Fun weather in Denver area

[TangoWhiskey]

My 777-pilot friend in Aurora just sent these pictures taken from his deck; got baseball-sized hail over at the Penney's a mile away. He saw a wall cloud, ran downstairs and grabbed the camera and got these while the sirens were blaring.

A little bit of excitement near Centennial!

METAR:

KAPA 072037Z 02013G22KT 10SM FEW035 BKN050 OVC060 13/08 A2980 RMK FUNNEL CLOUD E06 TORNADO B07 6E MOV S TORNADO E16 AO2 PK WND 32028/2001 TSE37RAE37 TORNADO E05 DSIPT FRQ LTGCGICCC DSNT E-SE TS MOV DSNT E P0

 

[Clark1961]

It was an interesting weather day. When I got to FTG the clouds were moving lower and south. A couple hours later the flow turned around and the overcast moved north. Then the sky got a little confused with an upper layer heading north and a lower layer wandering around rather aimlessly.

The winds at ground level were calm and the storms were still west and north of Denver so when my pax showed up we made a brief local flight. The wind at 1,000 agl shifted abruptly from out of the north to out of the southwest so we called it a day really quick. Hangared the Dakota and wiped the bug juice off before heading home.

Ran into the rain on the way home and then heard the tornado warning when I was about five minutes from the house. I live on the west side so it was a couple hours after landing. I think that's about as close as I want to get. The weather can blow up really quick here.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Ha! Look at picture #1. Just got off the phone with my buddy; he said the guy in the golf cart stopped to watch the view for about five minutes, then tee'd up and went for the next hole. lol

 

[murphey]

Oh, but unless you were in it, you really can't appreciate the intensity. 5 recorded tornadoes, one did a number on a shopping center on the SE (pretty much due south of Buckley AFB). I was at a store with a metal roof. Hail, wind, rain and LOTS of noise on the roof. I pulled up wunderground.com to watch the storms - barreling thru at 25-45 mph!

9-10 months of the year I wonder why I spend money to rent the hangar. During June, July & August, I remember why.

 

[Diana]

Anyone heard from Mari? I hope it didn't affect her.

 

[Clark1961]

I think the storm tracks were all north of the Castle Rock area so Mari should be out of the way (unless she was out and about...).

I talked to my instructor this afternoon and he said they had a tornado about 1.5 miles south of EIK. For some reason he canceled the discovery flight he had scheduled. :smile: Just think - it'd be a twofer - an intro to light aircraft and a trip to Oz all rolled into one!

 

[Everskyward]

I think the storm tracks were all north of the Castle Rock area so Mari should be out of the way (unless she was out and about...).

Interesting. I was at a BBQ about 10 miles SE of KAPA. We were out on the deck and saw some dark clouds and felt a spit of rain. We went inside to eat and didn't hear anything about the tornadoes until it was all over. Now it's sunny again. Typical Colorado.

 

[gkainz]

Last night's news showed the hail ... had a photo someone submitted holding these hailstones ... both hands full with maybe 3 or 4 hailstones. Yikes! Weatherman Marty Coniglio (himself a pilot) said the biggest stuff was baseball sized.

and then this http://www.denverpost.com/ci_6013256

 

[ejensen]

Flew home from Wyoming around noon. First had to wait for the fog to lift and then barely beat the TStorms. They started early, lightening around Cheyenne around 1030. Got the plane put away as it started to rain. Ran into hail and heavy rain on the drive one. Two inches of hail at the house mostly pea size some up to large marble. Shredded many of the flowers and trees. I think the truck is OK.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

More:

We tried to launch this weekend but were besieged by weather. Saturday the wind kept us down so we didn't fly.

The first picture I attached is what happened Sunday when we got in a few flights but were shut down by nasty thunderstorms.

Then today one of the guys who lives at the airport took the attached picture of the tornado. Fortunately the tornado missed the airport and caused little damage overall.

We've had nine straight days of severe thunderstorms and tornado sightings. It's like living in Oklahoma!

 

[Anthony]

It pays to have a hangar out there.

 

[ejensen]

Yep, hail again yesterday and a tornado warning! We had to move downstairs and away from the windows for 30 minutes. This was in the middle of Fort Collins.

Received this message from the Greeley airport:
"
Due to the unusual number of tornado warnings and such over the past few days, the Greeley-Weld County Airport Authority would like to remind all tenants and users that a safe place to take cover if you are at the airport during such an event is at the airport terminal building. As there are no structures on the airport which have basement levels to take cover in, we would remind you that the terminal building is constructed of reinforced concrete block, which we consider a safer location than a typical metal hangar building. For those that take cover in the terminal, it is best to congregate in the administrative hallway, which is away from all of the glass located in the main lobby. Over the past several days, several funnel clouds have been spotted west of the airport, and the airport itself has taken heavy rains and heavy hail.

Please call us at 336-3000 with any questions, or if you require any additional information.

Mike Reisman
Airport Manager"

 

[gkainz]

and I think we've had thunderstorms and severe weather 7 of the last 9 weekends. I got honey-do yard projects unfinished and an unhappy project manager! Not to mention no flying for weeks and weeks now.

 

[Clark1961]

Not to mention no flying for weeks and weeks now.

You up for some safety pilot work?

 

[gkainz]

absolutely! pm or email from my profile ...

 

[fgcason]

and I think we've had thunderstorms and severe weather 7 of the last 9 weekends. I got honey-do yard projects unfinished and an unhappy project manager!

And during the week it's been rain nearly every day during that same time period.

I'm done with rain for a while. I'll take 8-10 weeks of constant snow in the winter over this nonsense.