June 29, 2006 - Hot Facts Of June 2006

With a high of 90 degrees yesterday we are now tied for the most number of 90 degree days in the month of June. Wednesday was day 17.

The forecast calls for low 90s both today and Friday, so we should set a new record.

The recent cool down broke our chances for having the warmest June on record, but we'll likely end in the top 5.

It will also be one of the top 5 driest Junes on record unless we see a decent rain this afternoon or Friday, which isn't too likely.

June 28, 2006 - Heavy Rain Continues Along East Coast

A stationary cold front sitting along the Appalachian Mountains continues to bring very heavy rain to the east coast, with many places from North Carolina into Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania seeing flooding.

Hard-hit has been Washington, D.C. where many government buildings have been flooded, including the I.R.S..

It is a good-news, bad-news situation because many places had a large rainfall deficit, up to 12 inches. Now that gap is closed, but because the rain has fallen all at once, it is producing widespread flooding.

We have more information under the Weather News section of this page. Just look in the blue navigation bar for the link.

June 25, 2006 - Fantastic Viewer Pictures

Large hail and very heavy rain fell from Boulder south through Lakewood and into western Douglas County Saturday afternoon. Several of our 7NEWS viewers caught some amazing pictures of the storm.

Look in the June Digital Album, linked above, for more.

Also, the storm dropped some much needed rain on portions of the Denver metro. Check the CoCoRaHS website to see a footprint left behind from Saturday's storm.

June 24, 2006 - Lightning Safety Summary

Lightning Safety Awareness Week ends today. Hopefully you have been able to learn a bit more about this topic, as well as what to do when a storm strikes.

This time of year when thunderstorms approach we have to fear lightning ignited wildfires. The threat usually increases quite significantly after the middle of June as we enter the hot weather of summer. It generally subsides after September.

With our fairly arid climate, most summer days bring hot temperatures and low relative humidity.

Add in dry and gusty high based afternoon thunderstorms that produce little in the way of rain, but much in the way of lightning, and you have a dangerous combination.

About 2,500 wildfires occur each year in Colorado, and half are due to lightning.

During periods of high fire potential in our forests and range lands, there is nothing we can do to avoid lightning, but there are measures to take that can help prevent human-caused fires.

Always be careful when using matches outdoors. Make sure the hot parts of equipment, like mufflers, don't come in contact with dry grasses or brush. If you become trapped or cutoff by a fire, seek shelter in areas with little to no fuel, like rock slide areas or lakes.

June 23, 2006 - Medical Affects From Lightning Strikes

While lightning can certainly kill, injuries sustained from a lightning strike can be just as tragic, if not more devastating.

Life can change dramatically for those who get struck by lightning. In addition to physical pain and mental anguish, the strike can mean a loss of income and medical bills that total more than a family's assets. If someone gets struck by lightning, it is critical that medical attention is received immediately. A lightning strike victim does not carry an electrical charge and is safe to handle.

In the event of a person being struck, first call 911. Check the victim to see if he or she is breathing and has a pulse, and continue to monitor this until help arrives. If necessary, begin CPR. Cardiac arrest is the most common cause of death in lightning fatalities. If possible, move the victim to a safe location.

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

June 22, 2006 - Lightning Safety Indoors

The safest place to be when lighting threatens your area is indoors. A house or substantial building offers the best protection. Always avoid open shelters such as in parks or on athletic fields.

There are three main ways lightning can enter a home or building. One is through a direct strike, another is through wires or pipes that extend outside the structure. The third way is something you might not think about, but lightning can enter your home or office through the ground.

Regardless of how it enters, lightning can travel through your electrical and phone lines, and plumbing. Don’t take showers, do laundry, wash dishes or your hands during a thunderstorm.

Phone use is the leading cause of indoor injuries due to lightning. Lightning can travel long distances through phone and power lines, particularly in the rural areas. Always stay away from doors and windows during a thunderstorm, and never lay on a concrete floor as it may contain a wire mesh.

Basements in general are safe, but avoid the concrete walls in case lightning conducts through the rebar that may be inside.

Pets are susceptible to lightning strikes too. Dog houses are not safe from lightning strikes.

June 21, 2006 - Lightning Safety Outdoors

The most dangerous place to be during a thunderstorm is outdoors. In 2005 there were over 200 injuries due to lightning and 43 of those victims died. Finishing the game, mowing the lawn, or getting a tan just isn’t worth the potential outcome if you were to be struck by lightning from an approaching thunderstorm.

So what do you do to protect yourself when outdoors? Watch for darkening cloud bases or rapidly growing columns of cumulus clouds. Those are the big, cotton-ball looking clouds. If you are able to hear thunder, seek shelter immediately because you are close enough that lightning could strike.

One response for lightning protection is to use the 30/30 Rule. It states if the time between the lightning flash and thunder is 30 seconds or less, seek shelter for at least 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder can be heard.

If caught outside with no sturdy shelter, squat low to the ground and cover you ears. Put your chin to your chest, making yourself the smallest object with minimal contact to the ground.

Avoid metal objects like bicycles, motorcycles, golf clubs, fishing poles and tennis rackets. You should immediately get out of the water if swimming. In tomorrow’s article we will talk about indoor safety.

June 20, 2006 - Science Behind Lighting

Lightning forms due to the separation of positive and negative charges within the thunderstorm cloud. Negative charges gather near the cloud base while positive charges gather at the top.

On the ground under the cloud the surface becomes positively charged. As the cloud moves this area of charge follows it like a shadow.

When the electric potential between the charges becomes too great, a discharge of electricity occurs.

When you see lightning you are actually seeing the return stroke from the ground, not the original surge downward from the cloud. A step leader is the surge of negative ions that drops down from the bottom of the cloud. As it approaches the ground streamers of positive ions move upward through tall objects. This is why you feel your hair rise sometimes before lightning strikes.

Once the positive charge meets the negative streamer from the cloud you have lightning.

Most lightning strikes are negative, but about 10 percent are positive strikes, meaning it is the same process only reversed. The lightning is made of positive streamers from the top of the cloud meeting with negative charges from the ground.

Positive flashes often catch people off guard, happen out ahead of the storm, contain more current, can travel longer distances and are more destructive.

June 19, 2006 - Lightning Safety Overview

Lightning is known as the underrated killer -- killing more people in the United States on average each year than tornadoes and hurricanes.

Lightning -- 67 deaths per year

Tornadoes -- 65 deaths per year

Hurricanes -- 14 deaths per year

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

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

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

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

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

Check the blog each day this week for a new topic about lightning, including the science of lightning and safety information.

June 18, 2006 - Lightning And Wildfire Preparedness Week Begins Today

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads!

This week is Lightning and Wildfire Preparedness Week around Colorado. Each day the blog will contain a new message ranging from the science of lightning to safety information. We'll also give you some interesting facts and talk about medical issues that can result from being struck by a bolt of lightning.

For now enjoy today and get ready for more heat heading into Monday! We could near some record high territory once again.

June 17, 2006 - Back To Highs In The 80s, Eventually 90s

It will warm back up today with highs climbing into the 80s, and by Sunday into Monday we'll once again be talking 90s. Some afternoon highs will approach record levels by Tuesday in a few cities.

For now enjoy the 80s today and have a safe weekend!

June 16, 2006 - Much Cooler Today, Few Strong Storms East

This afternoon will be some 20 to 30 degrees cooler than it was just a few days ago when much of eastern Colorado soared into the low 100s.

There is also a good chance for some showers and thunderstorms today, with a few on the eastern plains becoming strong to severe this afternoon. There is a little more surface moisture available in the eastern counties to fuel storms.

This will clear out in time for the weekend with mostly sunny skies in store both Saturday and Sunday. Highs should climb into the 80s, approaching 90 degrees on Sunday.

It should be a great time to be outdoors for Father's Day!

June 15, 2006 - Several New Records Set Wednesday

Whew! It was a hot one Wednesday. Several cities set new records, including Denver with a high of 102 degrees.

Not only was that a record, but it was also the earliest 100 degree temperature ever recorded in a given year. The previous was June 23, 1954.

It was just the 7th time a 100 degree temperature has been recorded during the month of June in Denver since records began in 1872.

Other new record highs set Wednesday include 102 degrees at Pueblo and Yuma, 103 degrees at Burlington, and a tie of 94 degrees in Colorado Springs.

Today should be much cooler with highs forecasted in the mid-80s to near 90 degrees for Denver and much of northeastern Colorado. Our friends in the southeast counties have one more day of heat before a break to start the weekend.

June 14, 2006 - Seeing Clouds Like Never Before

NASA's new CloudSat satellite captured it's first Tropical Storm the other day, sending home pictures of Alberto as it spun over the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday.

CloudSat helps to fill in the gaps from two other tools already in place to track storms. NEXRAD radar can track storms off the coast, but only within 250 miles of the shoreline.

The GOES-12 satellite can look down onto clouds, but it only sees the cloud tops.

CloudSat fills in the gaps by looks down into the storm beyond the cloud tops, and by scanning radar data outside the 250-mile offshore limit.

To learn more and to see pictures of Alberto in this new dimension, click here.

June 13, 2006 - Tropical Storm Alberto Makes Landfall

Tropical Storm Alberto has made landfall in the Big Bend of Florida near Keaton Beach, pushing several feet of water onshore due to storm surge and high tide. We are also currently in Full Moon which makes the high tide even higher.

Alberto has produced heavy rain and brought several tornadoes to the Sunshine State over the past 48 hours. Anywhere from 2 to 6 inches of rain has fallen and up to 4 more inches is possible in some locations.

Meanwhile back here in Colorado our weather story will be the heat!! Get ready for widespread 90s and even a few low 100s across eastern and western Colorado. The mountains will be in the mid 70s to lower 80s.

Over the past several days we have had some really awesome weather pictures uploaded to our Digital Album. This is linked above for your viewing pleasure.

June 12, 2006 - More Storms Possible This Afternoon

Eastern Colorado could see another round of strong to severe thunderstorms today.

Storms developed Sunday afternoon around Arvada and Westminster dropping up to 1 inch diameter hail.

They moved east and dropped heavy rain , hail, and winds over 50 mph in southern Weld County.

The storms joined up with others developing from Colorado Springs up through Elbert County to form a powerful line of storms.

Limon picked up 0.73 inches of rain and had temperatures fall from the 70s to the mid-50s with the rain. Akron picked up over a half inch of rain.

Storms today could pack a punch with strong winds and large hail.

June 11, 2006 - Few Strong Storms Possible Sunday

The Storms Prediction Center has eastern Colorado and southeast Wyoming along and east of Interstate 25 outlooked for a slight risk of a few severe thunderstorms Sunday.

The main threat would be strong damaging winds and hail.

This time of year we look at surface dew point temperatures to see where the best fuel for thunderstorms to feed on is located.

Dew point temperatures are a measure of the amount of moisture in the air. The higher the dew point, the more humid the atmosphere.

From Denver east to Kansas dew point temperatures were in the mid-40s to mid 50s as of 9 a.m. and if those hold into the afternoon, there will be enough moisture for storms to generate once combined with daytime heating.

Saturday brought some severe stroms to extreme east-central Colorado and a few tornadoes in western Nebraska. There were no injuries reported but there was some damage to a few homes and road signs.

Stay with 7NEWS for all the latest weather information today

June 10, 2006 - First Tropical System Of Season Forms Near Cuba

Tropical Depression One formed off the western tip of Cuba late Friday into early Saturday, bringing wind and heavy rain to some locations. Places on Grand Cayman have seen up to 10 inches of rain in recent days.

There is a chance this storm will form into the first tropical storm of the season. It will be named Alberto. If it does so, Alberto should move into the Gulf of Mexico and turn northeast toward Florida at a pretty rapid clip.

This is good news because Florida badly needs some rainfall.

The current forecast does not develop this storm into a hurricane.

We have maps and radars available right here on TheDenverChannel.com to keep track of this storm. For the Caribbean Satellite click here. For a radar and satellite composite click here.

June 9, 2006 - 90 Degree Stats For June In Denver

We've already seen seven consecutive days of 90 degree or higher weather in Denver this June, and today could be day 8. Have we ever seen heat like this before?

Well, yes and no.

We have certainly seen it this hot early in June, but normally not this prolonged so early in the month.

There are two streaks of 90 degree heat in June for Denver in the weather records. For this purpose, a streak is defined as 10 or more days in a row.

One dates back to June 20-30 of 1900, an 11-day streak.

The other was June 21-30 of 1919, a 10-day streak.

In a typical June we should see six days of 90 degree heat. So far this year there have been 7, all consecutive days.

Should we stay in the 90s through Sunday it will not only be a new streak for June, but the earliest on record for the city.

Some of the Junes with the most 90s were pretty recent, including 2002 with 17 days at or above 90 degrees and in 2001 there were 12 days.

Can the month of June have no 90 degree days? Sure! The most recent were 2003 and 1972.

June 8, 2006 - So Far, So Good In The Tropics

It's quiet right now in the Atlantic Basin and that is some good news for residents along the weary Gulf Coast. This time last year we already had our first named storm with a second one just days away from organizing.

Typically the first named storm comes on or after July 11 each year.

It is very rare to get June storms, much less two in the same month. In fact, other than last year that has only happened about a dozen times since the mid-1800s.

June 7, 2006 - Colorado On Fire Watch

Dry thunderstorms are in the forecast today for much of western Colorado, and that is bad news. Dry thunderstorms mean a lot of wind and lightning but little to no rainfall.

Conditions are tender dry for many areas and temperatures in the 90s to lower 100s at times on the Western Slope only add fuel to the situation.

For more information about wildfire safety, including what you can do to fire proof your home and to see the latest fires burning in the region, click here.

There are currently 18 large fires burning in the United States. Five are in Florida and the rest here in the Rocky Mountain Region. One is burning in Colorado.

The Sheep Fire, 6 miles southwest of Gardner near Walsenburg in south-central Colorado, was at 100 acres late Tuesday.

June 6, 2006 - Severe Weather Possible Again

Monday brought a round of severe storms to portions of northeast and east-central Colorado. From Punkin Center in Lincoln County to Sterling in Logan County, and points east, all saw heavy rain, large hail, and a few funnel clouds.

Today there is once again a threat for severe weather in eastern Colorado, this time the greatest threat is a bit west and south of Monday's event. This does put the I-25 Urban Corridor at risk, especially from Denver south to the New Mexico state line.

Stay with TheDenverChannel.com and the 24/7 Weather Center for all the latest information this afternoon as storms develop.

June 5, 2006 - Severe Weather Possible Tuesday

Get ready for a warm, almost hot week ahead with some gusty afternoon thunderstorms possible.

The best chance for storms will come on Tuesday where some could actually reach severe levels east of I-25 on the plains.

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma has eastern Colorado outlooked for a slight risk of severe storms Tuesday.

June 3, 2006, 6:00 PM - Numerous Record Highs Set Saturday

Several new record highs were set Saturday in Colorado, including 100 degrees at Pueblo and 94 degrees in Denver.

Alamosa, Colorado Springs, Blue Mesa, Cortez, Fruita, Rangely and Yampa also set new records high temperatures in the 80s and 90s.

You couldn't even escape the heat in the high country as Aspen topped our right at 80 degrees.

June 3, 2006 - Record Highs Possible Saturday

Record heat is possible today along the western slope and on the eastern plains. Places like Denver, Fort Collins, Limon, Greeley, and Grand Junction all will top out in the mid 90s.

There could even be a few places to hit 100 degrees!

If outdoors, remember to drink plenty of fluids and keep yourself protected from the sun with a high SPF sunscreen.

June 2, 2006 - Hot, Dry Weekend In Store For Colorado

A large area of high pressure is anchoring itself over the central Rockies, and that means hot, dry, stable air for the next few days.

If you have outdoor plans this weekend you will need to wear plenty of sunscreen!

A widely scattered afternoon storm is possible, but for the most part, just hot and dry.

Our next chance for showers and storms will enter the forecast early next week.

Due to the hot, dry, and light winds in the forecast this weekend...air pollution is of concern. Those type of weather conditions allow pollutants to "cook" in the daytime heat and form ground-level ozone.

Click on weather news to learn more about the summer ozone problem along the Front Range.

June 1, 2006 - June Marks The Beginning Of Summer Ozone Season

Today is the beginning to summer ozone season along the Front Range. Starting today and lasting through the end of August, each afternoon an advisory will be issued based off the current air quality.

On days when the air quality is bad, an ozone action alert will be issued. These generally happen on days when the temperatures are above 90 degrees, skies are clear and winds are light. The alerts ask citizens to be proactive and take action to reduce ozone-causing activities.

This year the Regional Air Quality Council is asking citizens to "chill" on hot summer days – to relax and avoid the activities that cause ground-level ozone pollution such as driving, mowing the lawn, filling up the car, and painting or staining the house or deck. If you would like to take a pledge to "chill" this summer, visit this Web site.

You can find out the latest air information on the weather page of TheDenverChannel.com below the detailed forecast. We will also include the information on our forecast graphics.