Monday, June 29, 2015

15 People Struck by Lightning, Dog Killed Near Summit of Mt Bierstadt

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8 people airlifted to hospitals, one man blown out of his boots. This is the second highest number of people struck by lightning in Colorado in a single event. 19 people were injured when struck by lightning on a mesa near Granby in 2004.

Here is an article from last year after 2 fatalities in Rocky Mountain National Park that provides guidance on how to avoid being hit by lightning.
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Photos of Sever Thunderstorm in Colorado Springs

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Some awesome lightning shots and plenty of hail.

Record Spring Rainfall Fills John Martin Reservoir on the Arkansas River

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The severe drought in SE Colorado has been completely reversed with the reservoir storing 10 times more water than this time last year.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

NWS Confirms EF1 Tornado Touched Down in East Denver and Aurora on Wednesday

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Bear, Not Dog, Attacked Elk Calf Near Steamboat Springs

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So, will the dog owner who was fined get a refund?

Prairie Dog With Plague Shuts Down Bear Creek Lake Parking Lot

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There is a very large prairie dog village on the south side of the lake that should be a concern for people that use the park. Letting your dog run off-leash could expose them to fleas on prairie dogs that carry the plague or direct exposure to the remains of rodents killed by the plague. 3 men in eastern Colorado contracted plague from their dog earlier this year.

Deer in Colorado Springs Tests Positive for Plague

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CSU Wrestler Drowns Tubing the Arkansas River Near Pueblo

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Colorado's rivers continue to run at at dangerously high and fast levels that can claim the lives of even the most fit among us.

Man Drowns in Lake at the Broadmoor

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Black Bear Claws Through Tent and Bites Man at Ruedi Reservoir

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The man was sleeping in the tent with his wife and 1-year old. Food and trash was openly available at the camp site, this guy should be prosecuted for criminal negligence.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

2 Oregon Men Attacked by Beaver Are Hospitalized

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The first time I have seen a beaver attack reported in the news. The men climbed on top of the beaver's dam.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Colorado Health Officials: Tularemia Cases on Record-Breaking Pace

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Texas Mom Has Flesh-Eating Bacteria Enter Through Her Eye After Competing in a Mud Run

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Mud runs have become a big business in Texas and other southern states with several companies hosting races with 750,000 participants and making hundreds of millions in profit. In that context, this case of flesh-eating bacteria is very rare. Here is an in-depth article about the industry
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Pueblo Teenager Struck By Lightning, 10 Years Later

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Directly hit in the head by lightning, she suffered partial paralysis and burns over the left side of her body. This news piece tells of her long journey back.  Perhaps there is hope for the teen struck in Aurora a few months ago who is still in the hospital.

Delta County Sees First Case of Tularemia in 2015

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The wetter than normal conditions since 2013 has resulted in a bunny boom.

Flooding Closes Hwy 144 Near Fort Morgan

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Saturday, June 20, 2015

2 Weld County Men Diagnosed with Tularemia, 1 Hospitalized

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79 and 80 years old. Last month an elderly Boulder County resident had tularemia. All doing yard work. Rabbit nests or places where rabbits dig a hole to cool off can provide enough contaminated material to transmit the disease.

Owner Pays Fine for Letting Dog Off-Leash Attack Elk Calf

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The calf had to be put down because of its injuries. There is a culture in Steamboat Springs of letting your dogs run free that has led to many moose, elk and bear attacks on peoople.

77 Year Old Man Naps on Porch Near Snowmass, Wakes Up With Foot in Bear's Mouth

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Man Drowns in Boulder Creek Fly Fishing

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Saturday, June 13, 2015

Flooding, Hail and Tornado Hit SE Colorado

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Here's some video of a tornado in SE Colorado from a storm chaser that I think was in SE Colorado.
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Greeley Wastewater Injection Well Quiet 2 Months After Sealing Off Bottom of Well

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I certainly don't know the geometry of the fault that was activated by the wastewater inject but I doubt it is horizontal. Therefore, it will only be a matter of time before this well starts triggering quakes again.

50th Anniversary of Biggest Flood in Colorado History

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This narrative gives an interesting account of the 16 foot wall of water that swept through Littleton after 14 inches of rain fell in 4 hours in the Plum Creek watershed near Castle Rock. It states that 28 people lost their lives (which I will have to check out) but the official death toll was 8. Chatfield Dam and Reservoir was constructed for flood control as a result of the 1965 flood, as was Bear Creek Dam. They have yet to be tested with a downpour anywhere near what happened in June, 1965.

Bear Finds Way Into Pickup Truck, Gets Locked In and Honks for Help

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The bear tore apart the truck trying to get out. Undoubtedly, there was some food in the truck.  There is a history of similar events in the area between Larkspur and Colorado Springs in the past 5 years. Could it be the same bear?

Heavy Rain Causes Street Flooding from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs

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Friday, June 12, 2015

NOAA Forecasts Moderate to Strong El Nino to Last Into Winter of 2015-16

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Not good news. We can expect more record rain, flooding, hail, tornadoes, and landslides. On the bright side, skiers might enjoy a 60 inch base on Halloween.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Berthoud Tornado Classified EF3

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A rare occurrence.  Tornadoes are classified much like hurricanes on a scale of 0 to 5 but the wind speeds are not measured directly.  A team of NOAA experts surveys the area of tornado touchdown immediately afterward and estimates wind speed from building and tree damage. EF3 is the strongest tornado that has been observed in Colorado with only 21 tornadoes that strong recorded since 1950 prior to this one.

Colorado Has a Ton of Volcanoes

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Some of the remnant hot spots could become active again. A volcano in Dotsero last erupted only 4,100 years ago.

Tularemia Risk Low in Larimer County Despite Bunny Boom

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May Was the Wettest Month Recorded

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Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Teen in Austin Takes Lightning Bolt Through Refigerator

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A rare occurrence, a lightning bolt grounded through the entire electrical system in the house. This was in Texas but there have been 2 cases like this in Colorado in the past 60 years.