Feed of Brendan's Weather Blog http://www.brendansweather.com 09 February 2012 For all intents and purposes, this forecast is a bust. The surface low has setup too far east for me to see any reason why Denver will get much more than a dusting this evening. Dry slotting along the Front Range has burned us time and again this year. For now will bump back snow totals a bit, but not rule out a snow shower or too through the night. More to come at a later date. Previous discussion. . . Light snow showers are starting to develop along the Front Range this afternoon, with snow becoming more widespread as we head into the evening hours. Little change to the overall forecast that Josh posted last night, but a few minor adjustments to snow totals may need to be made... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=UPDATE:_Light_snow_still_on_track_for_Saturday_afternoon,_night 08 February 2012 CAVEAT: What I am about to write absolutely pales in comparison to what is happening in the Northeastern United States right now, but this particular prognosticator is so snow-starved that I am to the point where even the potential of a few inches of new snow gets me excited... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Snow_Possible_Saturday_Night_into_Sunday_across_Denver_metro 07 February 2012 I have resisted to jump on the "big snow" bandwagon this week in preparation for a big let down, which now appears imminent. Snow remains in the forecast, but unless we can get a bit more of a favorable storm track over the next 36 hours, snow-lovers be warned: you may be disappointed (again)... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Snow_Wanted 05 February 2012 It has been almost exactly a year since we have seen a single snow storm bring more than 5 inches of snow to Denver. Models over the last few days have been trying to break the streak, but are having a hard time (not surprisingly) coming to a consensus on this... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Forecast_mess_ahead 29 January 2012 Snow totals came in just about as expected, despite incredible discrepancies between the models even as the snow started to fall. Snow totals along the Front Range were generally between 1 and 5 inches, with the heaviest totals in Jefferson County. Here are a few. . . http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Temperatures_back_near_60_by_the_weekend 28 January 2012 Quick update this afternoon on what has been an interesting morning in the weather model world. The GFS, which was largely dismissed after last night's rather bullish run, continued to produce a good amount of QPF for Denver this afternoon and tonight. If it were to verify, widespread totals of 3 - 6 inches would be possible, with rain on the front side the only thing keeping that from being 7 or 8 inches. It is (probably) safe to say that the GFS is still a bit too gung-ho with this system, but the overall trend has been up with precip totals, not down... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=UPDATE_on_rain_and_snow_event_for_Denver 27 January 2012 Hard to believe it, but Denver may see another round of January rain Monday, after a weekend where rain, not snow, fell along the urban corridor. Temperatures Monday will cool about ten degrees from today's high of 61°, with a slight chance of showers in the afternoon. Monday night there will be a better chance for rain changing to snow, but any accumulation should generally be light. Widespread totals of 0 - 2 inches can be expected around Denver. It is, however, important to point out that heavier snow bands are possible with this setup. If you are lucky, or unlucky, enough to get stuck under a heavier band Monday night, localized amounts of 2 - 4 inches will be possible. Both the GFS and NAM suggest the best chance for these localized higher amounts may setup east of Denver... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Cool_and_unsettled_to_begin_the_work_week 23 January 2012 I would feel worse about forecasting 70° today and being so wrong if every meteorologist in the region did not do the same thing. It happens. I might also add, we still made it to 58° which is a very respectable 14° above normal for this time of year... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Denver_fails_to_set_record_as_temperatures_fall_short 22 January 2012 The record high of 69° for January 23 set in 1981 could be in jeopardy tomorrow as Chinook winds continue to bring above normal temperatures to Colorado's Front Range. In the Brendan's Weather outdoor lab this afternoon we reached 66°, and I suspect we could be one of several locations in Denver to break 70° Wednesday... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Cold_in_the_east,_warm_in_the_west,_the_hunt_for_snow_continues 15 January 2012 While it has certainly been cold over the last few days, what Denver really needs is some snow. What are the chances we see some in the next 7 - 14 days? Dismal. The GFS produces a total of 0.02" of precipitation for Denver over the next 16 days, both hundredths are in the forecast for tonight, and not looking likely... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Forecast:_warming_trend,_continued_dry 08 January 2012 As noted in my previous post, this warmup will be short lived. Despite every kind of letdown this winter has lent itself, much colder weather still seems on track for Friday. The catch, however, is that the snow may be harder to find. What is new?... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Change_still_on_the_way,_but._._. 06 January 2012 If you did not break out the short sleeved shirt today, you might by Wednesday. Temperatures could top 60 degrees in a few spots along the urban corridor Wednesday afternoon as much of the nation experiences a quick thaw before the next blast of arctic air moves in from the north. Today we reached 51 degrees F in Denver, and after a slightly cooler day Monday, temperatures will be in the mid to upper 50s through Thursday. Enjoy! Continue reading... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Do_not_be_fooled,_winter_is_not_over! 02 January 2012 Contributor to the blog, Josh Larson, so accurately described on Twitter yesterday our chance for snow in the next 10 days as "very grim". We may have turned the page on a new year this week, but we certainly could have used a page or two turned when it comes to the weather. Models look generally stark nationwide for snow in the coming week(s?), and with the exception of some very cold air entrenched in the west, winter appears to be in for an uphill battle, at least for now... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Despite_recent_snowfall,_Colorado_numbers_still_below_average 30 December 2012 Snow is back in the forecast for Denver, but in a all too familiar way; it is hardly even worth a mention. Like the last handful of systems, models have been back and forth on totals over the last several days, and have once again settled on the lowest scenario... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Another_chance_for_(not_much)_snow_in_Denver 24 December 2012 The chance for snow mentioned in the last post still looks on track for tonight into Christmas Day. Clouds have slowly been on the increase all morning, with light snow already developing in parts of the high country... Stay warm, enjoy the light snow, and a Happy Holidays to everyone from an appreciative Brendan's Weather! http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=White_Christmas_forecast_for_Denver 22 December 2012 Everyone always wants to know, will we have a white Christmas this year? Impressively, it looks like Denver just might. I say impressively, because should it snow Christmas Eve, this will make the fifth white Christmas for Denver in the last six years. I say impressively, because getting it to snow in Denver over the last few months has been just next to impossible. Yet snow is in the forecast, and it looks more and more probable that we will have accumulating snowfall late Christmas Eve into Christmas day... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Chance_of_snow_could_mean_a_white_Christmas_for_Denver 18 December 2012 The forecast remains mostly on track from yesterday's post. This afternoon the National Weather Service dropped the Winter Storm Watch for Denver and replaced it with a Winter Weather Advisory. The Advisory goes into effect 3am Wednesday, and will likely expire Wednesday afternoon... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Snow_and_wind_on_the_way_for_Denver,_but_how_much? 17 December 2012 The National Weather Service in Boulder has done something they have not had to do in a very long time, and that is hoist a Winter Storm Watch for the greater Denver metropolitan area. The Watch goes into effect late Tuesday night through midday Wednesday. Continue reading... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Snow_on_the_way!_Winter_Storm_Watch_posted_for_Denver 16 December 2012 It has been a remarkable amount of time since a widespread snow event for northeast Colorado has looked anything close to promising. This may just be the week, as a strong cold front and upper level trough move through the state sometime late Tuesday. Lots of time between now and then for things to take shape, and given our track record this season I will emphasize my cautious optimism regarding this storm. Timing, speed, snowfall amounts, etc. . . are all questions we will be answering over the next couple of days... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Heavy_snow_in_the_west_could_finally_spell_measurable_snow_for_Denver 13 December 2012 It has been yet another week of searching high and low for any reason to put snow in the forecast for Denver. While the pattern has turned favorable for the mountains, chances for snow in Denver over the next couple of days looks dim, despite (at times) positive model runs... Continue reading to see chance for snow in Denver... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Snow-craved_Denver_will_likely_miss_out_again 07 December 2012 It has been another one of those weeks, and if you live and die on snow potential you will know exactly what I mean. As this season has gone, so went this week: high hope for a good snowstorm this weekend, to just about removing any chance for snow at all. Here is where we sit today. . . http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Little_snow_remains_in_forecast,_real_story_is_the_cold 04 December 2012 There has been little activity in the weather world since I last posted about the worsening Colorado drought, with the exception of conditions worsening even more. We need snow. We need it bad. Good news is we may just get some in the not too distant future... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Snow_back_in_the_forecast_as_winter_tries_to_make_a_comeback 14 November 2012 Several months back, things actually looked quite promising for a shift in Colorado's weather, and a nice kick to the persistent drought we have been experiencing for the last year. El Nino was expected to form in the tropical Pacific Ocean, and with any luck, it would help drive good snows to Colorado this winter. Since then things have come to look quite a bit different. Most recently, the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) dropped the El Nino watch, siting that ENSO-neutral conditions are now "favored through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2012-2013". Mark Halpert, deputy direct of the CPC called this sudden demise of a developing El Nino "unprecedented", something we have not seen in our weather keeping. You can read the entire interview with Halpert here... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Drought_continues_for_Colorado,_little_relief_in_sight 10 November 2012 As Josh mentioned in Thursday night's post, this storm has been a very tricky one from a forecasting perspective. Even as snow and graupel fall along the Front Range at this hour, final snow totals remain difficult to pinpoint... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=With_snowfall_underway,_storm_totals_still_hard_to_pin_down 08 November 2012 I know we weather types tend to suggest that every storm in Colorado is a tough one to forecast -- and in many ways this is one of the nation's most topographically difficult locations -- but this possible weekend storm is driving this particular prognosticator crazy. The result is a decidedly low confidence, high bust-potential forecast whose wrinkles may not be sorted out for another 24 hours... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=To_snow_or_not_to_snow? 07 November 2012 Downtown Denver reached 77 degrees F today, but big changes are due to arrive this weekend along the Front Range. If the forecast holds, Denver will see highs some 50 degrees colder on Sunday than where we topped out today. Until then, enjoy two more days of mild temperatures in the city before things change in a hurry Saturday... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Cold_returns_to_Colorado_this_weekend;_Winter_Storm_Watch_posted_for_southwest_mountains 05 November 2012 Quick post tonight to encourage everyone to vote Tuesday if you have not already! Wondering why you should vote? start here. Concerned the weather will not cooperate? Do not fear. The forecast calls for beautiful weather statewide tomorrow. In Denver, the high will push 70 degrees F, under mostly sunny skies. So get out, grab a friend, go vote, and enjoy this ridiculously nice November weather!... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Election_Day_Forecast 29 October 2012 Although no longer called a hurricane, Sandy is still packing winds of 85mph as it heads inland after making landfall in New Jersey around 6:00pm EDT. The storm continues to wreak havoc across the northeast tonight, and will continue to do so through the day Tuesday... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Sandy_slams_northeast_with_powerful_wind,_rain,_and_dangerous_storm_surge 26 October 2012 Hurricane Sandy continued its slow track north today, prompting several states across the northeast United States to issue a State of Emergency in preparation for the storm. Sandy is currently located near 27.3N and 77.1W off the coast of Florida, and is forecast to slowly track north off the coast of the eastern U.S. over the weekend. By late Monday, the storm is expected to take a hard left back toward land, and depending on where the eventual track ends up, should make landfall Monday night or early Tuesday morning... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Hurricane_Sandy_takes_aim_at_the_record_books;_poses_threat_to_millions 26 October 2012 With another round of snow set to hit this evening, here is a quick look at some snow totals from around the region this morning. If you have some to add, please let us know on Facebook or send a Tweet to @brendansweather!... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Morning_Snow_Totals 23 October 2012 After yet another gorgeous fall day across the region, we now focus our attention on the big changes on the way for the Denver metro area, and the state. Since we last posted about the potential for a late week snowstorm, associated with a potent blast of colder air, models have wavered back and forth between a moderate snowfall event and nothing more than a dusting... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Model_disagreement_remains_key_in_forecasting_potential_snowfall_for_Denver 21 October 2012 If you have been following on Twitter, you will have seen some mentions over the last days of big changes on the way for Denver's weather. Highs this afternoon are in the low to mid 70s around the region - by Friday we could be struggling to break 40 degrees for highs... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Big_pattern_shift_looms_as_Denver_basks_under_sunny_skies 17 October 2012 Strong winds wreaked havoc in Denver last night, with Xcel Energy reporting that as many as 40,000 customers saw at least temporary power outages from the storm. Most customers have since seen their power restored, but the cleanup of downed trees and other debris continues Wednesday night... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Damaging_winds_pound_Denver 11 October 2012 A very energetic pacific low pressure system will push its way across Southern California later tonight before moving through western Colorado overnight Friday. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for much of western Colorado, with 4 - 8 inches expect for many mountain locations above 8,000 feet by Saturday afternoon. With some time yet before the system begins impacting the state, it is quite possible these numbers could be upped, especially for snow-favored locals... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Potent_storm_heading_for_Colorado,_Midwest 10 October 2012 Last week the first snowfall forecast contest came to a close, with a whopping 0.4 inches of snow recorded on Friday, October 5 at Denver International Airport. Congratulations to the three winning constants! http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=And_the_winners_are._._. 05 October 2012 Denver International Airport officially recorded 0.4 inches of snow this morning, making it the first measurable snowfall of the season for Denver! This also means the first snowfall forecast contest held by Brendan's Weather has come to a close a day earlier than scheduled. All the votes will now be tallied, with the winners announced very shortly! http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=First_snowfall_of_the_season_in_the_books_for_Denver,_ends_forecast_contest_early 02 October 2012 The announcement from the Weather Channel (TWC) today that they will now be naming winter storms has many meteorologists around the country scratching their head. The Weather Channel seemingly chose not to collaborate with their colleagues from the National Weather Service (NWS) or elsewhere in making this decision... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=The_Weather_Channel_is_now_naming_winter_storms,_but_why? 01 October 2012 October is very much a transitional month weather wise in Colorado. We can, and regularly do, experience three seasons worth of weather in one month: summer, fall, and winter. Those who have lived here long enough know that the weather often changes on a dime: 80s one day, with a frost or freeze, or sometimes even snow, a day or two later. Here I'll endeavor to paint a picture of how we might expect our weather to behave over the month of October this year. I'll primarily be looking at past years that featured similar overall atmospheric conditions to those we are experiencing now to predict what we might expect; this is called looking at analogues... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=OCTOBER_OUTLOOK:_Trick_or_Treat? 01 October 2012 Josh is a perfect fit for the blog as he is "completely obsessed with snow", which, as many of you know, was one of the motivating factors behind the creation of this blog years ago... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Today_we_are_happy_to_introduce_a_new_contributor_to_the_blog,_Josh_Larson! 28 September 2012 As most of you already know, earlier this week Brendan's Weather opened a new contest to predict the first measurable snowfall in Denver, CO. The contest will run through next Saturday, October 6th. The goal? Predict accurately which day Denver will receive its first snowfall of the 2012 - 2013 season... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=First_snowfall_prediction_contest_underway 18 September 2012 While wildfires across at least seven western states this summer have been plentiful and destructive, dry conditions in other parts of the world have made for a tough fire season elsewhere as well. Parts of the Australian Outback have not received any rain since mid April, creating prime conditions for hot, fast-moving fire storms. Film maker, Chris Tangey, was looking for filming locations last Tuesday for a new movie outside of Alice Springs, Australia, and found himself in the wrong place as the right time to catch a rare and spectacular fire devil, or tornado. While an incredibly dangerous phenomena, the video of this fire devil is certainly worth a watch... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Video_of_rare_'fire_devil'_filmed_in_Australian_Outback 14 September 2012 Sanba has strengthened rapidly in the northwest Pacific ocean, becoming the equivalent of a very strong category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 155 mph. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) forecasts it will move slowly north/northwest toward Okinawa, Japan, before eventually tracking over South Korea. The storm is expected to hold it's strength for the next 12 hours or so before gradually weakening as it moves north... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Sanba_becomes_super_typhoon,_heads_for_Okinawa_and_South_Korea 05 September 2012 It has been a quiet, albeit hot, few months for Denver. If you love weather, you have probably strayed from Colorado's dry and uneventful summer to follow an active tropics, or an unseasonably strong storm in Alaska. The Mile High City is accustomed to wild weather, but sometimes we have to wait great amounts of time to experience such events... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Dog_days_of_weather 28 August 2012 Time will tell just how much damage will be left in the wake of Isaac, but as a very expansive category 1 hurricane, packing winds of 80 miles an hour and hours of heavy rain, there are already reports of flooding, power outages and wind damage. According to Wunderground, storm surge at Shell Beat, LA is over 9 feet. Below is the latest data from the last recon flight into Isaac:... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Isaac_makes_landfall_as_a_Category_1_hurricane 27 August 2012 It has been like watching water boil, but the inevitable seems upon us, Tropical Storm Isaac continued to strengthen today and will likely be a hurricane come the next update from the National Hurricane Center. With current sustained winds of 70 mph, Isaac needs only to strengthen to 74 mph to become a category 1 hurricane. The storm summary from the 7pm CDT NHC update is as follows:... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Awaiting_Hurricane_Isaac:_Storm_slowly_strengthening_as_it_eyes_the_Gulf_Coast 26 August 2012 Tropical Storm Isaac is lashing the Florida keys this morning, with a heavy band of wind and rain pushing toward Key West at this hour. Isaac remains a tropical storm with sustained winds of 60 miles an hour, but has shown signs of better organization over the last couple of hours. Below is the 2pm EDT update from the National Hurricane Center:... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Tropical_Storm_Isaac_heads_for_the_Gulf_of_Mexico,_set_to_become_a_hurricane 25 August 2012 Little change in the forecast and strength of tropical storm Isaac since last night. In fact, the storm's intensity has decreased slightly after traversing Haiti, and has struggled to regain some organization today. With that, little strengthening expected through the evening as the storm marches north and northwest. The 2pm EDT update from the NHC is as follows:... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Tropical_Storm_Isaac_-_Updated_4:30pm_EDT 14 24 August 2012 The National Hurricane Center's 5pm EDT update called Isaac an organizing storm, that has a well defined inner circulation taking shape. Tonight the storm is approaching Haiti, where flooding a damaging winds will be a major concern for a population still reeling from the devastating earthquake in 2010. The 8pm summary is as follows:... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Tropical_Storm_Isaac_continues_to_organize,_lashes_Haiti 21 August 2012 As of the 5pm EST advisory the National Hurricane Center upgraded the latest tropical depression to a Tropical Storm. It's name is Isaac, and although it remains several days away from any potential U.S. landfall, with more questions than answers regarding it's exact strength and path, Isaac has already created quite a name for itself. Why? There is a great deal of consensus between the models that Isaac poses a legitimate threat to the Republican National Convention next week in Tampa, FL... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Tropical_Storm_Isaac_forms,_threatens_to_put_a_damper_on_GOP_convention_in_Tampa,_Florida 12 August 2012 The coming week will be a bit of a roller coaster as a (relatively) strong cold front is forecast to race through the region late Wednesday or early Thursday. After highs return to the 90s for Tuesday and Wednesday, temperatures behind the front will cool into the 70s around the region. There will be at least a slight chance of showers with the passing of the front. The cool down will be short lived as temperatures are expected to rebound back into the 90s by late next weekend... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=A_Taste_of_Autumn 07 August 2012 Call it what you will, but this summer sure has been hot and dry across the U.S., and as the drought continues to deepen it is becoming ever more a global concern. More than 60 percent of the continental U.S. is experiencing moderate to exceptional drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The image below from the Monitor shows just how expansive the drought has become across the Midwest... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=U.S._Drought_Deepens 02 August 2012 With an average temperature of 78.9 degrees last month, July 2012 became the hottest on record for Denver. This smashes the 140 year average for the month by 4.7 degrees. I could ramble off additional stats regarding the past month, like... there were 27 days in which the high temperature was 90+ degrees ...or... there were seven days that reached or exceeded 100 degrees. But it is tiresome to write virtually the same post over and again. It is hot out there. This summer has been incredible in so many ways. ... http://www.brendansweather.com/?post=Denver_Does_It_Again_-_July_2012_a_Record_Breaker 09 July 2012 There have been a lot of maps floating around over the last week or so showing the incredible number of heat records set in June, 2012. According to the National Climatic Data Center there were 2,284 daily maximum records broken in June, and 998 records tied. Last week Brendan's Weather put together a couple interactive maps of the incredible heat. The first is a temporal animation of the daily records. Select the image or visit the map here... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=90 06 July 2012 It has been hot, very hot, for weeks now. In fact, Denver has set an all time record of 14 straight days with highs 95+ degrees F, the previous record was 12 days set in July of 1874... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=89 02 July 2012 Last night, I blogged about June's record heat, and now, on the second day of July, we have broken yet another long standing record! For the first time in 140 years of record keeping, Denver has recorded 8 days with 100+ degree heat in single year. Given that it is only July second, it is not unreasonable to think this number could rise in the coming weeks... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=88 01 July 2012 The National Weather Service confirmed today what many already suspected: June 2012 was the hottest on record for Denver. The average temperature for the month was 75 degrees, which is an impressive 7.6 degrees above normal. By the numbers... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=87 28 June 2012 Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach says 346 homes have been confirmed lost to the fire The state and country watched in awe Tuesday night as an the Waldo Canyon Fire took suburban Colorado Springs by storm. Shortly after thousands fled the quickly approaching fire, media outlets were streaming what we knew to be dozens of homes caught in the fire's furry. This evening we have learned that 346 homes were destroyed across 35 streets Tuesday night, making it the most destructive fire ever in Colorado history... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=86 26 June 2012 Here is an animated map of the High Park Fire created by @BillGreer. It shows the growth of the fire each day since June 9, 2012. To view the temporal animation, go here and press "play" in the lower left corner... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=85 24 June 2012 The Waldo Canyon Fire is burning just west of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The fire which erupted Saturday, is now estimated at 2,000 acres. Sunday morning the entire town of Manitou Springs was evacuated, with more than 10,000 people in the area being ordered to evacuate. The fire continues to burn out of control, with nearly 400 firefighters on the fire... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=81 24 June 2012 Colorado weather is not cooperating with firefighting crews that have descended on the state in the last weeks from around the country. The High Park Fire west of Fort Collins suffered a setback Friday, when high temperatures, single digit humidity and wind grew the fire to over 75,000 acres and reduced it's containment from 60% to 45%. The fire is now the second largest in Colorado's history, has destroyed 191 homes, and forced new evacuation notices Friday... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=80 17 June 2012 Firefighters have made some good progress over the last days in what has become Colorado's most destructive fire, destroying 181 homes to date. Today conditions have worsened, as heat and wind returned to the area. This afternoon the Larimer County Sheriff's Office says that wind gusts between 30 - 50 mph have grounded light and heavy helicopters until further notice... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=79 08 June 2012 What a week for weather across northeast Colorado. Wednesday and Thursday we saw severe weather outbreaks bringing heavy rain, flooding, hail, wind and tornadoes to the state – and the weather team was all over it! ... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=78 31 May 2012 It has been quite some time since the last post, but a lot has been happening behind the scenes at Brendan's Weather. I am excited to share with you a couple of the projects underway by the team. A complete revamp of the site's back-end, a brand new mobile weather station, and work on the new storm chasing vehicle... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=77 03 May 2012 29 percent of Colorado is now under severe drought. Just a few short months ago things were good in the Mile High City. Denver was experiencing it's first winter with above average snowfall in some years, and in the mountains, well, at least there was still hope for a snowy finish to the season. This never happened, and the snowy days for Denver are now a distant memory... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=76 27 April 2012 Yesterday's storms turned severe overnight with three confirmed tornadoes striking early Friday morning. Several structures were damaged, with a number of those being completely destroyed. There are no reported deaths, and only minor injuries being reported at this time... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=75 15 April 2012 A well advertised severe weather outbreak spawned tornadoes across six states this weekend. The storms also packed damaging wind, hail, and rain as they moved at times 50 and 60 miles an hour through the heartland... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=72 13 April 2012 It won't be the first time Mother Nature does a 180, and it certainly won't be the last, but the dramatic difference between yesterday's model runs and today's sure is disappointing if you were eager for rain and snow in Denver. I have not taken precipitation completely out of the forecast as Sunday still looks cool and wet, but significant moisture and accumulating snowfall looks all but out of the picture of Denver. If we are lucky, we will eke out a few nice rain showers and even some slushy snow, but nothing of the magnitude previously forecast... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=71 12 April 2012 Springtime in Colorado is a great time of year if you love the weather. Forecasters were left scratching their head after a normally snowy March brought record warmth and little snow to the state. It has been dry around here, too dry. Wednesday and Thursday we saw our first thunderstorms of the year, offering isolated relief, but a real soaker looks to be in store this weekend... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=70 03 April 2012 Severe storms packing tornadoes and hail ripped through the Dallas metro area this afternoon. There are reports of widespread damage and some incredible video footage of these powerful storms... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=69 02 April 2012 After record highs in the 80s on Sunday, up to a foot of snow is expected in parts of Colorado overnight Monday into Tuesday. Forecasts this time of year are always tricky, and this one has proven just that. The NAM tonight continues to forecast heavy snow totals in the city, but consensus is that this is overdone. For Denver, 1 - 3 inches is not out of the question, and if you are to believe the bullish models it could be more than twice that. Given the warm ground temps, borderline air temps, and questions surrounding how much moisture we will have to work with, the lower end seems right... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=68 01 April 2012 If you thought March 2012 seemed abnormally warm, even exceptionally warm, you were not alone. Nor were you wrong - dozens of cities across the country experienced their warmest March on record, with Denver coming up just short... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=67 27 March 2012 I have created a map on Geocommons of the Lower North Fork Fire southwest of Denver. Data is provided by fire officials out of Jefferson County and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=66 26 March 2012 Southwest winds continue to roar across northeast Colorado this evening creating difficult conditions for fighting the numerous fires that have popped up across the state today. While over a dozen fires have been reported, the one making headlines tonight is in Jefferson County, southwest of Denver. The fire has torched 200 acres so far and is the source of a giant plume of smoke that has spectators in awe this evening (VIDEO)... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=65 18 March 2012 A Red Flag Warning has been posted for most of eastern Colorado today where winds in excess of 50mph and dangerously low humidities are forecast this afternoon. A deep pressure gradient in advance of our next system out of the west will be the culprit of today's windy weather... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=64 14 March 2012 News of record warmth comes as no surprise to most U.S. cities this winter, but not so much along Colorado's Front Range, until late. This week the Nation's mid section has seen record after record broken as unseasonably warm temperatures have nested under a large area of high pressure. According to CBS News, a “total of 300 records have been broken or matched this week”. One of those was in Denver, where highs reached 74 degrees Tuesday, tying the old record set on March 13, 2007... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=63 04 March 2012 Although a bit windy this morning, temperatures have soared into the 50s across the Front Range. The warmth will continue the next couple of days with highs in the upper 60s both Monday and Tuesday. ... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=62 01 March 2012 UPDATE Thursday 8:00pm Due to a variety of meteorological factors, this afternoons snow event never panned out. The Winter Weather Advisory has been dropped for Denver. Snow showers are still possible into the day Friday, but accumulation will likely be minimal. Previous... With growing confidence that most locations along the Front Range will see some snow this afternoon, the National Weather Service... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=61 29 February 2012 Deadly tornadoes have rocked the Midwest today with nine deaths being blamed on the weather so far. It is estimated that 17 tornadoes have touched down across seven states since last night, at least one of which was is being reported as an EF-4 (second highest rating) in Harrisburg, IL, packing 170mph winds. The storm has pushed east of the areas affected overnight, but continues to bring the threat of severe weather to those in it's path. Please use caution and monitor the latest from the National Weather Service and local outlets if you are in the path of this storm... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=60 22 February 2012 Chinook winds famous for bringing very mild temperatures to Colorado's Front Range during the winter months were hard at work today. It is really the first of such events this February, as the city has experienced a largely cool and unsettled month so far. The high officially reached 57 degrees this afternoon at DIA, a far cry from the 34.7 degree average daily high so far this month. Gusts of 60 to 95 mph were recorded around the region this afternoon according to the Denver Post, with multiple reports of wind damage. The average temperature this month is 25.5 degrees, which is 6.4 degrees below average... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=59 10 February 2012 The long term forecast for Colorado looks rather chilly and unsettled. An arctic cold front has slid into northeast Colorado this afternoon and brings with is some very cold air and snow. Saturday will likely be the coldest day of the next week with highs in the low to mid 20s in Denver, and a slight chance for snow. Main concern for snow along the Front Range will be well north of the city where places like Fort Collins could see 2 – 4 inches of snow by Saturday evening. In Denver, accumulations will likely be an inch or less... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=58 03 February 2012 Snow will continue off and on today, heavy at times. An additional 4 - 8 inches is expected for Denver before the storm moves on early Saturday morning... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=57 02 February 2012 The radar has slowly filled to Denver's south and east during the afternoon hours, and now the first waves of precipitation have pushed into the Denver suburbs. The storm that has been tracked for days now is upon us, and looks like it could be a doozy! ... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=56 02 February 2012 Things continue to come together for there to be a major winter storm across eastern Colorado. Clouds will be on the increase through the day, with precipitation beginning later this afternoon. Snow will continue through the day Friday, with up to 18 inches possible in Denver... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=55 01 February 2012 As I mentioned in last night's post, a major winter storm is gearing up to bring big changes to Colorado's weather. A day later, certainty has grown surrounding who will see snow Thursday night and Friday, but just how much remains a hotly debated subject tonight... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=54 31 January 2012 Forecast models have been all over the place over the last 48 hours with regard to a developing storm for Thursday afternoon and Friday across northeast Colorado. The trend, however, continues to hint toward higher snow totals in Denver and along the Front Range. With still plenty of time for the details to get worked out, here is where we stand tonight (Tuesday)... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=53 26 January 2012 For the second time in a week *Winter Weather Advisories* and *Avalanche Watches* have been posted for much of Colorado's high country. Snow has already developed in some mountain locations, and is expected to be heavy at times through Friday's morning hours. Areas west of the divide will be hardest hit, with 4 – 8 inches of fresh pow forecast for these areas, while mountain locations east of the divide will see anywhere from 1 – 3 inches... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=52 15 January 2012 Monday will be the coldest day of the week with two cold fronts sliding into Colorado during the day. The second of which will bring with it a chance of snow showers up and down the front range. For now, expecting little to no accumulation for Denver, with some along the urban corridor likely seeing no snow at all. With the passage of the front, lows Monday night will be very cold, with many locations dropping into the single digits... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=51 06 January 2012 After a very mild and sunny week, winter is set to return this weekend with much colder temperatures and a chance for snow... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=50 29 December 2011 According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, on average the United States sees 3 to 4 major natural disasters a year. This year the U.S. saw 11 natural disasters which fit this mold, each having an economic impact greater than 1 billion dollars. Here is my list of the top five weather events from 2011... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=49 22 December 2011 Snow ending from north to south through the morning. The first full day of winter has brought with it some impressive snow totals from the latest storm to hit Colorado. As of early this morning some foothill communities were reporting upwards of 30 inches of fresh snow, with Denver proper in the 8 to 11 inch range. Christmas 2011 will be very white indeed!... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=48 20 December 2011 It is starting to look like Denver will get a good shot of snow Wednesday night into Thursday. The National Weather Service has issued a *Winter Storm Watch* for most areas along the Front Range, which goes into effect late Wednesday afternoon. With details still to be worked out regarding this system, a middle-of-the-road forecast would put snow totals in the 4 to 8 inch range for Denver, with locally higher amounts possible (you know who you are!)... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=47 18 December 2011 Everyone wants to know, will it be a white Christmas? Here is the short answer: yes and no, probably not, maybe. This all depends on how you define "white Christmas" and how much snow we can eke out of two possible systems this week. Generally speaking, meteorologists will count a Christmas as white in two ways: if there is an inch or more of old snow on the ground, or if there is greater than 0.1 inches of fresh snow recorded on Christmas Day. This year, unfortunately, it is looking like we will have to hope for the former, with our chances for snow on the 25th looking smaller and smaller... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=46 03 December 2011 I have just created an interactive map on Geocommons showing the latest snow totals from the storm overnight and this morning. I will update with final numbers and additional locations as that information is released by NWS. Select image to visit map!... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=45 02 December 2011 Another round of snow is on the way for Denver, and much of eastern Colorado. Snow will likely develop after midnight and continue into Saturday morning. Snow totals will not be that impressive, as most of the energy is too far south of town, but a few inches of the fluffy white stuff is not out of the question... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=44 29 November 2011 As I mentioned earlier this week, there are big changes on the way for Colorado, including Denver. An arctic blast bringing frigid temperatures and snow is expected to begin impacting the forecast area Wednesday night. Ahead of the front will be one more day of very mild temperatures under mostly sunny skies. Wednesday highs will approach 60!.. http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=43 26 November 2011 November 2011 started out very promising with back to back storms bringing moderate to heavy snowfall to northeast Colorado. Since then, however, high pressure has dominated the weather scene and things have started to feel a bit more like last winter: warm, windy, and dry.. http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=42 06 November 2011 Temperatures will be cool to start the week with a chance for snow across Colorado. Denver's best shot will come Monday night into Tuesday. At this point, snow totals for Denver look less than impressive, with the best chance for modest accumulations remaining in the mountains and south and east of town. Expect an update to this forecast if models begin to suggest more of a snow event for Denver... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=41 04 November 2011 Just wanted to share with everyone the map I created last night in Geocommons using snowfall data from the National Weather Service.... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=40 01 November 2011 Conditions have already deteriorated around the region over the last couple hours as a strong cold front barrels in from the north.... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=39 30 October 2011 November is Denver's second snowiest month after March, with an average of 8.7 inches of snow. Often seen as the transitional month from fall into winter, bitter arctic blasts and big winter storms are no stranger to the month. In recent years, November has been far from the wintery beast it can be, but the forecast for the coming week could go great lengths to buck this trend... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=38 26 October 2011 While Denver's first snow was no record breaker, many folks around the state are still without power this evening as the wet heavy snow broke tree limbs bringing down power lines. Tonight, snow has tapered off completely in the city and the heaviest snowfall has pushed down into extreme southern Colorado. Overnight lows tonight will be in the teens in the city, with single digit readings for many mountain communities... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=37 25 October 2011 Temperatures have dropped into the mid 30s in Denver at this hour, with colder temperatures to the north. At last check, the radar shows most areas slowly turning from rain to snow with a large swath of snow north of Denver clear to Cheyenne. If Twitter is any indication, the storm is really getting underway!... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=34 24 October 2011 Confidence continues to grow with respected to the first winter storm due to slam Denver later today. After setting a record high of 80 degrees in Denver yesterday, Denver now is bracing for bitter cold and the potential for significant snowfall... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=33 23 October 2011 It has been a balmy fall for Denver and all of northeast Colorado, but that is all about to come to an abrupt end. Temperatures Monday will be downright warm and could very easily tie or break the record high of 79 degrees for the day. By early Tuesday the first disturbance will have made its way into the region bringing with it much cooler temperatures and knocking highs back into the 50s. Tuesday afternoon another stronger cold front will race into the region and with it will come our first taste of winter... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=32 18 October 2011 A cold front brought 70 mph winds and an 8,000 foot wall of dust to Lubbock, Texas shortly after 5:30pm Monday. Locals compared it to images of the Dust Bowl during the 1930s. Differing from the Arizona haboobs (usually caused by convection), the Lubbock haboob was caused by a cold front and was amplified by barren fields as a result of the ongoing drought... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=31 03 October 2011 October has finally arrived, and by this weekend it might even feel like it around the region. Highs in the 80s today, and near 80 tomorrow, will slowly give way to fall-like temperatures come the weekend. Friday brings a chance of rain, and Saturday we could struggle to make it out of the 50s... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=30 15 September 2011 It is only the middle of September and already millions of Americans have had a record-breaking year when it comes to the weather. From a record-setting drought, to destructive fires, to extraordinary heat, to widespread flooding, we seem to have seen it all this year. Below is an infographic that aims to capture some of this wild weather we are experiencing... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=29 06 September 2011 There are many great things that come across @JustinNOAA's Twitter feed, but the stats he was marching off today were simply unbelievable. Here are a few examples:... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=28 02 September 2011 August was hot around Denver. In fact, August 2011 has officially become our warmest on record with an average temperature of 77.0 degrees. We tied or broke six record highs, and have been above 80 degrees for 73 consecutive days breaking the previous record of 59 days in 2002... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=27 31 August 2011 By now the argument that the media over hyped the Hurricane Irene must seem like a tired argument to the nearly 2 million people still without power, or those in states like Vermont that have suffered their worst flooding in decades. That being said, the discussion continues... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=26 28 August 2011 Twitter is overflowing this morning with people complaining about the media hype of Hurricane Irene. While I am not usually one to defend the 24 hour banter that is cable news, I will for the most part in this case. Additionally, meteorologists and state officials that did their best to keep millions safe over the last days should be praised, not ridiculed. Irene was a huge storm, nearly the size of Europe, and was quickly approaching one of the most populated areas of the country... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=25 27 August 2011 If Hurricane Irene was over Europe, this is what it would look like. Pretty much covers the whole thing! ... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=24 27 August 2011 A lot has been made about the weakening state of Irene. While this is true, Irene is now a category one hurricane, it still remains a serious threat to those in it's path. The forecast all along has called for Irene to weaken as it heads north... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=23 26 August 2011 Hurricane Irene is due to arrive early Sunday in New York, and for the first time in history, mandatory evacuations are in place for coastal areas in New York City. While Irene has weakened slightly in the last 12 hours, this just reiterates the seriousness of the threat the storm still bears. Below is a current evacuation map for NYC, to view the complete interactive map please visit the New York Times... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=22 25 August 2011 Hurricane Irene has strengthened considerably since my last post. Now a category three hurricane wreaking havoc over the Bahamas, Irene is slowly working her way towards the eastern seaboard of the United States. Some strengthening is possible during the day Friday... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=21 23 August 2011 A rare 5.8 magnitude earthquake that rattled the east coast today will soon be a distant memory as our focus turns to the probable landfall of Hurricane Irene. This will be the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States since 2008... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=20 15 August 2011 According to the National Weather Service nearly 11 inches of rain fell in Lido Beach over a 48 hour period this past weekend. Incredible to say the least. JFK set a all time record for precipitation in a day with 7.80 inches being recorded. This is twice the average for the entire month of August in NYC. Here is a list of all rainfall totals in the area from the National Weather Service... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=19 14 August 2011 Happy to announce today a new feature that will allow users to view the current national radar! ... http://www.bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=18 7 August 2011 I spent most of last winter talking about the effects of La Nina on the weather in Denver. While the latest NOAA reports indicate that La Nina has faded (at least for now), it seems it did not recede fast enough not to wreak havoc across much of North America. La Nina is being blamed for much of this summer's extreme heat and drought... http://bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=17 29 June 2011 The going forecast calls for heat to continue as we head into the last weekend of July. With the month quickly coming to a close I thought it would be a good time to look back at what surely will be remembered as an active one for Denver and the entire Front Range. The first two weeks of July were storm-filled like we have not seen in some years. In fact, many in Denver saw 10 straight days with rain to start the month, with several inches of rain recorded during that period. The total rainfall for the month so far is 3.41 inches officially, with upwards of 6.5 inches being recorded in many locations throughout the city. The second half of July was quite a bit hotter and drier, with a streak of 14 straight days of 90 degree plus readings which continued today. http://bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=15 23 June 2011 It has been hot in Denver ever since the monsoons of early July have faded... but not THIS hot. The Midwest has been sweltering under an extreme heat wave for well over a week now, as high pressure has been dominating the central U.S. This weekend, the hottest temperatures have started to creep east with Excssive Heat Warnings being issued up and down the eastern seaboard... http://bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=14 15 June 2011 Thunderstorm activity has been quite sparse this afternoon after 10 days of strong storms pounding the metro area. The atmosphere has dried some and become a bit more stable over the last 12 hours giving many a much needed break from the monsoon rains. http://bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=12 13 June 2011 In case you missed last night's monster storm, you had another opportunity to experience some wild weather this afternoon. Today's storms were not just packing rain, however, as there were numerous reports of golf ball size hail throughout the city. Check out these pictures from the Baker neighborhood, showing large hail and some of the tree damage it caused. http://bheberto.com/brendansweather.php?id=11