Skies have been mostly cloudy over Denver and along the I-70 Corridor this afternoon. Temperatures have managed to rebound into the 40s to low 50s across the metro area, but windy conditions are making it feel a little colder in the western suburbs and the foothills. The winds have really been whipping up over elevations above 6,000 feet. A few of the stronger gusts include 62 MPH at NCARs Mesa Lab in Boulder, 60 mph on Berthoud Pass and 45 mph in Broomfield at Rocky Mountain Airport. A mountain wave cloud is hanging out over the Front Range, blocking the sun for some. These wave clouds form when we have strong winds aloft roaring over the mountains. The rough terrain creates turbulence in the atmosphere that can produce a deck of clouds that hang over the I-25 Corridor. The best way to visualize what is happening in the sky above us is to think what the water looks like just downstream from a big boulder in our mountain rivers. The wave of water that you see is much the same as the wave of air that develops just downstream from the mountains west of Denver. The mountain wave cloud is typically a sign of strong westerly winds aloft and can signal a couple of things - strong surface winds and milder temperatures. The strong surface winds are created as some of the momentum from higher in the atmosphere squeezes over the peaks and down through the canyons. The warmer temperatures are due to the air sinking down from the mountains and warming due to an increase in air pressure. This warmer air will help to melt more of the snow that is still stuck to the grass and shady areas. For those in the city, it is safe to wash the salt and mag-chloride off your car as the next system is days away. The winds aloft will not be quite as strong on Wednesday, so temperatures may be a few degrees cooler and there will be less of a chance for another mountain wave cloud. Another increase in the jet stream winds will occur on Thursday as a fast moving, but weak storm system moves into the central Rockies. The mountains may see a little more snow by late Wednesday night and Thursday. This storm will be a quick one and not a very strong one. Perhaps 3-6 inches of new snow for the northern and central mountains. It will likely zip by too quickly to bring anything more than some clouds and wind to Denver and the eastern plains. The next storm to hit the metro area will arrive on Sunday. It does not appear to be very significant for the Metro Area, but it will cool temperatures by the end of the weekend into early next week. Some light snow is expected on Sunday and early Monday, but it will not be a big deal. So for now...enjoy the milder days as the bus stop conditions and the commute will be much smoother, weather-wise, this week. Aside from a patch of slush, there should not be anything to slow you down.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 23:28:44 +0000
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