August 31, 2006 - Severe Storms Possible Today Across Eastern Colo.

A strong cold front will usher in much cooler weather later today and into Friday, making the first few days of September feel more like October.

Ahead of the front expect some gusty winds out of the south, with a chance for a few severe thunderstorms on the eastern plains, along and east of I-25. The highest probability will be found closer to the Kansas border, where low-level moisture is greater.

Behind the front expect gusty winds from the north to usher in temperatures some 20 to 30 degrees cooler than yesterday's afternoon high.

Showers and cooler weather will linger into Saturday before a warming trend sets up for the rest of the long holiday weekend.

If you are heading to the mountains, snow levels between tonight and Saturday morning could drop as low as 9,000 feet, perhaps even a little bit lower.

No widespread travel troubles or significant accumulations are expected, but it just serves as a reminder that fall isn't too far away.

Stay with 7NEWS, TheDenverChannel.com and Comcast Digital Cable Channel 247 for all the latest today. The sidebar linked to this story has all the great resources for you to track the incoming cold front.

Live radar, seven different radar views of Colorado, My 24-7 Weather and the Severe Weather Page are just a few of the great tools at hand.

August 30, 2006 - Ernesto Makes First Of Two Expected U.S. Landfalls

Ernesto moved into south Florida on Tuesday, bringing some gusty winds and rain, but nothing like this storm weary state has seen from past tropical systems.

The storm is expected to track northward today, making a slight turn to the northeast in time. This will bring the tropical storm back over warm waters of the Gulf Stream.

Some strengthening is possible before the storm makes a second landfall in the Carolinas over the Labor Day weekend.

Get the latest information right here in the Tropical Update section of our weather page. Look for the link in the blue navigation menu on the left.

August 29, 2006 - Another Crisp Morning Across Colorado

It felt more like fall across Colorado once again this morning, with widespread 30s and 40s reported.

Denver dropped to 48 degrees while Greeley's overnight low was 45 degrees. It was even cooler in Limon with a low of 41 degrees.

In the mountains it was even colder with a low of 31 degrees at Leadville, and 39 degrees in the Gunnison Valley.

A warming trend will take place now through Thursday before another shot of cooler, unsettled weather arrives on Friday.

August 28, 2006 - Drier, Warmer Weather Returns To Forecast

A warming and drying trend will settle into Colorado today with temperatures climbing back to the mid and upper 80s by Wednesday. Some lower 90s will even be possible across the eastern plains.

But looking ahead to the long Labor Day weekend, it appears another cold front will threaten the region with cooler and unsettled weather making a return by late Friday.

Elsewhere, all eyes are on south Florida as Tropical Storm Ernesto gains strength and moves north.

Get the latest information under Tropical Update in the blue navigation menu on this page.

August 27, 2006 - First Hurricane Of Season Will Threaten U.S.

Tropical Storm Ernesto was upgraded to a hurricane overnight and is expected to strike Jamaica and Cuba during the next 24 to 36 hours.

After that the forecast track takes the storm into the eastern Gulf of Mexico where storm weary residents are monitoring the situation closely.

It was just this time last year when Hurricane Katrina was just a few hundred miles off shore.

Get the latest information in our Tropical Update section on the weather page.

August 26, 2006 - Strong To Severe Storms Possible Saturday

Some thunderstorms are possible today across Colorado, and a few could be strong to severe with locally heavy rain, large hail and damaging wind.

Click on the severe weather link in the blue navigation bar on this page for resources to keep track of the latest watches and warnings. You will also find the Radar page helpful with seven different views of Colorado.

If you have outdoor plans late this afternoon and evening, it would be wise to have a plan-B ready to go in case threatening weather moves into your area.

August 23, 2006 - Tropical Storm Debby Forms In Atlantic

The fourth named storm of the season formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday, several days away for any major land mass.

Debby was located 300 miles west of the southern most Cape Verde Islands, near the African continent. Movement is to the northwest at 18 mph.

Some additional strengthening is expected with this storm, and the current track would take it into the open Atlantic, and on path toward the island of Bermuda.

It bears watching, but no immediate threat to the United States is expected through the weekend.

We have a great tropical feature right here on TheDenverChannel.com, just look in the blue navigation bar on this page.

August 22, 2006 - Southwest Monsoon Continues

The southwest monsoon has been active this year, with widespread heavy rain falling over much of Arizona, New Mexico and west Texas. From time to time we have seen that moisture work into Colorado with beneficial rainfall.

So when does the monsoon typically end?

It can be as early as mid-August and as late as the end of September. The average end date is September 7.

In the short-term, the heavy rain threat continues today with flash flood watches covering much of New Mexico and portions of west Texas.

August 20, 2006, 8:00 PM - Tornadoes Touch Down Near Bennett

A severe thunderstorm rapidly developed over central Adams County on Sunday afternoon, spawning at least two tornadoes.

Dozens of people from all around the Denver metro saw this storm and it's tornadoes. Pictures from 7NEWS viewers came streaming into the Digital Album from as far away as the Tech Center and Coal Creek Canyon.

You can see these pictures in the Digital Album, linked above.

There were no reports of damage or injuries as of this posting.

August 20, 2006 - Heavy Rain Hits Central Arapahoe County

Daytime heating on Saturday combined with plenty of moisture in place to create a line of thunderstorms. Heavy rain fell across portions of the Denver metro, with a high water rescue performed at one flooded intersection.

East of the city the storms refired over central Arapahoe County, dropping anywhere from 1.00 to 1.50 inches of rain.

We could see a similar scenario today so get those rain gauges ready in case storms develop where you live.

August 19, 2006 - Front Brings Hail, Heavy Rain To Plains

The cold front arrived on Friday and brought a round of slow-moving, strong thunderstorms to east-central Colorado. Heavy rain and hail fell from portions of Lincoln County south to Otero County, and east to Kit Carson County.

The heavy rain caused flooding in southeastern Kit Carson County -- up to two feet of water was flowing over Highway 385 around mile marker 175 on Friday night.

Hail the size of grapes piled up to 6 inches deep damaging crops in some locations.

In the higher elevations it was a chilly, almost fall-like rain. By 9 pm Friday night, temperatures were hovering in the upper 40s with light rain and mist in the foothills.

Snow fell on Mount Evans, closing the highest paved road in North America from Echo Lake to the summit late Friday.

Today the atmosphere will not be as explosive, but with some afternoon heating, we could generate a few thunderstorms along and east of the foothills.

Meantime, turn off your air conditioners and enjoy this cool, Canadian air. It is great weather to sit down and relax with a good book, or work on something like a hobby or craft.

August 18, 2006 - Cold Front To Bring Unsettled Weekend

A Canadian cold front swept through Colorado early this morning, about 4 to 6 hours faster than previously anticipated. That will keep us 3 to 6 degrees cooler than our high on Thursday.

As we get daytime heating this afternoon expect the radar screens to potentially get busy -- in fact we could even be dealing with a few isolated severe thunderstorms.

The biggest threat today will be moderate to heavy rain from storms, and that could mean some flooding concerns.

7NEWS is your best source for news and weather coverage. Stay with us, TheDenverChannel.com and Comcast Digital Cable Channel 247 for the latest.

Don't forget to check My 24/7 Weather for the detailed hourly forecast where you live -- that link can be found at the top of the blue navigation menu on the weather page.

August 17, 2006 - Happy Birthday To Xeriscape

This week is the 25th year since Denver Water introduced us to the term xeriscape, and to celebrate, Aurora is throwing a party at their Xeriscape Garden, located at Chambers and Alameda in Aurora.

Xeriscape comes from the Greek work xeros, which means dry, and from the word landscape.

Xeriscaping is different then zeroscaping, which is mostly the use of rock and gravel with just a few plants such as cactus. Xeriscaping means to use plants that can adapt to the local climate in a garden that is designed to reduce runoff of precipitation.

So if you are in Aurora Friday evening, drop by the gardens and enjoy some food, music, and migle with the experts of xeriscape.

August 16, 2006 - Cause Behind Tuesday Night's Showers

A few light thundershowers moved through the Denver metro area Tuesday night. We usually don't see precipitation too long after sunset during the warm months of the year -- so what happened?

Storms from early in the afternoon and evening over the foothills to our northwest sent strong outflow winds into the Denver metro from the north and northwest.

Meanwhile, winds at the surface were moving into the area from the south and southeast, gusty at times.

These two winds collided over the metropolitan area and created what we call in meteorology -- convergence, or rising air. It showed up clearly on radar as a boundary of cloud development from the rising vertical motion -- with the result being a few light thundershowers.

We mostly saw lightning and wind but a few places did receive a quick rainfall.

Sometimes you don't need a large-scale feature like a major cold front or large area of low pressure to create weather. Weather can create additional weather -- and it can happen on the smallest of scales.

Had this happened during the day with daytime heating we could have seen a brief line of strong storms develop. But once the sun sets the atmosphere usually stabilizes somewhat because we have lost the engine, or heating of the day.

August 15, 2006 - Check Out Our Viewers' Pics

We have had some incredible pictures uploaded to us since the first of the month. Flooding, lightning, hail, rainbows, sunrises, sunsets and more.

The August Digital Album is linked above so be sure to check these shots out.

If you have a great picture send it our way -- it might just make it on the nightly weather segment!

August 14, 2006 - Storms Drop Heavy Rain Across Parts Of Metro

The CoCoRaHS network really comes in handy on a day like today. By visiting their website and clicking on the Denver metro map, you can clearly see who saw heavy rain last night.

Just click here and select the Denver metro map to see the storm's footprint.

Portions of Broomfield, Thornton, Denver, and Littleton were drenched from the weather system.

More slow moving storms are possible today. The coverage may not be as widespread as it was Sunday night, however.

August 13, 2006 - Cooler Weather Filters Into Colorado

A cold front has brought some comfortable weather to eastern Colorado with highs in the mid 70s to lower 80s expected.

There will be a chance for showers and thunderstorms Sunday evening, mainly over southern Colorado and along the higher terrain.

August 12, 2006 - CoCoRaHS Shows Pocket Of Heavy Rain

A slow moving thunderstorm developed over southeast Aurora Friday afternoon and dropped a half to three-quarters of an inch of rain in a short period of time. There was also intense cloud-to-ground lightning with the storm.

7NEWS' traffic reporter, Jayson Luber, caught some incredible images from AirTracker7. These are linked above in the slideshow for you to see.

The rain caused some flooding and a temporary closure of Quincy Road near the Aurora Reservoir.

You can clearly see this pocket of heavy rain with the CoCoRaHS network. Just click here and select the Denver metro map to see the storm's footprint.

More heavy rain is possible over the weekend as a cold front moves into the state.

August 10, 2006 - August Full Moon

The Full Moon this month is known as the Full Sturgeon Moon.

The fishing tribes of American Indians are given credit for the naming of this Moon, since sturgeon, a large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water, were most readily caught during this month.

A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because, as the Moon rises, it appears reddish through any sultry haze.

It was also called the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.

August 8, 2006 - Small Tornado Near Colby, Kansas

Monday afternoon turned active in the northeast corner of Colorado with slow-moving, severe thunderstorms.

Some locations in Phillips and Yuma Counties recorded over 2 inches of rain along with large hail.

One storm produced a tornado after crossing into Kansas.

The twister touched down near I-70 and Highway 25, damaging the pool area of a motel. Some guests were injured by flying glass and debris.

It then tracked to the west-northwest for another three miles, damaging some road signs. The tornado stayed out of the main city limits and population center of Colby.

August 7, 2006 - Tornadoes Strike Along Canadian Border

Tornadoes struck in and around the town of Warroad, Minnesota, on Saturday.

Warroad is located along the Canadian border west of International Falls.

Damage was reported along a path 19 miles long, mainly on the north side of town. A window factory was hit hard as well as a campground on Lake of the Woods.

The twisters stayed north of the main population of Warroad, and thankfully the police had time to evacuate the crowded campground.

Another tornado touched down east of Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, on Saturday. One woman was killed as the deadly twister tore through a resort on Gull Lake.

August 6, 2006 - Extreme Weather Plaques Nation

It has been a summer with extreme weather around the nation, and it continues today.

In fact, some of the biggest headlines are coming from the state of Texas.

Places like Dallas and Fort Worth continue to suffer from a prolonged heatwave with highs in the low 100s. That heat extends up into the central plains of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. The mid-south has also been very hot from Little Rock and Memphis south to the Gulf Coast.

Meanwhile in El Paso, Texas, heavy rains have caused widespread flooding and the failure of at least one dam.

Severe thunderstorms have plaques the upper midwest over the past few days, and isolated severe weather has caused damage in portions of the south, including around Atlanta, Georgia.

August 4, 2006 - Average Summer Weekend On Tap

A typical late-summer weekend is in store across Colorado with no widespread heat in the forecast. Highs at lower elevations should be mostly in the upper 80s with a few lower 90s scattered about.

Higher elevations should see highs from the upper 60s to the upper 70s each day.

There will be a chance for showers and thunderstorms each day, most numerous in and near the higher elevations.

August 3, 2006 - Slow Moving Storms Possible Today

A slow moving thunderstorm brought up to a half inch of rain around portions of the northern metro area on Wednesday. The heaviest fell west of I-25 and north of I-70 and in the Commerce City vicinity.

We could see a few more storms today that will produce locally heavy rain and plenty of cloud-to-ground lightning.

One viewer called from Westminster on Tuesday concerned over the lightning. Something to remember is that all thunderstorms will produce lightning, rather they are severe or not.

When thunderstorms are present, stay away from doors and windows until they pass just to ensure your maximum safety. Follow all other lightning safety tips, such as staying off the phone and away from your indoor plumbing (don't take showers or baths).

August 2, 2006 - Heavy Rain Hits Southeast Metro

Portions of the southeast metro area were hit hard by heavy rain late Tuesday afternoon. The skies opened up from Highlands Ranch east and northeast to Park Meadows Mall, Centennial and southeast Aurora.

Numerous locations picked up between one and two inches of rain, with just over two inches near Beverly Hills in northern Douglas County.

There were several reports of street flooding, including a temporary road closure on Arapahoe Road between Holly and Quebec.

Be sure to check out the CoCoRaHS reports for the metro area today. You will see a fascinating map of the storm's footprint. Just click here to go to their website. Once there, select view maps and then choose the Denver metro.

August 1, 2006 - Look Back At July 2006

July 2006 will end up above normal for temperature and below normal for precipitation.

The afternoon high in Denver averaged right around 91 degrees with lows about 62 degrees for the month. We saw 21 days with a high at or above 90 degrees with three of those at or above 100 degrees.

Precipitation was roughly 0.70 inches below normal.

Two new record highs were set and one record warm overnight low.

The month brought one cool snap the weekend after Independence Day. Highs stayed in the low to mid 60s on July 8 and 9 with widespread light rain along the Front Range. It was a welcome relief from the heat!