Looks like we are finally getting some relief from the drought that has plagued Colorado for the last several years. It also rained out my oldest son's Tee-Ball game last night...

I've been participating in the Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study (CoCoRaHS) for the last year or so.It has a terrific benefit for the public, scientists and the National Weather Service. It's also hosted at my Alma Mater: Colorado State University!

Here's my data for June 2004:

CoCo RaHS Summary of Precipitation

Station  BO87   Erie 3.1 SW     40.0193   105.2911
Station             
Station             

DATE                         PRECIPITATION
                Station         Station         Station
                  BO87                          
------------------------------------------------------------
  6/1  /2004
  6/2  /2004
  6/3  /2004
  6/4  /2004
  6/5  /2004
  6/6  /2004
  6/7  /2004
  6/8  /2004
  6/9  /2004      0.25
  6/10 /2004
  6/11 /2004
  6/12 /2004
  6/13 /2004
  6/14 /2004
  6/15 /2004
  6/16 /2004
  6/17 /2004      0.35
  6/18 /2004      0.81
  6/19 /2004      0.30
  6/20 /2004
  6/21 /2004      0.05
  6/22 /2004      0.34
  6/23 /2004
  6/24 /2004
  6/25 /2004
  6/26 /2004      0.10
  6/27 /2004
  6/28 /2004      0.36
  6/29 /2004
  6/30 /2004      0.28
------------------------------------------------------------
Total             2.84            0            0

* indicates multi-day accumulation data

Some of you may have heard of WxML in the past. This is a different approach.

The National Weather Service is providing weather data now as an XML-based web service! Check it out: http://weather.gov/xml/

The service provides the data using the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD)'s Digital Weather Markup Language (DWML)

NDFD XML contains forecasts for any combination of the following meteorological parameters:

• Maximum Temperature
• Minimum Temperature
• 3 hourly Temperature
• Dewpoint Temperature
• 12 hour Probability of Precipitation
• Liquid Precipitation Amounts (Quantitative Precipitation Forecast)
• Snowfall Amounts
• Cloud Cover Amounts
• Wind Direction
• Wind Speed
• Sensible Weather
• Wave Heights

I grew up on a ranch in southeastern Colorado. Not many people know or have heard about Trinchera, but it looks like the weather service does!

308 PM MDT MON JUN 21 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  LAS ANIMAS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO

* UNTIL 415 PM MDT

* AT 306 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL.  THIS
  STORM WAS LOCATED 22 MILES WEST OF TRINCHERA...AND WAS MOVING EAST
  AT 15 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED WILL BE...
  7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TRINCHERA BY 415 PM MDT

AT 306 PM A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOTTER SAW PENNY SIZE HAIL 3 
MILES 11 MILES SOUTH OF TRINIDAD.

In case you would like to visit, there is a post office (zip=81081), and about 12 residents. I used to have to ride a bus 18 miles to Kindergarten in Branson, Colorado (Go Bearcats!)

Truth be told, I was born in Raton, New Mexico, as it was a shorter drive from the ranch than going to Trinidad! I only spent those first two days in Raton, so I still consider myself a Colorado native.

A brisk 50 degrees F, and a lovely, misting fog envelopes the Denver metro area today. As a storm chaser, I love the big lightning storms, but the mist and fog we tend to get during spring and fall in Colorado have to be my second favorite weather type.

The mist and fog makes me feel contemplative, not depressed. It also prompts me to visit Scotland all the more. Hopefully for my 10th anniversary!

I have experienced Thundersnow here in Colorado, and I wonder if there isn't such a thing as Thunderfog?

I'm glad God likes variety, too.