Saturday, August 25, 2018

Water Restrictions in Grand Junction for First Time Ever

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Colorado River is at record low levels from drought and low snowpack this year.

Homes Threatened By Small Landslide in Louisville

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NWS Says Wildfire Smoke from Pacific NW Will Persist in Colorado Through Early Fall

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Rain Helps Control Colorado Wildfires

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9 fires ongoing contained 75% or more.

Smoke and Bad Air Quality Linger Along Front Range

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Delays Expected for Rockfall Mitigation Work on McClure Pass

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4.1 Quake Rattles Parachute

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Might be from oil & gas wastewater injection well.

Man and 2 Dogs in Truck Roles Down Into Chatfield Reservoir, 1 Dog Drowns

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Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Typical Tabloid Article About "Near Miss" Asteroid

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Hurtling by at 20,000 mph! As big as a pyramid! Coming within 3 million miles! ( More than 10 times the distance to the moon)

10 Year Study of Mountain Lions to Be Presented in Public Meeting

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The study shows that 99% of the time mountain lions stick to the wild and natural food sources. One cat was tracked for 8 years, which occasionally ate livestock but always returned to elk and deer.

Monday, August 20, 2018

Smoke in Colorado Seriously Bad for Your Health

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I am in Salida today and the air is downright foul even at high altitude. Rode the Monarch Crest Trail today because I can't wait until October or November for the air quality to improve. Not sure it was worth it. The usually stunning views were smothered in a brown haze. The air was smelly and caused my nose to run, a headache (taken care of with 2 ibuprofen), and seriously irritated my throat, lungs and eyes.

The main source of dangerous smoke levels is the Pacific Northwest - BC, Alberta, California, Washington state and Montana. Smoke plume with air quality monitoring data and fire locations.




So Far, Major Earthquakes Below Average

There were 7 major quakes (magnitude 7 or above) in 2017, below the long term average of 12 to 15 major quakes per year. A CU researcher's paper published in Oct, 2017 and posted here predicts that we can expect major quakes to increase to 17 to 20 quakes in one year sometime in the next 5 years. Despite the press hype surrounding the recent quakes in New Guinea and Fiji, 2018 is on track for a below average number of major quakes.

The USGS reports 6 major quakes in 2018 (as of 8/19/2018)

   7.5 Honduras
   7.1 Peru
   7.9 Alaska
   7.2 Mexico
   7.5 Papua New Guinea
   8.2 Fiji
 

Update: I might have spoken a day too soon.  7.3 Quake Strikes Venezuela  7.1 Quake Hits Peru 8/24
                                                                         7.8 Quake Fiji 9/6 9/28 7.7. Indonesia

Colorado National Guard Providing Air Support for Cache Creek Wldfire

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Firefighting Price Tag for 1,585 Colorado Wildfires So Far Is $145 Million

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432,000 acres burned so far is 2nd highest behind 619,000 acres in 2002. 385,000 acres were burned in 2012 with $538 million in property damages.

Bear Spotted in Tree in Colorado Springs

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Study Looks At Environmental Impacts of Increasing Moose Population in the Rocky Mountains

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Moose were not a native species in Colorado, introduced in 1978 the current moose population is approaching 3,000.

Hiker in Ireland Struck and Injured by Leaping Mountain Sheep

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To my knowledge, this type of incident has not happened in Colorado but is definitely a possibility with the ever increasing number of people in the backcountry.

Sunday, August 19, 2018

200 Homes Evacuated in Old Park for Silver Creek Fire Near Kremmling

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Bear and Cub Break Into Multiple Homes in Crested Butte

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Mother euthanized, cub sent to rehab.

Mountain Lion Spotted on Larkspur Golf Course

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Horse Gets West Nile in Larimer County

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Smoke From Western Canadian and US Wildfires Reaches Europe

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Lightning Strikes Cause 2 House Fires in Colorado Springs

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Update on Western Slope Wildfires

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Still growing.

Multiple Rescues From Flooding South of Colorado Springs

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Severe thunderstorm with large hail.

Snow Falls at A Basin, More Possible This Weekend

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Thursday, August 16, 2018

NASA Compilation of Smoke Travelling in the Jet Stream From 2017 Wildfires

Link

Similar to what is currently happening, smoke from Pacific NW wildfires travels through Wyoming and through to the east coast with some dipping southward along the Front Range.  My casual observations the last few days are that smoke is travelling along low terrain in river drainages. Probably because air with a high concentration of smoke particles is more dense than clean air.




Eco-Terrorist Who Started Dozens of Wildfires in the Western US in 90's and 2000's Arrested

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The Complete Story on Rattlesnakes

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A good read.

Driver Injured in Collision With Mountain Lion on I-70 West of Glenwood Springs

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Cache Creek Wildfire Jumps Containment Line Heads Toward Battlement Mesa

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New Wildfire Southwest of Blue Mesa Reservoir

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New Wildfires Breakout Near Craig

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New Wildfire in Boulder County Contained After Evacuation Orders Issued

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Brush Fire Near DeBeque Canyon Closes I-70

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Bull Draw Wildfire Near Nucla Expands to 21,000 Acres

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Only 15% contained. Now the 17th largest wildfire in Colorado history.

Hundreds of Homes Evacuated for Wildfire North of Kremmling

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Air Advisories for Colorado, Western Canada Wildfires Generating Most of Smoke Now

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Over 500 wildfires burning in BC




Saturday, August 11, 2018

Mountain Lion Breaks Into Boulder House, Eats Cat

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Very, very unusual. The cat looks like a yearling and there must have been an easily accessible entrance.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

2nd Colorado Case of West Nile Disease Reported in Delta County

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Multiple News Media Reports of Softball-Sized Hail at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Inaccurate

News Link   Reports of baseball-sized hail accurate.



Bull Draw Wildfire Near Nucla Grows to 6,000 Acres

Western Slope Getting Worst of Wildfire Smoke

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History Lessons from Public Lands

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Crowd Watches Bear in Tree at Breckenridge

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Video of Hail Damage at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Video

Even broke clay and cement roof tiles.

Colordo Parks and Wildlife Encouraging Residents to Bear-Proof Their Homes

Video

Rare Morning Tornado Touches Down in NE Weld County

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Saturday, August 4, 2018

Thursday, August 2, 2018

River District, Feds Work To Boost Streamflow in Frying Pan River

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Last Week's Hailstorm in Greeley Caused Extensive Crop Damage

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Hailstorms Are More Dangerous in Colorado Than Other Parts of the Country

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A combination of faster hailstone speed at altitude, and high storm frequency over populated areas.

20 People Hospitalized by Large Hailstones and Tornado in Brush Last Week

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Some pictures of large cuts and bruises suffered by a family in a car that had the windshields blown out.  Baseball-sized hail can break bones and grapefruit-sized hail killed n infant in Fort Collins in 1979.

Grasshopper Infestation Polluted Colorado Springs' Water Supply in 1873

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A hitherto unknown factoid of history.

Largest Colorado Wildfires Mostly Contained But Smoke Is Thick Over the Front Range

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My unscientific observation is that the smoke today is the worst ever. More than 2002 or 2012.

Durango Man Caught Feeding Bears for 3rd Time, Fined $1000

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Someone should tell this guy about the woman in Ouray that fed bears. She was killed and eaten by a bear in 2009.

5 West Slope Wildfires Growing, Thick Smoke Spreading Out

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Main threat is to oil and gas wells.