Updraft: October 29, 2009 Archive

Forecast: Rain and thunder

Posted at 8:46 AM on October 29, 2009 by Paul Huttner (2 Comments)

WRF model cranks out an inch of rain Thursday centered on the east metro.

October's final salvo may break the record books.

Another in a series of storms this month is bringing rain and thunder to much of Minnesota. Waves of rain are moving north from Iowa today, and the rain will be moderate to heavy at times. Imbedded thunderstorms will also rumble through the area. Expect the heaviest waves or rain and thunder to move through during the afternoon and early evening hours as the storm peaks.

Forecast models are cranking out over an inch of rain (NAM = 1.12") with this potent weather system. So far this month 4.82" of precipitation has been recorded in the Twin Cities. Another inch of rain would rank as the second wettest October on record since pioneer records began in the Twin Cities in 1871.

Wettest Octobers on Record (updated by Twin Cities NWS today)

Minneapolis
Rank Value Date
1. 6.42 1911
2. 5.68 1971
3. 5.64 1934
4. 5.62 1968
5. 5.52 1941
6. 5.51 1898
7. 5.48 1984
8. 5.45 2005
9. 4.97 1970
10. 4.94 1904
11. 4.82 2009

On the cold side of the storm heavy snow is blanketing western South Dakota and west central North Dakota. Incredible snow totals of over 3 feet have fallen in the mountains just west of Denver with this storm. Winter storm warnings and other winter weather advisories are posted for parts of 13 states with this potent storm. The storm's impacts are being felt from California and Arizona all the way to North Dakota.

Surface reports indicate snow from near Denver all the way into North Dakota.

CDOT traffic cam shows deep snow on I-70 west of Denver.

Expect another wet and potentially slow commute in the Twin Cities and around Minnesota this afternoon as the storm reaches peak intensity.

Stay dry today!

PH

Denver Mega Storm: 43 inches; I-70 closed

Posted at 4:25 PM on October 29, 2009 by Paul Huttner

A major winter storm is halting travel and burying Denver and nearby areas with anywhere from 1 to nearly 4 feet of snow. Two feet of snow has fallen in metro Denver and suburbs. In the mountains west of Denver, incredible snowfall totals of 3 to almost 4 feet are reported. Check out some of these amazing snowfall totals, some of which exceed a year's worth of snow for many Midwestern Cities.

0908 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 SE PINECLIFFE 39.90N 105.39W
10/29/2009 M43.8 INCH JEFFERSON CO TRAINED SPOTTER
COAL CREEK CANYON

0800 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 NNW BLACK HAWK 39.83N 105.51W
10/29/2009 M40.0 INCH GILPIN CO AMATEUR RADIO

0128 PM HEAVY SNOW 1 S EVERGREEN 39.62N 105.34W
10/29/2009 M38.5 INCH JEFFERSON CO TRAINED SPOTTER

0110 PM HEAVY SNOW 3 SW CONIFER 39.49N 105.34W
10/29/2009 M37.0 INCH JEFFERSON CO TRAINED SPOTTER

1141 AM HEAVY SNOW LITTLETON 39.59N 105.01W
10/29/2009 M24.5 INCH ARAPAHOE CO TRAINED SPOTTER

0954 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 NW DENVER 39.78N 105.03W
10/29/2009 M23.0 INCH DENVER CO NWS EMPLOYEE

1145 AM HEAVY SNOW 1 E CASTLE ROCK 39.38N 104.83W
10/29/2009 M21.5 INCH DOUGLAS CO TRAINED SPOTTER

To put these amounts in perspective, the 43.8" recorded so far in Coal Creek Canyon west of Denver is more than the average annual snowfall for Chicago (38") and Sioux Falls (40.6").

It also approaches the average annual snowfall for the Twin Cities is 55.9 inches.

Blizzard conditions are occurring east of Denver on the Colorado high plains. I-70 is closed from east of Denver to the Kansas state line Thursday afternoon.

Commuters battle heavy snow along I-25 in Denver Thursday.

This is a historic storm for Denver. It will be interesting to see what records are broken as the storm wraps up Friday.

PH