Anyone notice the strange weather today? Hot everywhere except Colorado.

I'm writing this on Saturday Aug 16, in the afternoon. A look at the temperature map of the United States shows the West, mid section and Southwest scorching in the upper 80's to triple digits with a lot of 90's except for Colorado where in Denver it is raining and 56 degrees (F). In fact it appears that all of Colorado, but just Colorado is in the mid 50's and completely surrounded by temperatures of between 35 to 50 degrees hotter.

Obviously it is some low pressure system parked on the State, but it just seems odd that when you cross the border the temperatures increase dramatically.

Does anyone else find this a bit odd?

reply to post by skyshow


Oops, I think I posted this in the wrong forum section. Mod's could you please move it where it should go...

Thanks,
Sky

reply to post by skyshow


skyshow - I'm sitting directly under this - Denver

had no idea we were being singled out

just how singled out are we?

reply to post by Spiramirabilis


Well I just thought it really strange that you could pull up a weather map based on temp. and it looks like Colorado almost exactly to the boarders, is significantly cooler by between 35 and 50 degrees (F) then everywhere else.

reply to post by skyshow


it's probably my fault - I was bellyaching all last week about how we've had no real rain this summer

I wish I knew more about weather - to know if this is that odd or not

it's not that it never happens here -

but 2 days of drizzle in August is weird - welcome - but weird

Originally posted by Spiramirabilis
reply to post by skyshow

 

it's probably my fault - I was bellyaching all last week about how we've had no real rain this summer

Well, I hope you are happy then. Colorado Springs, here, and I'm enjoying the cooler weather and all of the rain. Even though it is making the weeds grow at an alarming rate. Blah!

As for the oddity, I think that a week ago, or two weeks ago (swiss cheese memory) it was the exact opposite: Colorado was hot and dry while the rest of the country was cool and wet.

It is weird, that is for sure.

It was 78F in Cincinnati at noon today. Normally we would be in the mid 90's for a high. As for myself, I am enjoying the cooler weather.

reply to post by Spiramirabilis


It will definately be good for the national forests in the state as we get into fire season...help green things up a bit...great for campers who can have camp fires too...

It's been strange summer all over the west with massive temperature changes over the course of 24 to 48 hours. Right now in the Northwest it is sizzling, witha heat wave and high preassure system, but by Monday evening it begins to change going from over 100 in many places Sunday for a high and in the 90's on Monday, to lower 60's by Wednesday. That's a 40 degree temp. drop in 48 hours...this has been happening all summer, and in the Southwest too...

I don't remember this type of weather cycle all summer in the past...it seemed that the high would dominate for much much longer and the jet stream would stay far north into upper Canada for most of the summer, but this summer it keeps snaking down across the boarder and going as far south as California even.

wow, Colorado Springs - people really live down there?

:-)

yeah - the ragweed's going to love this

but - compared to a regular August - a couple of cool grey days is just fine with me

but - since you live here - drizzle - August?

it's not paranormal weird - but it's a little weird?

reply to post by skyshow


don't know where you're from, or where you are - but Colorado is known for some pretty rapid temperature/weather changes

but, this summer has been different

haven't had one really truly uncomfortable hot night all summer (my opinion - I'm usually whining about the heat by the middle of June)

Tis a bit strange, but not unexpected.

Another week or two and the South/West temps should drop quite a bit.


You may find this of interest:
www.accuweather.com...

Originally posted by Spiramirabilis
wow, Colorado Springs - people really live down there?

:-)

yeah - the ragweed's going to love this

but - compared to a regular August - a couple of cool grey days is just fine with me

but - since you live here - drizzle - August?

it's not paranormal weird - but it's a little weird?

Oh shush, we have three --count them THREE-- stop lights now, so we are really starting to boom!

It is weird, but Colorado is known for it's odd weather. I've lived in four states: Michigan, California, Virgina, and obviously Colorado, and in every single state people will say "Well, if you don't like the weather here wait ten minutes." But never was it actually true, except for here. I've seen it snow all year round and I've put on shorts for xmas dinner. Colorado likes to keep people on their toes, wardrobe wise. LOL

Hi Colorado!

Yes, cold and rain all day.
No big mystery here, just the changing of seasons. Been here 52 years and every year someone weird weather.
Personally I think it is just the weather system that got the guy in Ca. scared about the lightning with no thunder.
I even went as far on that one to fire off an e-mail to my brother out there to ask about it. he sent back "just a storm".
Hint: monsoon time of year here in Co.

Enjoy the cool while you can and brace for the near 100's again

3?

are you sure one of those isn't just a shiny stop sign?

you're right - weather here is pretty flexible

just don't remember drizzle in August

but, it could be be 100 by Tuesday

so, I'm loving this




[edit on 8/16/2008 by Spiramirabilis]

reply to post by Desert Dawg


Excellent link...great find. I bet that frontal boundary area is making some severe turbulance for air travel...huge cells and unfortunately may spark some tornado activity...Snow in August and a hundred miles away it's damn near 100 ..craziness!

The news just showed footage of a tornado in Poland, of all places. Florida braces for a huricane...

As a matter of fact it looks like there's a bit of a surface high in Colorado but the satellite shot indicates an upper level low. This would account for the low temperatures and rain.

Don't worry, it'll move along. Weather does that. It just happened to be in Colorado at the moment. Most likely Kansas and Nebraska will be getting it next.

[edit on 16-8-2008 by Phage]

reply to post by Spiramirabilis

interesting observation, but Yes colorado weather is definitely flexible, we've seen it all! and i've been wanting it to rain as well and it did. Even though i had to walk in it for a hour but i love it.

I sae that the other day as well, in the USA Today, i think.

The only thing that I come up with is the all of the mountains around you are affecting the waether patterns and giving you cooler air for a breif period of time.

Do you have alot of low temps on the mountains right now?? Is there alot of snow melt.

Not that unusual, if you drive the I-70 to Denver as I have numerous times, you will notice signs that alert drivers to chain laws that are in effect from August to May... And it did snow in the high mountain passes there today, chains were required for some vehicles.

Altitude combined with a weather system in the high elevations in Colorado, in August can and will produce cold weather, and cooler weather in the valleys.

At one point I-70 in Colorado reaches an elevation over 10,000 feet, and it is already considered time for winter road conditions there.

I can say that DENVER is unseasonably cold and rainy. Feels like the Willamette Valley outside. Raining for almost 3 days straight here. No rain right now, but the ground is still wet, and cold....