on Saturday topped out in the 80s from Pueblo and Lamar to Denver, with mid to upper 70s all the way up to Casper, Wyoming.

As of this posting, clouds and rain showers have already invaded western Colorado and Wyoming, with a thunderstorm reported during the 6 PM hour at Grand Junction. Clear skies continue on the eastern plains, but the clouds are just hours away.

This storm is packing alot of Pacific moisture, and promises several locations up to an inch of liquid equivalent precipitation, including in the Denver Metropolitan Area. The temperature will play a key role in how much snow we see below 6500 feet. Above that elevation, 6 to 12" of snow is a real possibility.

Stay with us here at 7NEWS, our team of meteorologists will keep you updated both during our newscasts, and here on TheDenverChannel. The blog will have complete round-the-clock coverage and your storm tracking links (in the sidebar above) will stay up to date with the latest storm information.

October 8, 2005 - Winter Storm Watch Issued For Denver Metro Area

Winter Storm Watches already covered much of western Colorado, and now they have been expanded to include the Front Range Urban Corridor/Denver Metropolitan Area, from Castle Rock northward to Fort Collins.

A Winter Storm Watch means that heavy snow is possible in the watch area within the next 24 to 48 hours, but current forecasted track and intensity remains uncertain. So just like in the name, it means to watch. I invite you to stay here with 7NEWS and TheDenverChannel for all the latest.

This storm system is really close to a classic setup for a heavy snow event across both the high country, but also the Front Range Foothills and adjacent plains.

The one key variable that must come into play for this heavy snow event in the Denver Area is temperature.

We could see a rain/snow mix, it could snow all day Monday but melt as it falls because temperatures near the surface are right around 32-34°, or we could see a foot of the white stuff if those surface temperatuers can drop into the 28-31° range. This storm has a very small pocket of cold air with it so we'll just have to wait for the next set of weather data to have a better handle on the cold air. One thing is for certain, we have a good chance for seeing some generous amounts of liquid (be it rain or snow) across much of Colorado.

Rain showers are expected to enter western Colorado this afternoon and change to snow overnight. Snow could be heavy at times with accumulations up to 8" possible above 8,000 feet. Some elevations above 10,000 feet could see in excess of a foot! Winds gusting up to 30 MPH could create very hazardous driving conditions.

Snow is expected to spread over the rest of the high country by late Sunday, with rain showers in the Denver Metro starting sometime late Sunday evening. Right now, our best window for snow in the city would be between midnight Sunday and noon on Monday.

We want you to stay with us here in the 24/7 Weather Center, but also invite you to explore all the tools we've created here on TheDenverChannel to help you stay ahead of the storm. Links to our various radar views, warning maps, temperatures, and more can be found in the 24/7 Storm Tracking Sidebar above.

As the weather does turn stormy, if you are able to capture Digital Pictures, we'd love to have you upload a few to the October Digital Album. There is a link under Weather News on the main weather page, or you can click below.

October Digital Album

Keep your computer right here all weekend long, and your television on 7NEWS. We will monitor this situation closely to bring you all the latest forecast data. The blog will be updated throughout the weekend.

If someone on your email list would enjoy the links in our 24/7 Storm Tracking Sidebar, feel free to send them an invite to visit TheDenverChannel and Mike's blog.

For now, enjoy today's warm and beautiful weather before the storm moves in tomorrow.

October 7, 2005 - New Online Radar Views Helping You Track Storms

It's a frosty start across Colorado but things will quickly warm up today and into the weekend with loads of sunshine and clear skies. Ahead of the next storm we will see a strong flow out of the south, which is something we in meteorology term a pre-frontal weather pattern.

Sunday will be the day of change as colder air and Pacific moisture works into the region. This storm does have the potential to bring some heavy snows to the mountains and foothills. A snowy rush-hour is even possible Monday for the Denver Area if the right conditions come together.

This is still 3 days out and the forecast track is subject to change...please stay with TheDenverChannel and 7NEWS over the weekend for all the latest forecast information. The blog will have daily updates.

The 24/7 Weather Center is always hard at work to improve not only the product we deliver to you on air, but also to make the tools available that you need when tracking Colorado's fascinating weather.

New on TheDenverChannel this week are radar sector maps for the state. In addition to the State Doppler and Front Range Nexrad, you can now access the central mountains, northeast plains, southeast plains, southwest Colorado, and northwest Colorado.

This is just another way we want to be your source for 24/7 Weather here at 7NEWS, I hope you enjoy these new products.

These links will stay with the blog throughout the weekend, and can also be found in our forecast discussion on the main weather page.

Have a great Friday!

October 6, 2005 - Layer Of Clouds Helps To Ease The Freeze

A layer of thin clouds developed late Wednesday evening and stuck with many locations throughout much of the night. This helped to ease the widespread freeze originally forecasted across the area. Clouds act like a blanket and prevent the daytime heating of the surface from escaping back to space.

Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Tammy made landfall on Wednesday bringing gusty wind and heavy rain to northern Florida and southern Georgia. Effects of the storm's outer bands were also felt in the Carolinas.

Meanwhile, former Hurricane Stan is now just a depression over the very mountainous terrain of southern Mexico and is bringing heavy rains and wind to that part of the world. Dozens of people were killed across Central America from this system.

It is a bit unclear where the remains of Stan will go, but there is a chance it could drift a little more west, reaching the Pacific, where it would have the potential to regenerate into a new tropical storm.

Meanwhile a very soggy storm is affecting the northern plains and upper midwest...with over a foot of snow in portions of North Dakota, western South Dakota, and northeast Wyoming where colder air was in place. Nearly a foot of snow fell on Billings, Montana. Interstate 94 was closed from the Montana line to near Bismarck and many travelers were stranded. Sustained winds over 30 MPH with gusts to near 50 brought zero visibility to roadways in the area, including Grand Forks, North Dakota.

On the warm side of the storm, portions of central and east-central Minnesota were drenched with 5 to 10 inches of rain. Many of the Minneapolis/St. Paul suburbs saw rain topping 5 inches, including Burnsville, with 6.76" of rain between Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

The 24/7 weather center will be busy this weekend watching a storm system approaching Colorado late in the coming weekend. It could bring some chilly air and heavy snows to the mountains and soaking rain on the plains. We'll keep a close eye on this one and bring you all the latest. If enough cold air works down across Colorado, snow could even fly at the lower elevations.

October 5, 2005 - Cold Front Brings Snow, Wind, And Rain

Get ready for a chilly day across much of Colorado thanks to a strong cold front that pressed through yesterday. Locations on the eastern plains will be 30° cooler than the record highs of Sunday and Monday.

Last night many places in the northern mountains saw the first snowfall of the season, including Steamboat Springs. Snow fell on Berthoud Pass, Copper Mountains, Vail, Dillon, and several other locations.

Today will bring a mix of sun and clouds with below average highs, and tonight will bring a freeze to many locations for the first time this season, including the eastern plains.

We'll see a warm up as we head into the weekend, but then another strong storm system taking place should move into the area by the beginning of next work week. This one could bring more widespread snows to the state, and potentially even to the Front Range. That is several days out and the path could vary significantly, so just stay with us here in the 24/7 Weather Center and we will keep you informed with all the latest.

October 4, 2005, 6:31 PM - Cold Front Brings Snow, Wind, And Rain

The first strong cold front of the fall season is blasting through Colorado this evening, with several watches, warnings, and advisories in effect. Out ahead of the front we've seen some gusty thunderstorms move through portions of Larimer, Boulder, and Weld counties. Winds gusts up to 70 MPH were reported as the storms raced off to the northeast.

In the mountains it is cold enough for some snow to fall, with 7NEWS viewers in the Vail area reporting large snowflakes. A winter weather advisory is in effect for the northwest mountains above 9000 feet where 2-5 inches of fresh snow may accumulate by morning. This advisory includes the Elk, Park, Elkhead, and Gore Ranges.

A Freeze Warning is in effect for the areas around Rifle, Parachute, Glenwood Springs, and Eagle. A Freeze Watch is in effect for Wednesday night on the eastern plains where the first widespread freeze of the season is likely.

We've got links below to several of our weather resources to help you track the overnight weather.

Severe Warnings
National Satellite Image
Regional Satellite Image
Colorado Doppler Radar
Front Range Radar
24/7 FutureCast

October 4, 2005 - The Naming Of Tropical Systems

A viewer emailed me over the weekend asking why there was a tropical system off the Baja of California called Otis...didn't we already use the "O" name with Ophelia?

A very good observation.

Storms are named based on their origin. Tropical systems in the Atlantic Basin have a different list of names than storms in the eastern Pacific. The same holds true for other parts of the world, including the west Pacific and the Indian Ocean. The eastern Pacific has been fairly quiet until recent days opposed to the Atlantic Basin, thus the reason they are just getting to the letter "O" in the alphabet.

In the Atlantic Basin we are watching Stan spinning in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. It appears Stan will spare the United States at this time. You can track all current and past storms with the Hurricane Tracker tool linked below.

Hurricane Tracker
Pacific Satellite

Today will be the big day of change in Colorado's weather! We'll say goodbye to Indian Summer and hello to a taste of autumn. (actually more like late autumn come Wednesday)

As the front approaches, you can keep track of the latest weather with the many resources built into TheDenverChannel. Links to a few of these follow.

National Satellite Image
Regional Satellite Image
Colorado Doppler Radar
Front Range Radar
24/7 FutureCast

Have a great day, thanks for reading the blog! Stay with us here in the 24/7 Weather Center at 7NEWS for all the latest, through the web and on your television.

October 3, 2005 - Record Heat Sunday, Maybe A Few Snow Showers By Wednesday

The month of October is typically pretty tame, but when we do get some active weather, it can often be dramatic. This week might just be living proof!

Yesterday we soared up to 88° in Denver, good enough to set a new record high for the date. That was just 2° shy of the all time October high temperature.

A potent Canadian cold front will be moving through the region over the next 48 hours, with a few surges of cooler air behind it. By Tuesday night we could be looking at some light snow showers in the foothills. Elevations as low as 5500 feet in the Front Range Urban Corridor could even see some of the white stuff. It is just a bit too early to tell how much, if any, snow will fall...but things will definitely cool down to below seasonal normals by Wednesday.

The core of the chilly weather will remain to our northeast in the Dakotas and Minnesota, where highs may not get out of the 30s by midweek!

The cool down will be short-lived with 70s returning to lower elevations across Colorado by the weekend.

You can keep track of the approaching storm system with any of our 85 maps offered here on TheDenverChannel. Links to a few of these follow.

National Satellite Image
Regional Satellite Image
Colorado Doppler Radar
Front Range Radar

Have a great week ahead and stay with us here on the web and on your television for all the latest weather information. We'll keep the above links updated so you can stay on top of the current weather.

October 2, 2005 - Tropical Troubles

The tropics are brewing once again and while nothing looks like it will threaten the US Mainland over the next few days, we still need to keep a close eye on things.

Tropical Depression #19 is a bit disorganized way out in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, posing no threat to land. Tropical Depression #20 grew into Tropical Storm Stan just off the Yucatan Peninsula and will bring very heavy rains to Cancun and Cozumel this weekend. Stan will weaken over land, cross the peninsula, and move back over water this week. Stan is forecast to potentially become a minimal hurricane before making a second landfall in northern Mexico.

In the eastern Pacific, Hurricane Otis is spinning just west of Cabo San Lucas and is slowly moving north. It will spread moisture into the desert southwest by midweek after making landfall somewhere on the central Baja.

Hurricane Tracker
Carribean Infrared Satellite
Pacific Satellite

The hurricane season lasts until November 30. So far this has been one of the top 5 busiest Atlantic Hurricane Seasons on record.

October 1, 2005 - September 2005 Makes The Top 10

September 2005 was in the running for the warmest on record until a cool snap at the end of the month brought some cooler than normal overnight lows, which helped lower the monthly average just a bit.

We finished up with an average high of 83.2° and average low of 51.1° here in Denver. Averaged out that yields the monthly average at 67.2°, tied for the 6th warmest on record, which was back in 1994.

If you felt it was a dry month, you are correct, with just 0.07" in the official rain gauge out at Denver International Airport. Most rain gauges in and around the city saw less than half an inch during the month. That also tied us for the 6th driest on record, last happening back in 1978.

9 days were at 90° or above with the highest temperature of the month being 94° on the 3rd. The lowest temperature was 39° both on the 28th and 29th.

One record was set during September 2005, and that was on the 10th, when the overnight low only fell to 66°. The previous record high minimum was 65° set in 1932.

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Mike's Weather Blog -- October 2005

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