Most natural hazards are related to weather in one way or another. Colorado's weather in 2016 was a seesaw back and forth between very wet conditions and drought. The new year started out with lots of mountain snow in January and was followed by a record warm and dry February. March through June 15 was very wet, followed by gradually intensifying drought conditions through the remainder of the year. Several polar vortex outbreaks caused below-zero weather in November and December punctuated by mild, warm and dry weather.
The warm weather in February caused freeze-thaw conditions and Glenwood Canyon had a major rockslide near the Hanging Lake tunnel that closed I-70 for weeks afterward. Hwy 550 above Ouray had another rockslide in February that partially blocked the highway. Smaller rockslides were reported in Manitou Springs, Clear Creek Canyon, I-70 near Lawson, and Telluride. Landslides took out the Kebler Pass road, Hwy 90 in Uncompagrhe and Hwy 145 outside Telluride.
5 people were killed and 5 injured in avalanches and ski area accidents in 2016. 4 of those killed were skiers that hit trees at ski resorts during March. 2 backcountry skiers had the ride of their life at over 60 mph when they were swooped on top of a massive avalanche at Red Mountain Pass. Miraculously, both were uninjured but the local sheriff issued speeding tickets for crossing Hwy 550 above the speed limit.
The wet conditions in the spring caused very high river levels, just below flood stage. 9 people drowned, mostly in rafting accidents caused by the high water. It was a year that had more people injured or killed falling off mountain trails than I can remember in the past 30 years. 6 people died and 12 were injured in 2016. 4 incidents took place in Rocky Mountain National Park, 2 on Long's Peak.
It was a quiet tornado season with the exception of a tornado in Wray that injured 5 people and a downburst in El Paso county that killed an elderly man after his trailer home rolled over. Severe thunderstorms brought high winds, lightning and hail in July. A golfer in Arvada was killed after being struck by lightning. Several feet of hail fell in Denver and Colorado Springs along with hail storms causing heavy roof damage. A climber on Long's Peak was struck by lightning, fell 300 feet and broke his neck, miraculously rescued by a firefighter and his nurse wife from Boise who happened by shortly after the fall.
Bear encounters were far less in 2016 than in 2015 because food stocks were plentiful after a wet spring. This didn't stop 5 bears in separate incidents from opening car doors, getting in, closing the door, and then destroy the vehicle trying to get out. There were 2 moose charging incidents - one in Steamboat Springs and the other in the Indian Peaks wilderness. There were the usual number of pet snatchings by mountain lions this year but a rare mountain lion attack took the headlines in June. A 5-year-old boy was attacked by a juvenile mountain lion near Aspen while playing in the yard at home around sunset. His brave mom was shocked to see the mountain lion grab her son's head and she came to the rescue, kicking and beating the cat and prying the jaws loose. An ER visit was necessary but the boy survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
100+ mph winds returned to Colorado after a long absence. In February a record 148 mph gust was recorded above Monarch Pass. A woman in Larkspur was seriously injured when the February windstorm launched a metal shed that struck her. March high winds downed power lines and knocked over vehicles. 2 chinook blasts in December produced 4 readings over 100 mph in Bouder County in December. Windstorms downed trees onto houses and power lines which were responsible for starting a number of wildfires.
The drought produced numerous wildfires, many started by arsonists. 2 drifters from Alabama had an illegal camp fire that got out of control and burned 600 acres and destroyed 8 houses near Nederland. They were fined $1 million. The Beaver Creek fire north of Steamboat Springs started in June and burned over 38,000 acres through November and cost over $30 million in firefighting costs. A teenage arsonist that started the fire was arrested in October. The Hayden Pass fire near Crestone started in July and burned more than 16,000 acres. In October, high winds downed a power line and started the Junkins fire near Westcliffe. Fanned by 80mph winds, 15,000 acres were scorched in just 12 hours. Aggressive firefighting limited the total damage to 19,000 acres over a 3 week period.
No 2 years of weather have ever been the same in Colorado. I have no predictions for 2017 other than it will be different than 2016.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Friday, December 30, 2016
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Pickup on Transport Truck Snags Power Line and Flips Over in Colorado Springs
News Link
High winds last week may have lowered the line.
High winds last week may have lowered the line.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Rocky Mountain National Park Will Set New Record for Visitors in 2016
News Link
Estimated to be 4.5 million.
Estimated to be 4.5 million.
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
2.9 Quake Near Newcastle- Glenwood Springs
News Link
Very shallow at 2 km depth. Probably fracking related.
Update: 2/217 - Given all the quakes in this area recently, probably not fracking ralted but hydrothermal upwelling.
Very shallow at 2 km depth. Probably fracking related.
Update: 2/217 - Given all the quakes in this area recently, probably not fracking ralted but hydrothermal upwelling.
Monday, December 26, 2016
Sunday, December 25, 2016
Friday, December 23, 2016
4 Bears in PA Killed by Toxic Plant
News Link
Not sure if there are any english yew plants in colorado but I can't find any info on them being here.
Not sure if there are any english yew plants in colorado but I can't find any info on them being here.
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Pueblo County Sheriffs Rescue 25 People on Broken-Down Bus in -20 Temps
News Link
Late Saturday night - early Sunday morning.
Late Saturday night - early Sunday morning.
Monday, December 19, 2016
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Father Killed, Son Seriously Injured After Car Hits Elk Near Pueblo
News Link
Neither of them were wearing their seat belts.
Neither of them were wearing their seat belts.
2,000 Acre Wildfire Burning Near Walsenburg
News Link
High winds blew over a trailer home that started the fire late Thursday night. I am sure the snow has put this out.
High winds blew over a trailer home that started the fire late Thursday night. I am sure the snow has put this out.
Friday, December 16, 2016
CDOT To Use New Road De-Icer
News Link
A salt solution with anti-corrosive. Unfortunatley they will continue to use magnesium chloride, which strongly corrodes concrete and metal, and the runoff kills trees along the roadways.
A salt solution with anti-corrosive. Unfortunatley they will continue to use magnesium chloride, which strongly corrodes concrete and metal, and the runoff kills trees along the roadways.
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
News Report 2016 Year in Review
News Link
3 fires and 2 snowstorms. If you look at the 747 posts on this blog for 2016 so far, I think they might have missed a few significant events.
3 fires and 2 snowstorms. If you look at the 747 posts on this blog for 2016 so far, I think they might have missed a few significant events.
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
55 Million Passengers to DIA Sets Record
News Link
A sixty year trend of increased vistor counts continues.
A sixty year trend of increased vistor counts continues.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Phylloxera Found in Palisade Vineyard
News Link
This could be devastating for the Grand Valley unless it can be tracked and eradicated quickly.
This could be devastating for the Grand Valley unless it can be tracked and eradicated quickly.
Boise Firefighter and Wife Receive Awards for Saving Injured Colorado Climber
News Link
The firefighter and his wife, a nurse, found a climber near the crest of Wetterhorn Peak in July. The climber had been struck by lightning, fallen and broke his neck. A miracle that the couple showed up at the right time.
The firefighter and his wife, a nurse, found a climber near the crest of Wetterhorn Peak in July. The climber had been struck by lightning, fallen and broke his neck. A miracle that the couple showed up at the right time.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
2 Juveniles Charged With Arson in Tennessee Wildfire
News Link
14 dead, 150 injured and hundreds of homes destroyed. If convicted, these 2 will probably get life sentences and will deserve it. There seems to be no answer on how to prevent young boys fascination with arson.
14 dead, 150 injured and hundreds of homes destroyed. If convicted, these 2 will probably get life sentences and will deserve it. There seems to be no answer on how to prevent young boys fascination with arson.
2.5 Quake at Headwaters of Canadian River Near New Mexico Border
News Link
I learned something new today - I did not know the Canadian River was in Colorado. It flows through New Mexico, the Texas pan handle, Oklahoma and Missouri where it joins the Mississippi River. The quake was shallow at 5km and could be fracking related.
I learned something new today - I did not know the Canadian River was in Colorado. It flows through New Mexico, the Texas pan handle, Oklahoma and Missouri where it joins the Mississippi River. The quake was shallow at 5km and could be fracking related.
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Saturday, December 3, 2016
No Reliable Tracking of Ski Resort Fatalities and Injuries
News Link
Fatalities in Colorado are always reported in the news but injuries are seldom reported.
Fatalities in Colorado are always reported in the news but injuries are seldom reported.
Friday, December 2, 2016
Fire Marshall Concludes Green Mountain Wildfire Probably Arson
News Link
All natural causes have been eliminated. Green Mountain had 5 fires in November all but the latest one less than 1 acre. The fires may have all been started by one individual.
All natural causes have been eliminated. Green Mountain had 5 fires in November all but the latest one less than 1 acre. The fires may have all been started by one individual.
Colorado's Firefighting 747 Supertanker Helps Out in Israel
News Link
A good way to help pay for the supertanker. I wonder why it wasn't deployed to Gatlinburg, TN instead.
A good way to help pay for the supertanker. I wonder why it wasn't deployed to Gatlinburg, TN instead.
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Cause of Green Mountain Wildfire Under Investigation
News Link
No lightning strikes the night this fire started, so had to be human caused. The only question is whether it was accidental ( cigarette thrown out a car window, spark from vehicle, utility line spark, etc) or arson. The pattern of fire spreading down ravines and strong winds from the north suggest to me that the fire started at the top of Green Mountain. Short of a cinder carried by the wind from I-70 or the asphalt plant or a helicopter passing overhead, arson seems likely. There is a disturbing trend of arson this year from the Beaver Creek Fire to several of the California wildfires and currently the huge wildfire in Gatlinburg Tennessee.
No lightning strikes the night this fire started, so had to be human caused. The only question is whether it was accidental ( cigarette thrown out a car window, spark from vehicle, utility line spark, etc) or arson. The pattern of fire spreading down ravines and strong winds from the north suggest to me that the fire started at the top of Green Mountain. Short of a cinder carried by the wind from I-70 or the asphalt plant or a helicopter passing overhead, arson seems likely. There is a disturbing trend of arson this year from the Beaver Creek Fire to several of the California wildfires and currently the huge wildfire in Gatlinburg Tennessee.
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