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Colorado had a shockingly normal year of precipitation — but drought is creeping back on the Front Range

Colorado had a shockingly normal year of precipitation — but drought is creeping back on the Front Range

  An early season snow dusts the high mountain country near Gothic, Colorado on September 22, 2024. (Dean Krakel, Special to The Colorado Sun) Just for a moment, forget about drought and water shortages, because this year, it’s been wet in Colorado, with precipitation hitting 102% of normal. The wet weather hasn’t pulled the state […]

Colorado’s first Firehawk helicopter is finally ready to fight fires

Colorado’s first Firehawk helicopter is finally ready to fight fires

Three years after the state purchased its first Firehawk, four pilots have been trained how to operate the one-of-a-kind aircraft that can quickly slurp up and drop 1,000 gallons of water on flames Three years after lawmakers allocated $30 million to purchase its first “Firehawk,” the modified military helicopter that is capable of quickly crisscrossing […]

Drought Outlook Forecasts New Drought Development This Summer

Drought Outlook Forecasts New Drought Development This Summer

Drought coverage in the U.S. is around 5-year low, but the latest summer outlook shows a big change in trend is coming. The latest Seasonal Drought Outlook predicts expansion of drought through September in several regions of the U.S., according to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center. Drought is favored to develop and persist […]

Much of Colorado could be pushed into drought by late summer thanks to hot, dry conditions

Much of Colorado could be pushed into drought by late summer thanks to hot, dry conditions

Engineer Pass Road weaves through the alpine tundra in the San Juan Mountains near Ouray.  Photo by Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun   Colorado has seen an average water year so far, but looking ahead, climate experts say much of the state could fall into drought conditions and struggle to find relief. Colorado’s very average […]

The past, present and future of windmills converge in Lamar, Colorado

The past, present and future of windmills converge in Lamar, Colorado

  Kenneth Emick stands on his family’s ranch in Lamar, Colorado, which hosts one of the largest private collections of antique windmills in the country. Photo: Kyle Cooke, Rocky Mountain PBS   LAMAR, Colo. —  A legion of towering wind turbines punctuate the horizon outside of the Emick family’s barn. Inside the barn is a […]

Colorado has the third-most lightning deaths in the country - Here’s how to stay safe.

Colorado has the third-most lightning deaths in the country – Here’s how to stay safe.

A thunderstorm that turned roads into rivers and basements into swimming pools lit up the sky over Greeley on Tuesday night with flashes of light as bright as daytime. Three days earlier, a single lightning strike killed a Jackson County rancher and more than 30 of his cattle. Last week, a storm that raged over Yuma, rumbling […]

Lightning strike kills northern Colorado rancher, more than 30 cattle

Lightning strike kills northern Colorado rancher, more than 30 cattle

A truck drives through rural Jackson County, which borders Wyoming. (Kyle Spradley for KHN) A lightning strike killed a Jackson County rancher and more than 30 of his cattle Saturday afternoon as the man tossed hay from the back of a trailer, the local coroner said Sunday. Mike Morgan, 51, was feeding his herd as […]

Large hail causes massive destruction in Yuma

Large hail causes massive destruction in Yuma

This image provided by JJ Unger, shows hail surrounding a vehicle Monday night, May 20, 2024, in Yuma, CO.  Residents in the small city were cleaning up Tuesday after hail the size of baseballs pounded the community, with heavy construction equipment and snow shovels being used to clear hail that had piled up knee-deep.   […]

National Weather Service offers interactive map info online at drought.gov

National Weather Service offers interactive map info online at drought.gov

National Weather Service Drought Information Statements Provide Improved Drought Messaging For nearly two decades, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued Drought Information Statements to provide up-to-date reports on the current drought situation for regional Weather Forecast Offices’ warning and forecast area. These timely statements summarize recent weather and hydrologic conditions, discuss local drought impacts, […]

March Weather Review 2024

March Weather Review 2024

March Weather Review March of 2024 continued the previous months progressive weather pattern across the region, with periods of mild and dry weather along with occasional colder and unsettled weather with passing weather systems.  One passing system through the middle of the month brought widespread rain and snow to much of south central and southeast Colorado, […]

Last storm bumps up Colorado's Mountain Snowpack to Above-Average Levels

Last storm bumps up Colorado’s Mountain Snowpack to Above-Average Levels

(Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America) All major river basins in Colorado are at or above their normal snowpack for this time of year thanks in part to recent storms that dumped 2 to 5 feet of snow on parts of the state. This winter got off to a slow start, but […]

Drought Information Statement for South Central and Southeast Colorado as of January 20, 2024

Drought Information Statement for South Central and Southeast Colorado as of January 20, 2024

Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change. Drought Worsened: Portions of Lake, Chaffee, Fremont, Custer, Pueblo and Costilla counties. No Change: Most of south central Colorado.  Drought Improved: The southeast Plains. Precipitation: After a dry start to the 2024 Water Year (Oct 2023-Sept 2024), precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado picked up in the month […]

2023 Weather Year in Review Across Southern Colorado-7 Year Precip Report for SE Colorado

2023 Weather Year in Review Across Southern Colorado-7 Year Precip Report for SE Colorado

    The first week of the January 2023 was relatively cool and unsettled across south central and southeast Colorado, before upper-level ridging brought warm and dry conditions to region for the second week of January. The last half of January saw occasional disturbances bringing surges of cold and unsettled weather to the area, with […]

CPW Seeks Applications for Projects to Restore Wetland Habitat

CPW Seeks Applications for Projects to Restore Wetland Habitat

  Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is seeking applications for wetland and riparian restoration, enhancement and creation projects to support its Wetland Wildlife Conservation Program. CPW will award over $1.1 million in funds from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and Colorado Waterfowl Stamps to projects in Colorado that support the Wetlands Program Strategic Plan’s two main goals: […]

LUB – ARPA Moving Ahead with Turbine Repairs

LUB – ARPA Moving Ahead with Turbine Repairs

    The Lamar Utility Board ended their year with the Systems Operating Report from Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh. He noted the sales of electricity through November 2023 were down approximately 2.68% when compared to the same time frame in 2022.  Resident sales were down 3.98%, commercial/industrial sales were off 1.9% and irrigation sales […]