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Sunday Update: The Front Range Forecast: Wandering Thunder

In Brief:

Warm temperatures and afternoon storms set up.

Sunday Update:

Temperatures are quite warm this week with moisture coming into the state from the Gulf. We'll see afternoon thunderstorms most days with a bit more of a cool down and more water Wednesday with a brief cool front passage.

Spring is settling in.  I'm thinking that any I-25 snow, between now and June, is looking very unlikely.

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Figure 1 update: the 10 day graphical forecast for Longmont from weatherunderground.com

End Sunday Update.

The Forecast Discussion:

A short wave ridge is moving in pushed by a short wave trough (Figure 2) that will rapidly warm us up this weekend (Figure 1), then brings fairly strong winds to the Front Range (Figure 3) Monday and Tuesday. See the Longer Range Forecast, below, for the end of the week.

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Figure 1: the 10 day graphical forecast for Longmont from weatherunderground.com
 
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Figure 2: the 500mb upper air map for Monday from the GFS and tropicaltidbits.com

 

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Figure 3: the surface wind speed forecast map from the GFS and weather5280.com

 

The Longer Range Forecast:

The next 5 days sees precipitation (rain and snow - Figures 4 and 5) confined to the mountains. A broad trough and cut-off low moves in for the end of the week bringing us an extended period of cool wet weather.  I don't see any snow for I-25 folks through mid-month. Was that "it" for snow this side of Summer?

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Figure 4: the precipitation forecast map from the GFS and weather5280.com
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Figure 5: the 10:1 ratio snowfall forecast map from the GFS and weather5280.com

 


About the Author: John Ensworth

John Ensworth used to work from Longmont as the PI for the NASA through the IGES (The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies). He now teaches technology, algebra, astronomy, meteorology, film school, and Lego robotics to middle/high school.
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Current Weather

Mostly cloudy

Mostly cloudy

68°F

UV Index
10 Very High
Pressure
29.92 Falling
Visibility
8 miles
Dewpoint
45 °F
Humidity
44%
Wind
E 3.8 mph
Gust
8.7 mph
Wind Chill
68 °F

Hourly Forecast

Today
1 PM
66°F
Intermittent clouds
Today
2 PM
67°F
Mostly cloudy
Today
3 PM
68°F
Mostly cloudy
Today
4 PM
69°F
Mostly cloudy
Today
5 PM
68°F
Mostly cloudy
Today
6 PM
66°F
Thunderstorms
Today
7 PM
63°F
Cloudy
Today
8 PM
62°F
Thunderstorms
Today
9 PM
60°F
Cloudy
Today
10 PM
58°F
Cloudy
Today
11 PM
55°F
Cloudy
Tomorrow
12 AM
54°F
Cloudy

7 Day Forecast

Partly sunny w/ t-storms

Monday

69 °F

Not as warm with clouds and sunshine; a heavy thunderstorm late this afternoon


Thunderstorms

Monday Night

47 °F

Cloudy with a thunderstorm in spots


Thunderstorms

Tuesday

61 °F

Mostly cloudy and cool; a couple of afternoon showers and a thunderstorm


Partly cloudy w/ t-storms

Tuesday Night

36 °F

A thunderstorm in spots in the evening; otherwise, partly cloudy


Partly sunny

Wednesday

72 °F

Partly sunny, pleasant and warmer


Mostly clear

Wednesday Night

40 °F

Mainly clear


Partly sunny

Thursday

82 °F

Warmer with partial sunshine


Mostly cloudy

Thursday Night

44 °F

Mostly cloudy


Showers

Friday

60 °F

Cloudy and cooler with a couple of showers


Intermittent clouds

Friday Night

42 °F

Turning out clear


Sunrise and Sunset

Sunrise
5:40 AM
Sunset
8:15 PM

Based on AccuWeather data