Of course it gets warm right before I leave for vacation! Today was beautiful with temperatures well above average…Average temperature in Colorado Springs on December 28th is 41 degrees. Today’s high was 52 degrees with mostly sunny skies! It doesn’t get much better than that! We have another nice day of warm temperatures again for Monday, however, winds are going to pick up significantly Monday night into Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service in Denver issued a High Wind Watch for Douglas and Park counties from Monday evening through Tuesday morning. Strong westerly flow aloft combined with a low pressure system over eastern Colorado will help bring strong winds down across the Front Range Mountains, foothills and nearby adjacent plains. Wind speeds will increase to 20 to 40 mph with some wind gusts up to 80 mph possible. So while tomorrow will be warm and sunny, winds will become a little annoying in the evening.

We’re expecting an overall nice stretch of weather for the final week of 2008 and that begins today. We had a beautiful start to the day with clear skies at sunrise along with temperatures 20 to 30 degrees milder than Saturday morning’s temperatures.

Temperatures will be into the 50s in many spots today with even milder air on the way for tomorrow. I won’t be around to enjoy the warmth as I begin a much needed vacation in Ohio visiting family. I don’t get back until 2009 (that’s hard to say!) so Happy New Year!

Due to the differences in terrain and elevations of the locations across the Neighborhood Weather Network, we often encounter very different weather conditions across the locales. Take this morning for example. Windy conditions kept Pueblo warm with a reading of 50 degrees ay 8:00 a.m.

Briargate was also breezy and mild with temperatures in the low 40s at 8:00. It wasn’t so sunny though as showers were headed to the area.

Meanwhile, folks in Teller County had some light snow to encounter as they hit the roads.

Forecasting these different types of conditions is often very challenging but also one of the most fun aspects of working here in Colorado

Merry Christmas! If your travel plans take you anywhere across the eastern half of the state today, the weather should cooperate as we’re expecting sunshine and mild temperatures. It’s the travel into the mountains that we’re worried about as we’re looking at significant snowfall across the high country through Friday. The snowy conditions are the perfect opportunity to use the latest tool we use to keep you ahead of the storm–Real-Time Travel.

You’ve probably noticed Stacey and me using this tool as often as possible in recent newscasts. It’s a great tool because we receive constant updates in real-time from CDOT sensors and plows. Green, yellow and red dots let you know what types of conditions to expect from simply wet to winter driving conditions.

We’re able to click on those dots to bring up the latest CDOT image from that location. The pictures indicate if there is snow, blowing snow or just about any weather condition. Here’s what things looked like across the high country and eastern plains around 7:30 this morning.

Matt and Marty are the brains behind this new tool we’ll be using. I know they’re planning on a few tweaks to make it even better. I’ll let them talk more about it in future posts. In the meantime, safe travels and Merry Christmas!

We woke up to a wide range in temperatures across the Neighborhood Weather Network thanks to warm air aloft. At 4:30 this morning, many of us had temperatures in the single digits, but Woodland Park was quite a bit milder.

We said during the morning broadcast that the higher elevations would warm up more quickly than the lower elevations. By 10:00 a.m., Monument was about 15 degrees milder than our studios on S. 8th St.

Some pesky cloud cover might keep us from hitting our forecasted highs, but we’ll still be milder than Sunday. Enjoy it because we get cold again Tuesday with the chance for some snow across the Pikes Peak region.

It’s hard to believe but we’re just 7 days away from Christmas. While I was doing some radio weather forecasts this morning, Mike Lewis from KRDO NEWSRADIO asked me if we would have a white Christmas. I told him early indications are Christmas will be quiet with above-average temperatures. The National Weather Service Pueblo office posted the climatological chances for a white Christmas. It’s pretty interesting. You can find it by clicking here.

Sorry it has been so long since I last visited this forum, I still plan to address the big, suprise weekend snow of a couple weeks back.  Been very busy with vacation coming up, but moreso with some behind the scenes stuff that will help us deliver more information even more efficiently soon.  I’m excited about what we’re doing by the way, hang tight a short time more, it won’t be too long before you start noticing some additional capabilities here.

I also wanted to wish all of you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and everything else in between!  Enjoy your time away from work and with your families, see you after Christmas!

Marty V

The mountains have been getting hammered…just like last December and there is more on the way! The central and southwestern mountains have been doing better than the Summit County and northern mountain areas this week…here are the latest reports and some pictures that came in to the email box today.

Density is defined as the amount of mass per unit space, or the amount of stuff inside a predefined imaginary box. For weather purposes, think of it as how many air molucules are in a one foot x one foot x one foot box. Why am I getting pretty nerdy on you? Density is a very important property around here when cold airmasses invade Colorado. Cold air is denser than warm air (there are more air molecules inside our invisible box) and because of gravity, ends up being heavier than warmer air. Thus, a lot like water in a bowl, it collects in the lowest places. Tuesday afternoon on the Neighborhood Weather Network showed an excellent example of this. Notice how between 3 and 4 o’clock then these images were taken that Monument and Briargate (higher elevation) were warmer than the south side of town (lower elevation) and the whole Pikes Peak Region was warmer than Pueblo and vicinity (even lower elevation).

While amazing to watch (when we put the weather weenie hats on), it does make for a difficult forecast. Last night, I knew Monument would be warmer than Colorado Springs downtown/airport which would be warmer than Pueblo, but its almost impossible to hit the exact numbers. On top of that, throw in trying to communicate it in a nice 2 minute package and, well, its tough. Cool stuff though!

In 2007, the American Automobile Association (AAA) estimated that more than 13 million people in the West traveled by automobile during the Christmas to New Year period.  This year, AAA expects up to five million motorists across the country to become stranded with car trouble during the holiday season.  Chilly temperatures and wintry conditions can impact your vehicle – especially if you have not taken steps to prepare for winter weather.

Matt’s Tip: These simple tips can help ensure safe holiday travel for you and your family.

Tires: Tire pressure can be reduced in cold weather.  Check tire pressure regularly and maintain pressure levels recommended in your vehicle owner’s manual.
Battery: Have your battery tested if the warranty is out.  Clean away corrosion on the battery, cables, and connectors
Antifreeze: Antifreeze should be checked annually to make sure it can withstand cold.  Protect against freezing with a 50-50 mixture of coolant and water.
Windshield Wipers: Do your wiper blades clear the windshield with one swipe?  If not, it’s probably time to replace them.  Use winter windshield detergent to avoid freezing.
Winter Emergency Kit: Carry a cell phone, blankets, flashlight, extra batteries, ice scraper/brush, kitty litter or sand for traction, flares/reflectors and jumper cables in case of an emergency.