April 29, 2006 - Colorado's Changing Climate

Colorado's Changing Climate, a weather special by the 24/7 Weather Center, aired Friday night on 7NEWS. I hope you got to watch it! There was a lot of great information.

In the sidebar on this page are video clips from the special.

Take some time and check them out this weekend.

After a gloomy start the weekend will end on a nice note with sunny skies and mild temperatures arriving by Sunday.

April 28, 2006 - Chilly Start To Weekend

I know you probably have weekend plans and aren't excited about this cool and damp weather. However, it is really great news for delaying the premature start to what could be a record setting wildfire season.

Both today and tomorrow will be a bit gloomy but we should be able to salvage Sunday with sunny skies and temperatures rebounding back to near 70 degrees.

Did you know that today is Arbor Day? Click Jess' Garden in the blue navigation menu on the left to learn more.

April 27, 2006 - Cold Front Approaching

A cold front approaching from the northwest and an area of low pressure to the south will affect the weather over the Rockies to end the work week.

The cold front will bring cooler and potentially damp weather to northern Colorado. The low pressure may help spawn some strong thunderstorms over extreme southeast Colorado as it passes by on Thursday afternoon.

Get the latest forecast for where you live by checking out My 24/7 Weather in the blue navigation menu on the left of this page.

April 26, 2006 - 2006 Wildfire Season

We've already seen a very active year in terms of wildfires, and technically, we aren't even in the actual wildfire season, which heats up late spring and through the summer.

Now is the time to take precautions, especially if you live in the foothills or mountains. In fact, some homeowners are finding themselves in jeopardy of losing their insurance right before the wildfire season begins. Watch the video above to learn why.

Get outside today and enjoy the clearing skies after some early morning fog. We should climb some 15 to 25 degrees higher than where we were yesterday for afternoon highs.

April 25, 2006 - The Warming Trend Begins

Temperatures dropped some 40 to 50 degrees between Sunday afternoon and Monday afternoon, with light snow reported in many Front Range cities and towns.

We will begin a slow warming trend today, with temperatures climbing toward 50 degrees. We will aim for 60 degrees Wednesday and the 70s come the weekend.

Did Monday's storm system help end the extremely dry conditions and high fire danger? Watch the video linked above to find out.

April 24, 2006 - Hail To Snow, It Must Be April

It's a weather roller coaster ride today around eastern Colorado, as temperatures take a dive from the upper 70s and lower 80s to the upper 30s and lower 40s.

Sunday evening we saw the first severe thunderstorm warnings of the season issued in northeast Colorado. The cold front helped trigger a few thunderstorms that dropped large hail.

Hail reports of up to 1 inch in diameter were received from Golden to DIA, and Ken Caryl to Aurora.

One of the criteria for a severe thunderstorm is hail measured at 3/4" or greater in diameter.

As the evening progressed, the storms met some warmer and more moist air toward Kansas, and organized into a line of severe storms across Yuma, Cheyenne, and Kit Carson counties.

April 23, 2006 - Last Of The Red Hots

Say goodbye to the red hots of April with a major cool down arriving later today and into the overnight hours. We could be talking some snow by Monday evening across much of Colorado.

Some much needed precipitation is on the way with an approaching storm system over the next 48 hours. This won't be an April soaker but we'll take what we can get!

If you have some things to get done outdoors today, head out early. By late afternoon the clouds and wind will be on the increase as the front moves into Colorado.

April 22, 2006 - Happy Earth Day

Today is Earth Day, a time to think about what you can do to help the environment. There are several cleanups, recycling events, and tree sales all around the state today. Click on Colorado's Water in the blue nav bar on this page and then look for the Earth Day information in the calendar of events.

April 21, 2006 - Severe Weather Awareness Week: Lightning Safety

Thunderstorms produce some of the most powerful weather on Earth, including hail, tornadoes and strong winds. One of the most dangerous aspects to a thunderstorm, however, is lightning.

Over the last decade in Colorado, lightning has been the #1 killer over all thunderstorm hazards, including flash floods. We average 3 fatalities and 18 injuries each year.

Lightning is also a major cause of forest and rangeland fires in Colorado. These "dry lightning" flashes comes from thunderstorms with little or no rainfall.

TRIVIA: How many cloud to ground (CG) flashes hit the ground each year in Colorado? Nationwide? The answers will amaze you! Read to the end of this blog entry to find out the answer.

Each bolt of lightning contains millions of volts of electricity...enough in fact to supply power to several homes for a month or more! As lightning travels through the air, it heats the surrounding air molecules up to 50 thousand degrees Fahrenheit, creating a shock wave that we hear as thunder. It can be up to 1" in diameter. It's thought lightning occurs most frequently during the afternoon and evening hours.

Lightning is unpredictable...sometimes striking an object and leaving another one nearby untouched. Often lightning will hit a tall object like a tree, and then travel down the object, hitting anything in its path. We saw a good example of this recently west of Fort Collins. Lightning struck a tree and traveled down the trunk, through the root system, and into a house...damaging glass inside and injuring a little girl. As the lightning traveled through the root system of the tree it blew up the earth, leaving a trench in the yard.

Most lightning deaths occur outdoors, usually under tall objects such as trees, on hilltops, or in the water.

Did you know lightning can travel up to 20 miles away from a thunderstorm?

In a state like Colorado, where so many residents and visitors are enjoying the beautiful outdoors during thunderstorm season...its good to know the following method of estimating your distance from lightning. We refer to this as the "FLASH TO BANG" technique. To employ...

Count the number of seconds from the time you see the lightning, to the time you hear the thunder strike

Every 5 seconds equals about 1 mile. You should begin to seek shelter if the time between the flash and rumble of thunder is 30 seconds or less. Activities should remain on hold until 30 minutes after the last audible thunder. This is sometimes called the "30/30" rule.

Some additional safety rules...

Stay off corded telephones (lightning can travel through phone lines trying to ground itself)
Unplug sensitive electronics, such as computers
Stay away from electrical devices
Get out of the bath or shower, lightning can travel through plumbing
Get off rivers and lakes and out of pools
Always stay away from metal objects as they become excellent conductors of electricity

The best thing you can do is plan ahead! If you have an outing coming up, watch 7NEWS for the latest forecast information and check theDENVERchannel.com to reference our new online weather resources. You can access the next 36 hours of forecast information from our exclusive FutureCast model ran right here in the 24/7 Weather Center. Click here to view now!

Although a thunderstorm can always pop-up from what seems like out of no where, our exclusive FutureCast will give you an idea of what to expect in terms of wind and precipitation chances.

You can also check our daily forecast discussion and exclusive 7-Day forecast to help you make your plans. And as always, you can call or email the 24/7 Weather Center.

So let's review some safety rules if a thunderstorm threatens and you are out and about.

Seek shelter in a building or an enclosed vehicle with a metal roof (make sure all windows are closed)
Never seek shelter under a tree or small group of trees
In a heavily forested area, seek shelter in a low spot and away from the taller trees, but avoid areas that might be prone to the #2 Colorado severe weather hazard...flash flooding
If caught out in the open, DO NOT lie flat on the ground...INSTEAD...squat low to the ground and clasp your hands around your knees, with your chin to your chest (this makes you the smallest target possible and minimizes your contact with the ground

Here in Colorado, every county is prone to CG (cloud to ground) lightning flashes, but 5 counties rank higher than others in terms of yearly strikes. In order from the highest, these are Las Animas, El Paso, Elbert, Lincoln, and Rio Blanco. Weld, Pueblo, Park, Mesa, and Moffat Counties rank the 6th through 10th highest. So as you can see, it's not just one area of Colorado, nor one favored elevation that is at the most risk for CG flashes.

So have fun outdoors this summer, but plan ahead...know what the weather will be like...and keep an eye out for building thunderstorms. Learn the safety rules and have a plan of action ready in case you find yourself caught out in the storm.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Nearly 500,000 in Colorado and approximately 22 million in the USA!

April 20, 2006 - Severe Weather Awareness Week: Wind & Hail

WIND

Wind is a huge threat in Colorado that may not get the attention of a tornado or flash flood event. Straight-line winds from a thunderstorm can be as strong as a hurricane or tornado, and cause great harm and damage to life and property.

Another wind threat is the downburst wind. Precipitation in the thunderstorm cools the surrounding air and makes for a pocket of cold air relative to the surrounding environment. Cold air is dense and wants to sink. It does so in the form of a downburst. As this air slams into the ground, it then spreads out from the area of impact. In extreme cases, speeds can reach 100 MPH! If this happens in an area of 2.5 miles across or less, it's called a microburst. When 2.5 miles across or greater it's called a macroburst. These are a HUGE threat to pilots, and have even been responsible for airline crashes. The best thing to do when thunderstorms approach is to get indoors.

HAIL

Hail is formed from water droplets that remain liquid once above the freezing level in the cloud. (this droplet would be referred to as supercooled) The turbulence in the cloud makes the droplet move about, growing in size as layers of ice form on the supercooled water droplet. The stronger the updraft in the storm, the longer these stay suspended in the cloud...and the larger the droplets (now hailstones) grow. When the weight overcomes the strength of the updraft, hail falls to Earth. Hailstones can range in size from pea to grapefruit.

Crops, buildings, cars, animals, and people can all sustain loss from hail.

The Front Range and adjacent plains of Colorado and Wyoming have a large frequency of hailstorms compared to much of the nation and world, largely in part due to the elevation and topography. Hail season in the Front Range begins in March and lasts through October. June is often a peak time for hail events.

Remember, hail with a diameter of 3/4" or greater meets the criteria for a severe thunderstorm. You should always report large hail to your local law enforcement agency who will relay the report to the National Weather Service. This information can be invaluable in the tracking of severe storms, and the issuance of warnings. You are always welcome to send your storm reports to us here in the 24/7 Weather Center in addition.

When hail is likely, get into sturdy shelter. Hail can fall at incredible speeds, even smaller hail. These "ice missiles" can injure and even kill.

April 19, 2006 - Severe Weather Awareness Week: Tornadoes & Safety

The month of May is when severe weather season really gets going here in Colorado, with the peak for tornadoes in June, and the threat lasting through August. As you might recall from last year, they can occur in other months too, such as the landspouts that touched down near Brighton in October 2004.

By far the largest number of tornadoes in Colorado occur east of I-25, and almost 90% happen between 1-9 pm. But it is important to note that they can occur at any hour, and anywhere within the state. Most tornadoes are weak, meaning top wind speeds are 110 MPH or less, with lifespans of less than 10 minutes.

Here are some safety rules that apply to home, work, school, or outdoors...

The safest place to be is in a well-built structure, in the basement, storm cellar or saferoom. If none of these are available where you are, move to the interior of the structure, either in a hallway or small room such as a closet, on the lowest floor. Cover yourself with blankets or get under heavy furniture to protect yourself from flying debris. LEAVE MOBILE HOMES FOR MORE STURDY SHELTER. In places with large, poorly supported roof spans, such as in shopping centers or gymnasiums...seek the designated tornado shelter, often the bathrooms. If there is no time to locate these places, dive under a table or desk to protect yourself as best you can from flying debris.
If driving, never seek shelter under an overpass/viaduct. These can be a collection point for debris, and actually cause higher windspeeds. Simply drive away from the tornado at a 90 degree (right) angle. If the tornado is coming too fast for you to safely get away, abandon the vehicle and lie face down in a dry ditch or culvert, as far away from the vehicle as possible. COVER YOUR HEAD.

Most importantly, stay informed! Watch us here on 7NEWS and check theDENVERchannel.com for the latest forecast details. When severe weather threatens, we'll let you know and keep you as informed as possible between our resources here on the weather page, the weather line, the 24/7 Weather Alert ticker and crawl on your tv screen, and our weathercasts.

You must be responsible for you own safety. This means knowing the safety rules, developing a plan of action for all locations you might be at each day (i.e. school, work, home) and keeping abreast of the latest forecast information.

Stay right here with your 24/7 Weather Center Team and together, we'll make it through the storms!

April 18, 2006 - Severe Weather Awareness Week: Floods & Flash Floods

Severe Weather Awareness week in Colorado continues, and today's topic is about flood and flash floods.

There is a difference between a flood and a flash flood. A flood is often associated with rivers, and here in Colorado, most often happen due to rapid snowmelt; often in the months of May and June. These can be predicted usually, giving time for citizens to move to higher ground if necessary. Another example of the flood would be back east, either after snowmelt or due to a soggy weather system. Flood waters, say on the Mississippi River, roll down stream, and often citizens can be warned of rising water several days in advance.

Here in Colorado, we most often deal with the flash flood, which is a dangerous and sudden rise in water along a creek, wash, river, or a dry land area. Flash floods can be caused by ice jams, snowmelt, dam failures, or more commonly here in our state...the slow moving thunderstorm.

Flash flood season in Colorado runs typically from May through September, with July and August being the peak months. The entire state is prone to flash flood events.

Something people very often find surprising is how strong of a force fast moving water can be. A swift moving stream of water just several inches deep can carry boulders, automobiles, bridges, and rip trees right out of the ground. So just image what it might do to a human caught in flash flood waters?

Here is a bit on flood and flash flood watches and warnings if issued for your area...

Flash Flood or Flood Watch -- simply go about your plans, but WATCH...and know your plan of action should flooding conditions occur.
Flash Flood or Flood Warning -- Either flooding conditions have already been reported, or are imminent. You need to immediately stop what you are doing, assess the situation, and be prepared to evacuate if necessary. If you ever catch yourself in a flooding situation immediately seek higher ground or climb to safety before access is cut off by floodwaters.

Here are some safety rules to follow during flash flood season...

Don't camp or park your vehicle along creeks and washes, especially when threatening conditions are present.
If you are near a river or body of water, be aware of the water levels and have a plan for seeking higher ground in place should you need it.
Never enter an area that is already flooded. Too many times we've seen people drive into areas that are already flooded. You have no way of knowing if the road is still there, and just how deep the water is. As little as 6" of moving water can carry a car. Remember...vehicles will float engine down...and within seconds you can find yourself in extreme danger. Nearly half of all flood fatalities are vehicle related.
Be aware that erosion from swift moving water can cause the banks to become unstable. If you are walking along a stream, creek, or river...you could trigger a landslide if the earth has become unstable. Never walk through flowing water on foot if the water level is at or above your knees.
Keep children away from high water, storm drains, viaducts, and arroyos.
Be especially careful at night, when it may be difficult to see flood dangers.

There have been numerous Colorado flood events through history. I've highlighted a few for you below...

July 9, 1953 (Heavy rain in Montclair and Mayfair areas east of Denver caused over $1 million dollars in damage. 3.9" of rain fell at Lowry AFB, while only a trace fell in north Denver, Lakewood, Golden, and Englewood.)
May 9-15, 1957 (Denver and Frederick, 3 killed)
June 14-20, 1965 (Flooding in the South Platte and Arkansas River Basins, 21 killed)
July 31-August 1, 1976 (Big Thompson Canyon, at least 139 killed)
July 9, 1996 (Pueblo, 2 killed)
July 12, 1996 (Buffalo Creek)
July 28, 1997 (Fort Collins, 5 killed)

Sadly, those are just a few of the numerous floods documented in Colorado's weather history.

There is one thing we can say for certain...THERE WILL BE MORE DANGEROUS FLASH FLOODS IN COLORADO. SOME EVEN ON THE ORDER OF A FORT COLLINS OR BIG THOMPSON EVENT.

What we can't say is when. So please study the information above, and have your plan of action for home, work, and all outdoor events.

As always...you can trust the 24/7 Weather Center here at 7NEWS for all the latest weather information. We'll keep working hard for you so you can stay ahead of the storm!

April 17, 2006 - Severe Weather Awareness Week: Watches & Warnings

It's Severe Weather Awareness week here in Colorado, and today's topic is...Watches and Warnings!

A number of agencies within the National Weather Service are busy at work each day helping you protect life and property when severe weather threatens. One such agency is the Storm Prediction Center located in Norman, Oklahoma.

The Storm Prediction Center forecasts the chances for severe weather across the United States. They issue severe thunderstorm and tornado watches for areas of potential danger. Another type of watch you will see over the coming few months is a flash flood watch. This means that conditions are right for thunderstorms that will drop heavy amounts of rain over a small area, in a short period of time.

When any type of watch is issued for your area, it means just that...WATCH! You should go about your normal activities, but have that plan of action in place should severe weather strike. Some good questions to ask yourself would be, "Where will I go at my current location in the event of severe weather?"..."How am I going to get local watches and warnings at my current location?"

Forecasters at your local National Weather Service office will monitor a variety of tools, including satellite and radar, as well as communicating with severe weather spotters, to decide if warnings are needed in a watch area. Should a warning be issued, it is sent out via numerous forms of communication, including to us here at the 24/7 Weather Center. We will then alert you immediately with either a crawl at the bottom of the screen for things like a flash flood or severe thunderstorm warning, or in the event of a tornado warning, with a break into programming.

A warning means that dangerous weather is occurring or imminent for a particular area. Here are some criteria for various warnings you might be faced with this summer here in Colorado...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING -- ISSUED FOR WIND GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER...OR HAIL OF AT LEAST THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER.
TORNADO WARNING -- ISSUED WHEN TORNADOES ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
FLASH FLOOD WARNING -- ISSUED FOR RAPIDLY DEVELOPING LIFE THREATENING FLOODING.

When a watch or warning of any kind is issued for Colorado, you can find the information right here on theDENVERchannel.com by clicking on our Severe Weather page.

You might want to bookmark this page for easy access in the future. Periodically refresh the page when viewing just to make sure you have the most current data displayed.

We'll also run the crawl at the bottom of your screen periodically when watches are in effect for our area, to keep you ahead of the storm. As flash flood or severe thunderstorm warnings come into the 24/7 Weather Center from the National Weather Service, we will immediately run our crawl to alert you. Tornado warnings will also run on the crawler, and if within our viewing area, programming will be briefly interrupted to warn you of the storm.

I know when we have to interrupt programming for a tornado warning, it can be frustrating for someone in Jefferson County when tornadoes might be occurring in Central Arapahoe County or Washington County. Please understand that this is our duty as a media outlet. When severe weather is happening this summer, we just ask for your patience and your best thoughts for our friends in the affected areas as storms pass through Colorado. Together, we'll all get through this time of year as informed and safely as possible!

If you are away from your television and computer, remember our weather line at 303-832-0247 and our radio partners...

AM 1430, KEZW
The Mountain, 99.5 FM
KOSI 101.1 FM
ALICE 105.9 FM
1310 KFKA in Greeley

Another good item to own is a NOAA Weather Radio. These can run off battery or electricity and are great for when outdoors or if the power goes out.

Be weatherwise this summer and don't get caught off guard. Know your resources for getting watch and warning information, what they mean, and what your plan of action for each will be.

The 24/7 Weather Center will be here working day and night to help keep you ahead of the storm. If you have any questions or need more information, don't hesitate to contact us. 303-832-0291 or email weather@theDENVERchannel.com anytime!

April 16, 2006 - Fantastic Easter Forecast

Sunny and warm for Easter Sunday, absolutely perfect for all your activities. Enjoy the day with your friends and family.

The week looks nice, with a cool down in store starting Tuesday, along with the chance for showers.

April 15, 2006 - Severe Weather Outbreak Today For The Upper Midwest

An upper level disturbance moving out of the Rockies today will bring a severe weather outbreak to the Upper Midwest, with a high threat for tornadoes and destructive hail in eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, northwest Missouri, and northeast Kansas.

It was just a few days ago when seven tornadoes touched down in eastern Iowa, killing one, and causing major damage in Iowa City.

Be sure to check out our Storm Chasers' Blog to see what they are up to. Both Tony and Roger are planning on heading to Nebraska to chase down any tornadoes that form. The blog can be seen by clicking here.

That threat will shift east for Sunday.

Here in Colorado the disturbance will bring some wind, clouds, a few isolated showers and cooler temperatures today. But things will rebound nicely just in time for Easter Sunday.

April 14, 2006 - Record Heat Thursday

Afternoon temperatures climbed to record levels yesterday, from Grand Junction to Denver and Colorado Springs to Pueblo.

Denver hit 85 degrees

Colorado Springs hit 83 degrees

Pueblo hit 90 degrees

Grand Junction hit 82 degrees

Alamosa hit 75 degrees

For many locations, including Denver, it was the warmest April 13 since the year of 1992!

Today will be just as warm with locations climbing back into the 70s and 80s.

Colorado isn't alone, new record highs were set on Thursday from Minnesota to Texas.

If you are heading to the southeast for Easter, get ready for some hot weather at the egg hunts. Highs from Oklahoma City to Little Rock, and Dallas to Atlanta will be in the upper 80s to lower 90s. That is more typical of August rather than April.

April 13, 2006 - Climate Seminar Huge Success

A great big thank you to the Omni Hotel in Broomfield for such wonderful hospitality, to our talented panel of speakers, and our wonderful 7NEWS viewers for attending last night's climate seminar.

We had right around 300 in attendance for a night full of interesting facts on such a fascinating subject.

The weather will be warm and dry today statewide, making fire danger a concern in the foothills and on the plains. Be extra careful when outdoors today.

April 12, 2006 - Free Climate Seminar Tonight

It is not too late to RSVP for our free climate seminar tonight at the Omni Hotel in Broomfield.

We have had over 300 reserve seats for one of the most exciting to date in our ongoing series of seminars.

For more information and to RSVP, just click on Weather News in the blue navigation menu on this page. Fill out the short form to reserve your seat.

We hope to see you there!

If you are trying to RSVP after 2 p.m. in the afternoon, we won't be at the station to receive your email. Just go ahead and come on out to the Omni and we'll get you signed up at the door.

The seminar gets underway around 6:45 p.m. but you can arrive at 6:00 to watch 7NEWS. We'll be doing the weather live.

Again, this is a free event so feel free to invite your friends, neighbors, and co-workers.

April 11, 2006 - What Is Up With These Wilds Winds

I have had so many calls and emails this year about the wild winds. So just what is causing them?

A dry, windy winter and spring is actually characteristic of a year when La Nina is present.

La Nina is the periodic cooling of the eastern Pacific equitorial waters.

During a La Nina, a swift jet stream flow dominates our weather, usually bringing a series of storm systems into the state. The problem is they lose all their moisture over the northwest mountains and by the time they reach us, are nothing but just wind and clouds.

Forecasters predict La Nina will be with us through the next six weeks.

The last really windy year in Colorado was 1999-2000, and oddly enough, it was a La Nina year.

April 10, 2006 - New Feature On The Weather Page

The newest feature on TheDenverChannel.com is hosted by our very own Weekend Morning Meteorologist, Jessica Jamison!

In her section of the weather page called Jess' Garden, you can get facts, tips, links to resources and more.

This feature is brand new and will develop over the days and weeks ahead. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Just look for the link to Jess' Garden in the blue navigation menu of this page.

April 8, 2006 - Fine Weekend Weather In Store

Any snow that fell on Friday won't be around too long as we warm back into the 60s and 70s this weekend under mostly sunny skies. It will even be as warm as the upper 50s in the mountains if you are heading up to ski.

With the recent snow and warm temperatures, avalanche danger is moderate to considerable just about statewide, so make sure you take all the proper precautions if you plan to be in the backcountry.

The storm system that affected Colorado is now well east of us, reaking havoc in the southeastern states. Friday was the second deadly day in less than a week for residents of western and middle Tennessee. Dozens of twisters touched down from Mississippi and Alabama up through Tennessee and Kentucky.

April 7, 2006 - Strong Storm Creates Severe Weather

A very potent springtime storm system brought 220 reports of severe weather yesterday to Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Arkansas, Texas, Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. Over a dozen tornadoes were spotted Thursday, mostly in eastern Kansas.

Today will bring another round of severe weather, this time to some of the southern states. There appears to be a bullseye painted on the maps from Mississippi to Georgia. Hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes will be likely.

Back here closer to home, a really deep area of low pressure is spinning up to our east over Kansas and Nebraska. Around a low pressure you get what we call a tight pressure gradient in meteorology lingo. That is the change of pressure with distance, which in this case, is a large change over a short distance.

When this happens, the result is wind, as the atmosphere tries to balance itself and achieve equilibrium. The larger the pressure difference, the stronger the wind will be.

The northern mountains and much of eastern Colorado will see winds gustings to near hurricane force this morning and early afternoon, subsiding later today as the low pressure moves east.

April 6, 2006 - New Feature: Storm Chaser's Blog

New to the weather page is the 24/7 Weather Center's Storm Chasing Blog.

This feature will allow you to virtually stormchase with three of the best in the business. Starting Thursday afternoon you will be able to find this feature in the blue navigation menu of the weather page.

For now, you can preview it by clicking here.

The storm system affecting Colorado today will reak havoc once again on some already hard hit areas of the southern plains in the days to come.

Check the storm chaser's blog to see what our storm chasers have to say about the expected outbreak.

Have a great day!

April 5, 2006 - A Tale Of Two Seasons Today

A strong storm system from the Pacific will slice through Colorado today, with rain in the western valleys and snow in the mountains. Snow will be heavy at times in elevations above 9,000 feet along and west of the divide.

In Denver, along I-25, and on the plains it will be warm and windy with scattered high-based thunderstorms in the late afternoon. The wind and warmth will combine with low relative humidity to create potentially explosive fire conditions. A red flag warning will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. for all of eastern Colorado on Wednesday, including the foothills and the Palmer Divide.

A cool down will follow the weather maker for Thursday and Friday, with temperatures rebounding just in time for the weekend under mostly sunny skies both Saturday and Sunday.

April 4, 2006 - Historical Moment In Time Tomorrow

Tomorrow will be a historical moment in our lifetime, with something only happening every 100 years set to occur.

At two minutes and three seconds after 1 a.m. the time will be 01:02:03 and the date will be 04/05/06.

Put that all together and you have 01:02:03, 04-05-06.

It may not be something you want to set your alarm clocks to witness, but nonetheless, an interesting fact to share with those on your email list. Just send them a link to Mike's Blog.

Have a great day and watch 7NEWS tonight at 5, 6, and 10 p.m. for the latest on an approaching storm system that will affect Colorado's weather later tonight in the west, and in Denver and on the plains Wednesday.

April 3, 2006 - Climate Change Seminar Less Than Two Weeks Away

It's almost here! The Colorado Climate - Trouble Ahead? seminar is coming up on April 12. It will be held at the Omni Hotel in Broomfield and is free and open to the public. We just ask that you RSVP to us so we can have a seat held for you.

From this page, look for Weather News in the blue navigation menu on the left. Click there and you will see a story with all the details under local headlines. Inside the story is a short RSVP form to fill out.

Please feel free to invite your friends, family, co-workers or neighbors.

Today won't be nearly as windy as Sunday was around the region. Above is a link to some dramatic pictures our 7NEWS viewers caught of that explosive grass fire near Broomfield and Westminster.

Have a great day and thanks for watching 7NEWS. Tune in tonight at 5 pm for the latest information on a possible midweek storm system that will affect our weather.

April 2, 2006 - Expect Windy Conditions Today

We'll see another round of very gusty winds this afternoon over eastern Colorado, with gusts as high as 50 mph possible. The winds will be out of the northwest so there will be a chill in the air despite temperatures in the 50s.

It won't be as chilly as on this date in 1936. A very strong cold front swept through the region and dropped temperatures into the single digits below zero across eastern Colorado and western Kansas.

Hopefully you got all your clocks set ahead one hour! Tonight the sun will set just before 7:30 pm, thanks to Daylight Saving Time. The days will keep growing longer until the summer solstice in June!

We have a pretty quiet week in store for the state until Wednesday, when another storm system will bring mountain snow and lower elevation rain.

April 1, 2006 - Don't Forget To Spring Forward Tonight

You will need to set your clocks ahead one hour tonight as we spring forward! The hour less of sleep tonight will mean several more hours of sunlight in the days to come. This means you will have more time to get out and work in the yard or take that evening walk.

We'll gain sunlight each day through late June when the summer solstice arrives on June 21, which is the longest day of the year in terms of daylight.