Weather Alerts for Colorado

Recent Locations: Olivet, SD Vance, MS Joes, CO

1. Air Quality Alert for: Dolores, CO; Montezuma, CO

2. Air Quality Alert for: Garfield, CO; Routt, CO; Mesa, CO; Rio Blanco, CO

3. Air Quality Alert for: Mesa, CO; Routt, CO; Delta, CO; Rio Blanco, CO; Garfield, CO; Gunnison, CO; Montrose, CO

4. Air Quality Alert for: San Juan, CO; Montezuma, CO; San Miguel, CO; Ouray, CO; Dolores, CO; Hinsdale, CO

5. Fire Weather Watch for: Jackson County Below 9000 Feet; South and Southeast Grand/West Central and Southwest Boulder/Gilpin/Clear Creek/Summit/North and West Park Counties Above 9000 Feet; Grand and Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet; Central and Southeast Park County; Larimer and Boulder Counties Between 6000 and 9000 Feet; Jefferson and West Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet/Gilpin/Clear Creek/Northeast Park Counties Below 9000 Feet; West Jackson and West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet; South and East Jackson/Larimer/North and Northeast Grand/Northwest Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet

6. Fire Weather Watch for: Little Snake; White River; Lower Colorado River; Southwest Colorado Lower Forecast Area; Paradox Valley; Northern San Juan; North Fork; Gunnison Basin; Southwest Colorado Upper West Forecast Area; Southwest Colorado Upper East Forecast Area; Eastern Ashley National Forest; Eastern Uintah Basin; Book Cliffs; Colorado River Basin; Southeast Utah

7. Fire Weather Watch for: Little Snake; White River; Lower Colorado River; Southwest Colorado Lower Forecast Area; Paradox Valley; Northern San Juan; North Fork; Gunnison Basin; Southwest Colorado Upper West Forecast Area; Southwest Colorado Upper East Forecast Area; Eastern Ashley National Forest; Eastern Uintah Basin; Book Cliffs; Colorado River Basin; Southeast Utah

8. Fire Weather Watch for: Routt; Colorado River Headwaters

9. Fire Weather Watch for: Routt; Colorado River Headwaters

10. Fire Weather Watch for: Upper Arkansas River Valley Including Lake County and Chaffee County; Fremont County Including Canon City/Howard/Texas Creek; Eastern San Juan Mountains and La Garita Mountains Including Wolf Creek Pass and Creede; Southern Front Range Including Sangre De Cristo Mountains/Wet Mountains/La Veta Pass

11. Red Flag Warning for: Routt; Colorado River Headwaters

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Current U.S. National Radar--Current

The Current National Weather Radar is shown below with a UTC Time (subtract 5 hours from UTC to get Eastern Time).

National Weather Forecast--Current

The Current National Weather Forecast and National Weather Map are shown below.

National Weather Forecast for Tomorrow

Tomorrow National Weather Forecast and Tomorrow National Weather Map are show below.

North America Water Vapor (Moisture)

This map shows recent moisture content over North America. Bright and colored areas show high moisture (ie, clouds); brown indicates very little moisture present; black indicates no moisture.

Weather Topic: What are Contrails?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Contrails

Next Topic: Cumulonimbus Clouds

A contrail is an artificial cloud, created by the passing of an aircraft.

Contrails form because water vapor in the exhaust of aircraft engines is suspended in the air under certain temperatures and humidity conditions. These contrails are called exhaust contrails.

Another type of contrail can form due to a temporary reduction in air pressure moving over the plane's surface, causing condensation. These are called aerodynamic contrails.

When you can see your breath on a cold day, it is also because of condensation. The reason contrails last longer than the condensation from your breath is because the water in contrails freezes into ice particles.

Next Topic: Cumulonimbus Clouds

Weather Topic: What are Cumulus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Cumulus Clouds

Next Topic: Drizzle

Cumulus clouds are fluffy and textured with rounded tops, and may have flat bottoms. The border of a cumulus cloud is clearly defined, and can have the appearance of cotton or cauliflower.

Cumulus clouds form at low altitudes (rarely above 2 km) but can grow very tall, becoming cumulus congestus and possibly the even taller cumulonimbus clouds. When cumulus clouds become taller, they have a greater chance of producing precipitation.

Next Topic: Drizzle