7:00 AM | Cooler start to the week with showers likely; warmer by mid-week

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly cloudy, cool, showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, highs in the low 60’s

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, colder, chance for showers and thunderstorms, lows in the low-to-mid 40’s

Tuesday

Mostly sunny, a bit milder, upper 60’s

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, cool, mid 40’s

Wednesday

Partly sunny, warmer, maybe a shower or thunderstorm, low-to-mid 70’s

Thursday

Partly sunny, pleasant, breezy, mid 70’s

Friday

Partly sunny, warm, slight chance for a shower or thunderstorm, mid-to-upper 70’s

Saturday

Partly sunny, warm, low 80's

Discussion

Cooler weather will begin the new work week as high temperatures hold at below normal levels in the lower 60’s. The upper level trough causing today’s cooler conditions will move away to our east on Tuesday and this will allow for warmer conditions here by mid-week with high temperatures getting back to the 70’s.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/1I_gT1PXSWM

7:00 AM | A mild start to the week then cooler again by mid-week

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly sunny, breezy, highs in the low 70’s

Tonight

Becoming mostly cloudy, mild, fog possible late, lows in the upper 50’s

Tuesday

Early morning low clouds and fog then becoming partly sunny, cool, breezy, upper 60’s

Tuesday Night

Mostly cloudy, mild, some fog possible late, upper 50’s

Wednesday

Early low clouds and fog possible then mostly sunny skies, cool, mid 60’s

Thursday

Mostly sunny skies, cool, mid-to-upper 60’s

Friday

Partly sunny skies, cooler, mid 60’s

Saturday

Partly sunny skies, still cool, mid 60’s

Discussion

High pressure will bring mild conditions to the region to begin the new week as afternoon temperatures climb to near 70 degrees. Upper level trough of low pressure will then approach the region by mid-week and this will generate a cooling trend with highs confined to the middle 60's for the second half of the week.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/1I_gT1PXSWM

2:30 PM | Sunspot region unleashes another solar flare (M-class) early Friday; possible northern lights tonight from X-flare that occurred earlier this week

Discussion

The active sunspot region called AR1748 unleashed an M-class solar flare at 0858 UT on Friday, May 17th. While this is not the strongest flare that we’ve seen from AR1748, it actually may be the most geoeffective as this sunspot is now facing the Earth more directly than before, and the explosion might have hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) towards the Earth.

Another CME that was sent into space earlier this week by an X1-flare from the same sunspot region might deliver a glancing blow to the Earth’s magnetic field later tonight. NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of polar geomagnetic storms when the cloud arrives. High-latitude sky watchers should be on alert for northern lights later tonight.

Stay tuned.

7:00 AM | Still on the cool side thanks to an onshore flow

6-Day Forecast

Today

Early morning low clouds gradually give way today to mostly sunny skies, windy and cool, highs in the low-to-mid 60’s

Tonight

Becoming mostly cloudy, mild, fog possible late, breezy, lows in the upper 50’s

Saturday

Early morning low clouds and fog then becoming mostly sunny, cool, low-to-mid 60’s

Saturday Night

Mostly cloudy, mild, some fog possible late, upper 50’s

Sunday

Early low clouds and fog possible then mostly sunny skies, cool, mid-to-upper 60’s

Monday

Mostly sunny skies, pleasant, low 70’s

Tuesday

Early patchy fog possible then mainly sunny skies, cooler, upper 60’s

Wednesday

Early low clouds and fog possible then partly sunny skies, cool, mid 60’s

Discussion

The onshore flow of air will continue for the next few days keeping the region on the cool side of normal with a continuation of late night and early morning low clouds, fog and perhaps even some drizzle along coastal regions. High pressure builds over the region later this weekend and a brief warming trend is likely by early next week as offshore flow develops in the region. However, the marine layer will re-establish itself by the middle of next week and cooler temperatures will return to the region.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/zGUFJ-4TiIE

7:00 AM | Another warm day way up in the 80's across the southern Rockies; cooler this weekend

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly sunny, warm, highs in the mid-to-upper 80’s

Tonight

Partly cloudy, cool, lows near 50 degrees

Saturday

Partly sunny, not as warm, maybe a shower or thunderstorm, low-to-mid 70’s

Saturday Night

Mostly cloudy, cool, chance for a shower or thunderstorm, near 50

Sunday

Mostly cloudy, cooler, chance for a few showers and thunderstorms, mid-to-upper 60’s

Monday

Partly sunny, cool, chance for a shower or thunderstorm, low 60’s

Tuesday

Partly sunny, cool, upper 60’s

Wednesday

Partly sunny, milder, mid 70’s

Discussion

Warm weather will continue for another day, but then a broad upper level trough will move into the southern Rockies this weekend and bring somewhat cooler weather to the region along with possible scattered showers and thunderstorms. Moisture will likely be rather limited with this upper level trough of low pressure so significant rainfall is not likely. Cool weather early next week will give way to a warmer air mass by the mid-week time frame.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/zGUFJ-4TiIE

12:25 PM | Active sunspot region has unleashed four X-class solar flares in the past few days; CME could deliver glancing blow to Earth's upper atmosphere tomorrow

Discussion

The active sunspot region called AR1748 has unleashed four X-class solar flares in the past few days and it might not be finished yet as it continues to grow and has a magnetic field that harbors energy for more X-class solar flares according to NASA scientists. (Other solar flare categories include M-class, which are medium strength and C-class which are small and relatively weak). This particular sunspot region has actually produced more X-flares than every other sunspot of the past year combined.

The last of the four solar flares which occurred early yesterday did produce a coronal mass ejection (CME) that may deliver a glancing blow to Earth’s magnetic field on Friday, May 17th. As a result, northern lights are possible across northern latitudes when the CME reaches the Earth’s upper atmosphere on Friday. The threat for more X-flares continues from AR1748 as it now moves into a location that puts the Earth directly in the line of fire. NOAA forecasters put the odds of another X-flare at 60%. The largest X-class solar flare in this particular solar cycle (#24) was an X6.9 that occurred on August 9th, 2011.

Stay tuned.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/l8HO2ELAhrw

7:00 AM | Onshore flow continues until early next week

6-Day Forecast

Today

Early morning low clouds and fog then gradually becoming partly sunny, breezy, highs in the low-to-mid 60’s

Tonight

Becoming mostly cloudy, mild, breezy, lows near 60 degrees

Friday

Early morning low clouds, fog and perhaps some drizzle then becoming partly sunny, cool, low 60’s

Friday Night

Mostly cloudy, mild, some fog possible late, upper 50’s

Saturday

Early low clouds and fog possible then mostly sunny skies, cool, low-to-mid 60’s

Sunday

Early low clouds and fog possible then mostly sunny skies, cool, mid-to-upper 60’s

Monday

Mainly sunny skies, warmer, low-to-mid 70’s

Tuesday

Early low clouds and fog possible then partly sunny skies, pleasant, near 70

Discussion

The onshore flow of air will continue for the next few days keeping the region on the cool side of normal with a continuation of late night and early morning low clouds, fog and perhaps drizzle along coastal regions. High pressure builds over the region later this weekend and a warming trend is likely by early next week as offshore flow develops in the region.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/WxFj57FYNnA

7:00 AM | Warm weather pattern continues to close out the work week

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly sunny, warm, chance for a shower or thunderstorm, highs in the low 80's

Tonight

Partly cloudy, cool, lows near 50 degrees

Friday

Mostly sunny, warm, low 80’s

Friday Night

Partly cloudy, cool, low 50’s

Saturday

Partly sunny, mild, low-to-mid 70’s

Sunday

Partly sunny, cooler, chance for a shower or thunderstorm, mid 60’s

Monday

Partly sunny, cooler, chance for a shower or thunderstorm, low-to-mid 60’s

Tuesday

Partly sunny, cool, upper 60’s

Discussion

Generally warm weather will continue for the next couple of days with only a slight chance for a shower or thunderstorm. A broad upper level trough will move into the southern Rockies later this weekend and bring somewhat cooler weather along with possible scattered showers and thunderstorms. Moisture will likely be limited with this upper level trough of low pressure so significant precipitation is not likely.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/WxFj57FYNnA

7:00 AM | Marine flow of air keeps us on the cool side

6-Day Forecast

Today

Early morning low clouds and fog; otherwise, partly sunny skies, cool, highs in the mid 60’s

Tonight

Becoming mostly cloudy, mild, breezy, some fog possible late, lows near 60 degrees

Thursday

Early morning low clouds and fog then becoming partly sunny, cool, mid 60’s

Thursday Night

Mostly cloudy, mild, some fog possible late, upper 50's

Friday

Early low clouds and fog possible then mostly sunny skies, cool, low-to-mid 60’s

Saturday

Early low clouds and fog possible then mostly sunny skies, cool, low-to-mid 60’s

Sunday

Early low clouds and fog possible then partly sunny skies, not as cool, near 70

Monday

Early low clouds and fog possible then partly sunny skies, milder, mid 70’s

Discussion

A marine flow of air will continue for the next few days keeping the region on the cool side of normal with a continuation of late night and early morning low clouds and fog along coastal regions. High pressure builds over the region this weekend and a warming trend is likely by early next week.

An update on the sun - there has been a fourth "X-class" solar flare from the very active sunspot region called AR1748 that occurred earlier today. Before the week began, the sun had not unleashed any X-class flares, but now there have been four in just the past few days.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/zKQUZuEUxsE

7:00 AM | Not quite as warm as yesterday, but it still reaches the upper 70's

6-Day Forecast

Today

Partly sunny, not quite as warm as yesterday, chance for afternoon showers and thunderstorms, highs in the upper 70’s

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, cool, chance for a shower or thunderstorm, lows near 50 degrees

Thursday

Mostly sunny, warm, upper 70’s

Thursday Night

Mostly cloudy, cool, low 50’s

Friday

Partly sunny, warm, low 80’s

Saturday

Partly sunny, mild, chance for a shower or thunderstorm, mid 70’s

Sunday

Partly sunny, cooler, chance for a shower or thunderstorm, upper 60's

Monday

Partly sunny, cool, mid 60’s

Discussion

Generally mild weather will continue for the next few days with isolated showers and thunderstorms in the region. A broad upper level trough will move into the southern Rockies this weekend and bring somewhat cooler weather to the region along with possible scattered showers and thunderstorms.

An update on the sun - there has been a fourth "X-class" solar flare from the very active sunspot region called AR1748 that occurred earlier today. Before the week began, the sun had not unleashed any X-class flares, but now there have been four in just the past few days.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/zKQUZuEUxsE