Believe it or not, rain possible
By Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published July 25, 2008 at 7:14 a.m.
Updated July 25, 2008 at 10:39 a.m.
All sorts of dynamic weather is headed to the Front Range this afternoon, but nothing that is going to keep metro Denver out of the 90s for the 13th consecutive day.
Some areas could get an inch or two of rain in intense half-hour blasts, while other areas will stay bone dry, say National Weather Center forecasts.
Unstable conditions in the atmosphere will bring moisture over the Front Range starting about noon, and some areas could get hail as well as rain. That combination could produce flooding in particular areas.
Still, today's high in Denver is expected to reach 91.
There is a good chance of showers tonight, followed by a warm day on Saturday when temperature should reach the mid-90s.
There is also a decent chance for showers on Saturday between 3 in the afternoon and 8 in the evening.
Sunday should waken under sunny skies and reach 95 by the afternoon.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all should see highs in the low 90s, and chances for afternoon thundershowers in a continuation of the pattern referred to as Colorado's mid-summer monsoons.
Denver is six days away from tying the record of 18-straight days of 90 or above set in 1874 and tied in 1901.
A huge high-pressure cell in the upper atmosphere is keeping any cold weather from the Arctic from reaching Colorado.
That's too bad, because there's plenty of cold weather up there. Anchorage, Alaska, is on pace to set a different kind of record — the fewest days out of 365 when the temperature has managed to reach at least 65 degrees.
The fewest 65-degree days in Alaska was 16 set in 1970, but so far in 2008, it's had just seven days that warm, reports the Anchorage Daily News.
Back in Colorado, the Eastern Plains should be a little hotter than metro Denver the next few days and a little bit more prone to the most severe thunderstorms and hail. But again, moisture will be hit-and-miss.
Grand Junction is looking at 99 today and temperatures in the mid-90s the next few days.
Pueblo is expected to be about five degrees warmer than Denver today, but has an even greater chance of showers tonight than does the metro area.
Those trying to get some relief by going to the mountains this weekend should find things pleasant. Breckenridge is expecting highs in the 70s and Kremmling in the 80s.
But expect to get a little bit wet in the mountains by the late afternoons.
scanlon@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2897
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A Rocky Mountain News and MediaStorm production
July 25, 2008
9:15 a.m.
Suggest removal
HollyGoLightly writes:
Its safe to say Thornton will remain bone dry because Lord knows my grass needs it. Although my weeds have no problem growing green despite the fact that the only liquid they've had in the past few months was in the form of Round Up.
July 25, 2008
9:24 a.m.
Suggest removal
Scott writes:
HollyGoLightly,
My family lives in Adams County just south of Thornton. My wife claims that the rain ALWAYS goes around us. :-)
Scott
July 25, 2008
10:20 a.m.
Suggest removal
Steph writes:
I grew up in Thornton and the rain always passed us by.
July 25, 2008
11:23 a.m.
Suggest removal
LingLingfor_prez writes:
A agree with all of you (rare to say that here.)
July 25, 2008
12:03 p.m.
Suggest removal
ifyem writes:
I'll believe when I see it..
July 25, 2008
12:32 p.m.
Suggest removal
HollyGoLightly writes:
I live up by 128th and I-25 in the northern section of Thornton. You guys are correct about it going around us. On any given day, you can see storm clouds to the north and more to the south and east but Thornton is bone dry!
July 25, 2008
1:39 p.m.
Suggest removal
farsidefan writes:
A wise friend told me once that " They are only weeds if you don't want them." Maybe we need to reconsider what we want. Bindweed does have pretty little white flowers .
No rain in south Lakewood.
July 26, 2008
1:12 p.m.
Suggest removal
windbourne writes:
Hmmmm. Kind of makes me wonder about GM plants. It seems to me that a good plant to have would be a grass that can grow as fast as weeds, use as little as moisture and still be considered grass.