Latest news with #ColoradoStateUniversity
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
Colorado's Coolest Trio Of Front Range Towns You May Been Overlooking
Colorado Front Range town of Loveland Karthika Gupta If Colorado conjures images of packed trailheads, bustling breweries, and reservation-only national parks, you are not wrong. But you also might not be looking far enough north. Tucked along the foothills of the northern Front Range lies a triangle of towns—Loveland, Fort Collins, and Estes Park—that deliver classic Colorado charm, access to epic outdoor adventure, and vibrant local flavor without the throngs of peak-season crowds. Each town has its own distinct personality, and together they almost form a loop for a laid-back road trip. Whether you're planning a summer hike, a fall foliage escape, or a winter weekend getaway, this trio offers a lesser-known path to Colorado where mountain views meet indie shops, sculpture gardens, paddling spots, and elk traffic jams. Art, Nature, and Industry Coexist in Loveland Loveland Colorado Karthika Gupta Just an hour north from Denver, Loveland has long flown under the radar, but locals know of it as a cultural hub hiding in plain sight. Nicknamed the 'Sweetheart City' for its famous Valentine's Day remailing program, Loveland is also home to one of the largest concentrations of public sculptures in the country. The Benson Sculpture Garden and Chapungu Sculpture Park showcase large-scale works in bronze and stone and many of them cast locally in the town's active art foundries which also offer tours. Sculpture garden in Loveland The town's creative energy blends seamlessly with outdoor access. Just a 10-minute drive from downtown, the Devil's Backbone Open Space offers 12 miles of hiking trails along a dramatic ridge of jagged sandstone, offering views that rival any national park overlook. And after a morning of hiking, travelers can grab coffee at Dark Heart Coffee Bar, a locally owned café or browse through Loveland's growing number of boutique shops and galleries. If you are feeling particularly adventurous, head to Sylvan Dale Ranch to explore the surrounding hills on horseback. Sunset horseback riding in Loveland Colorado Karthika Gupta Bikes, Brews, and Reservoir Views in Fort Collins A short drive north brings you to Fort Collins, a college town known for its laid-back vibe, abundant bike lanes, and strong craft beer scene. It's home to Colorado State University and more than 20 breweries, including nationally known names like Odell and New Belgium. But Fort Collins is much more. Outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty to love at Horsetooth Reservoir, just 15 minutes from downtown, where you can paddleboard, kayak, hike, and even cliff jump with a view. For cyclists, the 21-mile Poudre River Trail offers smooth, scenic riding through cottonwood-lined paths and farmland or explore Well Gulch within Lory State Park for a self-guided hiking trip. Viewpoints along Well Gulch self-guided trail One of the highlights of Fort Collins is the historic Armstrong Hotel, a 100-year-old boutique property that blends art deco elegance with modern touches. But fair warning, some claim it is haunted. Just ask your bartender downstairs at Ace Gillett's Lounge for some bone chilling tales. Rocky Mountain Magic in Estes Park West of both Loveland and Fort Collins, Estes Park is best known as the eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. But even without venturing into the park, the town offers enough to justify a standalone visit. Its downtown is lined with riverfront shops and restaurants, with elk often making an appearance right on Main Street, especially during the fall when it's elk rutting season. Driving from Fort Collins to Estes Park Lake Estes offers kayaking and fishing with a front-row view of alpine peaks, while stargazers will appreciate the low light pollution that makes the area ideal for spotting constellations, planets, and meteor showers. In summer and fall, you can sign up for night hikes and telescope sessions via Rocky Mountain National Park night sky programs or visit the observatory just outside town. For a dose of history (and perhaps a ghost sighting), check out The Stanley Hotel—best known as the inspiration for Stephen King's The Shining and now a luxury property with a calendar full of concerts, film festivals, and wellness retreats. Elk can be found all around Estes Park Karthika Gupta As Colorado continues to battle issues like overtourism, housing affordability, and trail erosion in high-traffic destinations like Boulder and Denver, these smaller towns play a crucial role in offering a unique visitor experience. The best time to visit is September and early October for fall foliage without summer crowds. And for travelers, the appeal is obvious: mountain views without gridlock, small-town charm without sacrificing amenities, and enough variety to fill a long weekend (or more).
CBS News
2 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Hurricane Iona strengthens to Category 3 storm off southern Hawaii
Hurricane Iona strengthened to a Category 3 storm in the central Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, several hundred miles off the southern coast of Hawaii, forecasters said. Iona was located about 790 miles south-southeast of Hawaii's capital city of Honolulu on Tuesday morning, with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center based in Miami. Forecasters said the storm didn't pose an immediate threat to the Hawaiian Islands and no coastal watches or warnings are in effect. Iona was expected to move westward for the next couple of days, forecasters with the hurricane center said. "Additional strengthening is forecast tonight, with steady weakening expected to begin by Wednesday," the center said. Iona initially formed as a tropical depression late Saturday night, forecasters said. As the depression gained strength, it became the first named storm in the central Pacific Ocean this season. It is one of two major weather systems in the central Pacific Ocean. Tropical Storm Keli is farther south with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. It was about 960 miles southeast of Honolulu and was moving west at about 12 mph. The eastern Pacific has seen several named storms so far this season. Last month, Erick made landfall in Mexico as a Category 3 hurricane. Earlier this month, Flossie also reached Category 3 strength as it skirted up the Mexican coast, but ultimately didn't make landfall. Barbara, this season's first hurricane in the eastern Pacific, reached Category 1 strength off Mexico's coast and also didn't make landfall. The Atlantic Ocean has seen three named tropical storms so far this year. Forecasters at Colorado State University expect the Atlantic season to be above average with 16 named storms, eight of which are expected to be hurricanes.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Hurricane season warning signs pile up. Brace for a dangerous August.
The hurricane map in the Atlantic Ocean may be nearly blank now, but forecasters say that may not last much longer, as several signs point to an uptick in activity across the basin. "The tropical environment should become more conducive for Atlantic hurricane activity in the next few weeks," said Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach in a July 24 email to USA TODAY. WPLG-TV hurricane expert Michael Lowry agreed with this prediction, telling USA TODAY that "we're already seeing longer-range forecast models start to perk up... The deep Atlantic tropical waves coming from Africa have been peppier this week, and July 24's long-range forecast models jumped from a generally quiet next 15 days to a much busier look for the first part of August." Has it been a slow start to season? With three named tropical storms (Andrea, Barry and Chantal) so far, the number of storms is actually above average for this time of year. "Currently, we're above-normal for named storms but below normal for all other metrics," Klotzbach said. One of those metrics is Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE), a key measurement of the severity of a hurricane season. ACE measures the total wind energy produced by a season of tropical storms and hurricanes. It measures the intensity and duration of storms, and gives a better indication of overall activity than simply counting the number of storms, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. By that measurement, this is the slowest start to an Atlantic season since 2009, as the three storms that formed were all rather weak, though Chantal did cause some deadly flooding in North Carolina. 'Approaching a pivot point' The season is about to heat up, Lowry said, as August is the month when activity usually ramps up. Lowry said that "despite the slow start we're approaching a pivot point in the Atlantic. Hurricanes aren't common in June and July. They happen, of course, but there are usually tall hurdles to overcome to get there." However, he added "that's not the case in August, September, and the first part of October. Those hurdles are a lot shorter so the right window can get you a big hurricane in a hurry," he said. What does the rest of July look like for development in the Atlantic? "Things look pretty quiet overall," Andy Hazelton, a hurricane scientist at the University of Miami, told USA TODAY in an e-mail. "There are some stronger waves starting to show up in the Central Atlantic, but right now, dry and sinking air is making development tough. There's another wave coming off (Africa) that may have a slight chance of development in about a week or so near the Caribbean Islands," he said. A slow July isn't unusual: "The season is usually pretty quiet through July," Klotzbach noted. "On average, we've got over 95% of major hurricane activity left to go and still about 93% of ACE left to go. On average, our first hurricane forms in the Atlantic on August 11." What's the forecast for the first couple weeks of August? Hazelton explained that "large-scale conditions should become a little more favorable as a Madden-Julian Oscillation pulse crosses the Pacific and moves into the Atlantic, enhancing large-scale rising motion and reducing shear. Conditions should especially become more favorable the 2nd-3rd week of August, which aligns pretty well with the long-term climatology of when the Atlantic starts to become more active." Madden-Julian Oscillation pulse: The 2025 hurricane season is off to a perplexing start "So in short, July should end with little fanfare, but we'll need to watch for an uptick in activity come the first and second week of August," Lowry said. What is the Madden-Julian Oscillation? Something to be watching over the next few weeks is the passage of the rising branch of the Madden-Julian Oscillation or MJO, largely a nonplayer so far this hurricane season, Lowry explained to USA TODAY. The MJO is an eastward moving disturbance of clouds, rainfall, winds, and pressure that traverses the planet in the tropics and returns to its initial starting point in 30 to 60 days, on average, noted Climate Prediction Center meteorologist Jon Gottschalck in an online report. The MJO influences tropical cyclone activity in both the eastern Pacific and Atlantic basins during the Northern Hemisphere summer. "As we head into early August, the Madden-Julian Oscillation should be moving into more favorable phases for Atlantic hurricane activity as well," Klotzbach said. "Typically phases 1-3 are when the Atlantic really ramps up." He said the latest European model forecast has the MJO moving into phase 1 the first week in August. Are waters warm enough for hurricanes to develop? Hurricanes need warm water to form, preferably 79 degrees or above, and water temperatures in a key section of the Atlantic are starting to warm up: "One of the biggest changes I've observed in recent weeks is a considerable warming of the so-called Main Development Region (MDR) of the Atlantic above its seasonal averages," Lowry said. "To open the hurricane season in June, waters across this bellwether part of the Atlantic where most of our strongest hurricanes get their start were running average to even below average." He said that during this past week, MDR water temperatures have surged to the 7th warmest in the satellite record (back to 1981), running only slightly cooler than 2017 and 2005 at this point in the season. At the same time, he said the belt of water just north of the tropics has cooled since the start of the season, creating a more conducive orientation that favors rising air and storminess in the tropical Atlantic. "The central MDR looks reasonably primed for development," noted Weather Trader meteorologist Ryan Maue in a Substack post. What's the status of Saharan Dust? How about the Bermuda High? Dust billowing out of the Sahara Desert in Africa can impact Atlantic hurricanes. According to the University of Miami, the Saharan Air Layer – a mass of dry, hot, and dust-laden air that forms over the Sahara Desert during the late spring, summer, and early fall, and moves over the tropical North Atlantic Ocean – can suppress tropical cyclone formation. "As far as the Saharan dust, it's been the lowest on record so far this hurricane season. This could actually be a symptom of less robust tropical waves that transport the dust across the Atlantic, but over the past week, the waves have been noticeably stronger," Lowry said. "Dust seasonally drops off quickly in August, so, except for sporadic outbreaks, Saharan dust becomes less of a factor in August and September," he added. As for the Bermuda High, a strong area of high pressure in the Atlantic, Hazelton said, "the stronger Bermuda High that has been present this summer (and brought a lot of the moisture into the U.S. that has enhanced the flooding) can also bring down more dry air from near Europe into the Atlantic, suppressing hurricane formation. We'll see if that pattern changes as we head into mid August." Rough hurricane season still expected The 2025 season is still expected to have 13 to 19 named storms, and six to 10 of those will become hurricanes, according to a preseason forecast from NOAA. The agency's website underscores the importance of being prepared regardless of the hurricane season forecast. The ultimate preparedness checklist: How to prepare your house for a hurricane This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane season 2025 is about to heat up, forecast says
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
National Hurricane Center watching another potential storm off Southeast coast
Signals strung out across the Atlantic Ocean indicate the 2025 hurricane season may be kicking into a more active gear in the days ahead, but a disturbance a little closer to the U.S. has drawn the attention of the National Hurricane Center. In a July 22 update, the hurricane center flagged a low pressure area off Northeast Florida that showed some chance of developing after it crosses over Florida into the Gulf of America, renamed from the Gulf of Mexico, later in the week. The system is forecast to move in a west-southwestward direction into the north-central Gulf where it may encounter conditions that could allow for some slow development if it remained far enough from shore, according to a hurricane center update from Philippe Papin, a hurricane specialist. Papin's forecast put the chances of development at only 10% over seven days, predicting the system is likely to move inland by the weekend. Either way it's likely to mean a few more days of heavy rain along the northern Gulf Coast, forecasters say. "Expect rain and storm chances to increase towards the end of the week as this disturbance moves in, though it's too early to say much with certainty beyond that," the National Weather Service office in Houston posted on its social media. In Lake Charles, Louisiana, the weather service noted the amount of moisture in the air is expected to surge to the maximum amount possible by the afternoon of July 24. Deja vu disturbance? If the hurricane center's tropical outlook map looks familiar, that's because a similar scenario has played out twice in recent weeks. On July 5, Tropical Storm Chantal formed from a low pressure area off the southeastern United States. Chantal went on to cause flooding in parts of North Carolina, and was blamed for at least six deaths. Then on July 12, the hurricane center started watching another potential low pressure area off the southeastern coast, which then slogged across the Florida peninsula with heavy rain on July 15 and then along the state's Panhandle. It remained disorganized and moved over southeastern Louisiana on July 17. Chantal was a little earlier than normal for the third named storm of the season, according to Phil Klotzbach, a research scientist and co-author of a seasonal outlook from Colorado State University. On average the third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season forms on August 3. After all the seasonal outlooks predicting a busy season, it may seem like the 2025 season is off to a slow start, but hurricane experts don't expect things to stay quiet. Ocean temperatures are warming more than normally expected in an area of the Atlantic called the "main development region," called that because of its propensity to crank out some of the strongest storms, hurricane specialist Michael Lowry wrote in a July 22 post on his Substack blog. Sea surface temperatures have risen sharply in the region in July. Warmer seas can help fuel any potential storm systems that form in the region. How do hurricanes form? An inside look at the birth and power of ferocious storms Lowry credits the current warming in the Atlantic to a weakening of the Bermuda High, a pattern of high pressure that expands and shrinks over the western Atlantic and heavily influences hurricane movement. "After some of the strongest trade winds on record to start the year, and the strongest June trade winds since 1990," trade winds in July have been the weakest since at least 1979, wrote Lowry, a hurricane center veteran and now a specialist at WPLG 10 in Miami. Other signals including a periodic oscillation over the ocean that influences hurricane activity and a shift in the monsoon winds in North Africa also signal a potential increase in activity. Dinah Voyles Pulver covers climate change and the environment for USA TODAY. She's written about hurricanes, tornadoes and violent weather for more than 30 years. Reach her at dpulver@ or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A potential tropical depression could bring more rain to Gulf Coast
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Climate
- Newsweek
Map Shows Where 100-Year Floods Have Hit Across the US Over Past Year
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The term "100-year flood" implies that the event is a rare occurrence; however, dozens of such storms have inundated the United States over the past year alone, prompting concern that they are occurring more frequently as the Earth's climate continues to warm. Why It Matters Flooding is the second-deadliest weather hazard in the U.S., next to extreme heat. Devastating flood events have made headlines numerous times this year, including a 1,000-year atmospheric river event that hit the Midwest and South in April and the deadly floods that inundated Central Texas over the July 4th weekend. The frequency of such flooding rainstorms, which often go hand-in-hand with death and destruction, is alarming. What's even more concerning is that AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva told Newsweek that these events are happening more frequently. What To Know In 2024, dozens of 100-year rainstorms struck the U.S. Each point is marked on the map below, created by Colorado State University. The points marking each event are widespread, with only a few states escaping unscathed. Last year wasn't a one-time occurrence, either. This year is also "shaping up to be one of the most flood-impacted summers on record in the United States," AccuWeather reported. A map from Colorado State University shows where 100-year rainstorm events were documented in 2024. A map from Colorado State University shows where 100-year rainstorm events were documented in 2024. Colorado State University What Is a 100-Year Flood? The United States Geological Service (USGS) describes the term "100-year flood" as an attempt "to simplify the definition of a flood that statistically has a 1-percent chance of occurring in any given year." Where Did 100-Year Rainstorms Hit in 2024? On the CSU map, countless points pepper the Eastern Seaboard around North Carolina and South Carolina after Hurricane Helene struck in September. Others show the devastating impact of the summer monsoon season in New Mexico, which caused deserts to flood and cars to become stranded as water washed over a highway. Vermont faced catastrophic floods in late July. Central Texas, known as Flash Flood Alley, experienced several 100-year rainstorms last year, as did Florida, with a scattershot of points dated as occurring during the Atlantic hurricane season. There was also an onslaught of precipitation that hit South Dakota in June 2024, as well as a similar storm that measured as a 100-year event at several locations in Missouri in November, among others. Only a few states emerged unscathed, including Iowa, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts, but most of the U.S. experienced some form of severe flooding precipitation last year. Why Are 100-Year Floods Occurring More Frequently? The map's creator, Russ Schumacher, a professor of atmospheric sciences at CSU and a CSU climatologist, told Newsweek that improved technology, such as radar, provides better access to data, which can make it seem as if the flood events are happening more frequently. However, he also stressed the impact of climate change. "The physics of climate change tells us that we should see these extreme events more frequently," he said. As the atmosphere grows warmer through global warming, its ability to hold moisture increases, DaSilva told Newsweek. "This is why in the wintertime, we typically don't see too much flash flooding in the wintertime," DaSilva said. "It's too cold, and there's snow, of course, but it's hard to get the moisture content you need for heavy rain events in the wintertime because it's cooler out. In the summertime obviously the temperature is above freezing, but the atmosphere can hold more water content. There's more moisture to squeeze out." Which States Have Increased Flood Risk? As the atmosphere's ability to hold moisture increases, DaSilva told Newsweek that states in the Ohio and Tennessee valleys are becoming wetter, while areas like California are becoming drier. What People Are Saying AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva told Newsweek: "When the atmosphere is getting warmer as a what it's doing is making summer warmer and the shoulder seasons warmer as well. What's happening is those seasons, especially in the summertime, the [atmosphere's] ability to hold more moisture is going up as well." DaSilva added: "It doesn't guarantee we will see more rain over a certain area, it rains, it's going to rain heavier." The USGS in a webpage about 100-year flood events: "In other words, over the course of 1 million years, these events would be expected to occur 10,000 times. But, just because it rained 10 inches in one day last year doesn't mean it can't rain 10 inches in one day again this year." What Happens Next As the probability of heavy rain events increases, people are advised to have a flood plan in place before such an event occurs in their area. People should also never drive on a flooded roadway, as most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles.
