Upper Midwest Low Pressure

What an amazing storm system right now in the middle of the country!  Tornado warnings along a cold front that extends from Louisiana to Michigan.

There is a high risk for tornadoes today across northwest Ohio and vicinity.

This low pressure has "bombed" out - meaning it rapidly intensified at the rate of the pressure lowering 1mb per hour for 24 hours - that happens over water but not too often over land.

Changing of the Seasons

Well I love this time of the year - the transition during the fall season can make for very colorful maps - such as the one for today in the picture below.

Everything from winter storm warnings in the pink across the central Rockies to tornado watches in the southeast (in yellow). Even severe thunderstorm watches in the rose color across the Carolinas and Virginia.

In between, all the brown means high wind watches and warnings - as the two air masses battle it out today.

Expect a windy go of it today across the center of the country - esp. from Texas to Michigan.

I am sure there will be a lot of bumpy landings and takeoffs today on the US air system.

Beautiful Day on Mt. Washington

Mt. Washington, NH is known for having some of the worst weather in the world. Below is a recap from the last 6 or 7 hours.

Temps in the low teens, winds howling out of the west between 50 and 80 mph with blowing snow!!


22 11:48 W 67 G 74 0.00 Blowing Snow Freezing Fog and Windy VV000 12 12 100% NA NA


22 10:51 W 70 G 75 0.00 Blowing Snow Freezing Fog and Windy VV000 10 10 100% NA NA

22 09:55 W 77 G 83 0.06 Blowing Snow Freezing Fog and Windy VV001 10 10 100% NA NA

22 08:54 NW 76 G 82 0.00 Blowing Snow Freezing Fog and Windy VV000 12 12 100% NA NA

22 07:51 NW 78 G 85 0.00 Light Showers Snow Blowing Snow Freezing Fog and Windy VV000 10 10 13 10 100% NA NA 0.07

22 06:55 NW 71 G 79 0.00 Blowing Snow Freezing Fog and Windy VV000 10 10 100% NA NA

22 05:58 NW 69 0.06 Blowing Snow Freezing Fog and Windy VV000 12 12 100% NA NA

22 04:51 NW 61 0.00 Blowing Snow Freezing Fog and Windy VV000 12 12 100% NA NA

22 03:57 W 52 G 56 0.00 Light Showers Snow Blowing Snow Freezing Fog and Windy VV000 10 10 100% NA NA

Tropical Trouble

The above picture is a plot of all the models - showing potential path of the disturbed weather now brewing in the tropics.

New Study Says Drought May Threaten Much of Globe

I thought this was some interesting reading.

Click here for more.

Paula To Fizzle Out

Hurricane Paula is no more!

The storm is now just a tropical depression and will soon be nothing more than a remnant low.

But that doesn't mean the weather will clear for extreme south Florida, the Keys and Hispanola.

There will still be some scattered showers and storms from time to time, not to mention some choppy waters off the coasts.

Engineering Innovations Breakfast

If you are in the Boulder, Colo. area next week - mark your calendars for a great networking and learning opportunity.

The next Engineering Innovations Breakfast will take place at the Boulder Marriott on Tuesday, Oct. 19, when Colorado State Climatologist Nolan Doesken and CoCoRaHS National Coordinator Henry Reges explain the unique volunteer precipitation data-gathering network that is CoCoRaHS.


Volunteers in all 50 states now send in data daily, and the information is used by NOAA, the National Weather Service, insurance adjusters, farmers, city utilities, and other professionals who need high-quality data about weather and precipitation. Doesken and Reges will discuss the kind of research that this unique data makes possible.


The breakfast will be from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Boulder Marriott. RSVP today by calling (970) 491-3110 or e-mailing awaddell@engr.colostate.edu.

Admission for each breakfast is $20 per person ($15 for breakfast and a $5 gift to the Dean's Innovation Fund; cash or check only). Payment is accepted at the event. Hope to see you there!

Wild Western Weather

I saw things I've never seen this time of year on the weather maps yesterday - tornado watches/warnings in Utah and Arizona.

As well as severe thunderstorm watches/warnings in those states and Colorado too.

The storms actually left behind several severe weather reports, mostly in Arizona and Utah, including a few tornadoes.

Some of those storms even held together and rolled from the foothills into the Denver metro area around midnight.

Extremely rare for October.

When people talk about global warming, the put so much focus on the temperature. I actually don't associate global warming with temperatures as much as I do with stuff like this - extreme and unusual weather patterns.

Snow In Tennessee, Tornadoes In Arizona

Whacky fall weather continues....with snow at the highest elevations of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in east Tennessee.

Meanwhile, a potent area of low pressure cut off over the desert southwest continues to bring rain and cool weather to the region - along with strong to severe thunderstorms - including tornadoes near Flagstaff.

Stormy Night In The Desert

Showers and storms, a few strong to severe, are rumbling in the Phoenix-Tucson area of south Arizona tonight.

The monsoon season is over - but the late season rainfall is not.

So far we have seen heavy rain, 1 to 2 inch hail and winds 60-80 mph with some of the storms.

Taste of Fall Settles Into South

Check out this temperature map from just before 8 am local time, Tuesday, October 5.

It's in the upper 30s to upper 40s almost all the way down to the Gulf  Coast!

Boring Weather Pattern For Many

I tell you what - this September has been the most boring one (for me) in terms of weather in several years.

Granted there have been exciting things happening in others parts of the country - such as the conveyor belt of moisture running up the east coast today.

I guess for some the record heat might be exciting - we've had all kinds of record highs here in the Denver area this month with unusually warm temps.

And how bout those all-time highs in So. California earlier this week? Pretty amazing.

But enough with heat - I am ready for some fall weather and a cool, overcast, foggy day that I can stay in my PJ's all day, eat chili and watch tv.

Fall Arrives - What Lies Ahead?

Fall is officially here in just a little over 24 hours - so what lies ahead?

We are in a La Nina pattern over the weeks ahead, and that means a warmer and drier than normal winter for the middle of the country according to long term forecasts.

It will be wetter than normal in the northern tier of states and across the south.

These are just predictions from the climate prediction center. You can see more by clicking here.

Awesome Images of Fourmile Fire

Well I am sure most of you have seen the big fire just northwest of Denver on the news. It broke out around 10 am Monday and has already burned nearly 10,000 acres.

Sadly, dozens of structures have been lost.

Here is a link to some incredible photos of the fire as seen from satellites.

Click here for the pics.

Tropics Grow Busy as Season Peaks

The tropical season is nearing it's mid-September peak in a few weeks - and that can't be more clear as we've seen things really heat up in the Atlantic.

Forecasters are currently monitoring Hurricane Earl, which is expected to give the eastern seaboard a pretty good scare as we head into the holiday weekend.

Some data suggests it will skirt right along the coast, while other models still say it will turn away in time, just brushing the Outer Banks.

And of course, there is always the chance it will not turn and make a direct hit.

Behind Earl is Fiona and behind that is Depression #9.