Solar Cycle Quietest in 100 Years

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So we had a quiet year with hurricanes and tornadoes in the US this year - is there a correlation? I will have to look into that.

40th Anniversary of Meteorite that Struck Canon City House

I missed this one - it was about one month ago. A 3 pound meteorite crashed through the roof of a Canon City house and landed on the living room floor in 1973.
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It happens more often than people realize. Today there is a story about a boy in Florida that was struck in the head by a meteorite.
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Mountain Lion Eats Pygmy Goats near Loveland

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The Untold Story of Flooding on Coal Creek

With all the focus on Boulder, Big Thompson and Lyons, the less populated Coal Creek Canyon didn't receive much attention during the September floods. 25 foot deep scours and debris piled up over 10 feet high.
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First Avalanche Warning of the Season

Back country skiers be alert!
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High Winds Cause Minor Damage in Foothills Around Colorado Springs

Manitou Springs has had more than its share of severe weather problems to deal with this year.
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The Cost of Building in the Flood Plain

Irrigation company tries to put Left Hand Creek back in the channel it occupied before the September floods.
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Looking at the photos of repair work on the channel and flood plain, you can see that the ground is all gravel deposits. That means that the channel has moved every time there has been a significant flood which deposits thick layers of rocks and debris. In the long run, constructing a flood control dam upstream or cleaning out the channel every time there is a flood will be the cost of trying to keep natural erosion from doing what it always has.

A good flyover video of the highway erosion damage and mudslides at the bottom.

Atlantic Hurricane Season Quietest in 45 Years

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The number of US tornadoes was also the 2nd lowest in the past 25 years, while Colorado had 19 through the end of July, headed toward the lowest number of tornadoes since 1978.
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I took a look at the hurricane and tornado records to see if there is any correlation of hurricane activity with tornadoes in Colorado. Tornado records in Colorado only go back to 1950 and the number of tornadoes observed prior to 1975 is probably lower than the actual number because weather satellites weren't in place.

Every type of severe weather is following its own cycle independent of temperature. Average temperature has been steadily increasing since 1970, while hurricanes and tropical storms go through a regular 60 to 70 year cycle of increasing and decreasing. Hurricanes making landfall peaked around 10 years ago and have since been declining at the largest rate since records have been kept.  Tornadoes in Colorado peaked around 1995 and have been declining since that time.  There's not enough record, but it appears that Colorado tornadoes also come and go on a long term cycle of 60 to 70 years. Floods and droughts occur on regular cycles that are different from the other types of weather, although droughts usually (but not always) correlate with years that annual temperature is much higher than the 11 year average.

So despite the claims of some that warming air temperatures have caused more and unusual severe weather in Colorado, the record indicates that cycles continue onward and are probably more related to ocean currents like La Nina and El Nino weather patterns and lots of other factors. The floods around Boulder this year came after a long absence of severe floods on the Front Range but a review of the longer term record shows that severe flooding has occurred on a regular basis. The same is true for droughts.

Moose Spotted near I-25 South of Castle Rock

Moose can cause serious damage and injury when struck by a vehicle because of their height and weight.
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Colorado Climate Center 2013 Flood Data

For those with a scientific bent. Comparisons of 2013 rainfall with past flood events.
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Many Popular Trails Still Closed After Flood Damage 2 Months Ago

This article details many popular parks and trails near Colorado Springs that are not accessible because of road damage.
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$17 million in damages to roads, campgrounds and trails in Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests.
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The road up Coal Creek Canyon will be re-opened Monday
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and the road base to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park was temporarily restored last week.
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Two of my favorite trails along Bear Creek were damaged by the flood waters and are still closed for repairs at Lair of the Bear and Bear Creek Lake.

Sun Emits X.3 Solar Flare

The sun is near its 11 year peak in solar flare activity, with over 30 eruptions in the past month.
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Boulder County Woman Dies from West Nile

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Drought Officially Over along Front Range Flood Area

White areas are free of drought conditions. 2 feet of rain solved that moisture deficit. Overall, Colorado is still experiencing drought conditions in about 80% of the state.  Here's what it looked like in June before the monsoon started in Colorado.