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  • Pineapple Express’ streams into Pacific Northwest with flooding rain and heavy snow.

    Pineapple Express’ streams into Pacific Northwest with flooding rain and heavy snow.

    By Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologis

    An atmospheric river of moisture stretching from the tropical Pacific into the Pacific Northwest will continue to dump heavy rain and mountain snow into this weekend.

    As the Pineapple Express brought a steady rain to the Pacific Northwest Thursday, both Seattle and Olympia set daily rainfall records. The cities picked up 1.32 inches and 2.17 inches respectively. As of 8 a.m. PST Friday, Olympia and Shelton, Washington, had picked up more than 4 inches of rain from the storm.

    Portions of the Pacific Northwest have been experiencing a moderate drought, so the rain and snow will be beneficial. However, too much of a good thing in such a short amount of time will lead to some problems across the region.

    Flood watches extend up and down the Oregon and Washington coasts through Saturday, where persistent moderate to heavy rain was falling. In Bellevue, Washington, police posted a photo of a car that was trapped in floodwaters and urged the public to not attempt driving through deep water.

    A car stranded in floodwaters on a road in Bellevue, Washington. Police said the driver of the vehicle escaped unharmed, but urged the public to not take chances driving through deep water. (Bellevue Police Department).

    “Luckily, this driver swam to safety,” the department wrote on Twitter, reminding motorists to “Please be careful!”

    At higher elevations, heavy snow is causing a whole different set of dangers. Across the Cascades and Olympic Mountains, winter storm and avalanche warnings are in place because several feet of snow is expected in addition to the snow already on the ground.

    Satellite animation on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, shows a plume of moisture extending from the Pacific Ocean west of Hawaii into the Pacific Northwest. (NOAA / GOES)

    Olympic National Park in Washington has seen an explosion of snowfall over a 12-day period through mid-December. A webcam posted high up on Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic Mountains showed no snow-cover whatsoever as recently as Dec. 8. By Friday, Dec. 20, immense snowfall had almost entirely obscured the view from the webcam at Hurricane Ridge.

    On Friday, the atmospheric firehose of rain and snow will continue to fire at the Pacific Northwest coastline, generally from Portland, Oregon, northward into Washington.

    The steadiest and heaviest rain is likely to fall across the Olympic Peninsula, areas surrounding the Puget Sound and along upsloping areas of the Cascades. Through the entire rainfall event spanning from Thursday through Saturday, some areas could reach an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 10 inches.

    “Widespread urban and small stream flooding are a given in a pattern such as this,” according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.

    As moisture streams into the Cascades, heavy snow is expected to pile up above 4,000 feet. By the time the event wraps up this weekend, the high country could be buried under 5 or more feet of fresh snow.

    So much snow in such a short amount of time has prompted avalanche warnings across the Cascades. Skiers looking to head out and hit the fresh powder late this week and into this weekend will need to take necessary precautions to avoid falling victim to these dangerous phenomena.

    While the heaviest rain will largely stay north of Oregon on Friday, southerly winds of 25-45 mph with higher gusts along the coast will prove to be difficult for those traveling along U.S. Route 101 along the Oregon coast.

    Rain and snow coverage will expand southward in coverage Saturday, bringing wet weather to places like Eugene and Medford, Oregon, and into Northern California as well.

    “As the jet stream shifts farther south on Saturday, the bull’s-eye for flooding rain will transfer from the Washington coast southward to portions of western Oregon and Northern California.” AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert stated.

    Travel along Interstate 5 from Seattle to Northern California will likely have weather-related issues courtesy of the persistent wet weather on Saturday.

    Along with disruptions in travel across the Pacific Northwest, there is increasing concern for area rivers overflowing their banks.

    This motion graphic shows the increase in snow depth across the Olympic Mountains between Dec. 8 and Dec. 20, 2019. (AccuWeather / NOAA)

    “Heavy rain falling over a relatively short period will likely cause at least minor flooding issues in the region.” Gilbert said.

    “In situations such as this, where snow levels rise to the intermediate elevations of the Cascades and Olympics, rapidly melting snow with heavy rain can lead to rapid rises along the short-run rivers in the region,” Sosnowski added.

    Remember, if you happen to see flowing water over roadways, turn around, don’t drown.

    By Sunday, the storm system bringing the plume of moisture into the Pacific Northwest is expected to track into the California coastline. As it does so, the widespread rainfall will come to an end.

    As the storm system comes ashore, it will draw down colder air, lowering the snow levels across the Cascades. While only occasional snow showers will remain over the mountains by Sunday, some of those can occur under 3,000 feet in elevation. Snoqualmie and Steven’s Pass, Washington, receiving rain into Saturday could turn slippery by Sunday.

    With the exception of the occasional shower along the Pacific Northwest coast early next week, conditions look to settle down in the days leading up to Christmas.

     

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  • You Better Look Out for Holiday Scams

    You Better Look Out for Holiday Scams

    FBI Denver – Special Agent Amy Meyer (303) 630-6060

    ‘Tis the season for scammers who prey on those looking for last-minute shopping deals! FBI Denver Division reminds local shoppers to beware of scams and stay vigilant of thieves who steal their money and personal information. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) (https://www.ic3.gov), Wyoming victims lost over $4.5 million in Internet scams in 2018. The most vulnerable population in the U.S. are those over age 60, although people of all ages fell victim to scams last year.

    Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is! Last minute shoppers, stay vigilant for the following red flags and common schemes.

    Online Shopping Scams:

    • Scammers often offer too-good-to-be-true deals via phishing emails or advertisements. Such schemes may offer brand-name merchandise at extremely low prices or offer gift cards as an incentive. Other sites may offer products at a great price, but the products being sold are not the same as the products advertised.
    • Consumers should steer clear of untrustworthy sites or ads offering items at unrealistic discounts or with special coupons. They may pay for an item and give away personal information and credit card details then receive nothing in return except a compromised identity.

    Social Media Scams:

    • Consumers should beware of posts on social media sites that appear to offer vouchers or gift cards. Some may appear as holiday promotions or contests. Others may appear to be from known friends who have shared the link. Often, these scams lead consumers to participate in an online survey that is designed to steal personal information.
    • Consumers should not post pictures of event tickets on social media sites. Fraudsters can create a ticket using the barcode obtained from the photo and resell the ticket. Consumers should protect ticket barcodes as they would credit card numbers.

    Smartphone App Scams:

    • Some mobile apps, often disguised as games and offered for free, are designed to steal personal information. Before downloading an app from an unknown source, consumers should research the company selling it or giving it away and look online for third-party reviews of the product.

    Work-From-Home Scams

    • Consumers should beware of sites and posts offering work they can do from home. These opportunities rely on convenience as a selling point but may have fraudulent intentions. Consumers should carefully research the job posting and individuals or company offering employment.

    Gift Card Scams

    • During the holiday season, consumers should be careful if someone asks them to purchase gift cards for them. In these scams, the victims received either a spoofed email, a spoofed phone call, or a spoofed text from a person in authority requesting the victim purchase multiple gift cards for either personal or business reasons.
    • As an example, a victim receives a request to purchase gift cards for a work-related function or as a present for a special personal occasion. The gift cards are then used to facilitate the purchase of goods and services, which may or may not be legitimate. Some of these incidents are combined with additional requests for wire transfer payments, as described in classic Business email Compromise (BEC) scenarios. The following link to IC3’s BEC Public Service Announcement provides additional information about business email compromise and gift card requests (https://www.ic3.gov/media/2018/181024.aspx).

    Charity Scams

    • Fraudulent charity scams, where perpetrators set up false charities and profit from individuals who believe they are making donations to legitimate charitable organizations, are common after natural disasters or man-made tragedies. Charity fraud also increases during the holiday season when individuals seek to make end-of-year tax deductible gifts or are reminded of those less fortunate and wish to contribute to a good cause. Seasonal charity scams can pose greater difficulties in monitoring because of their widespread reach, limited duration and, when done over the Internet, minimal oversight.
    • Charity scam solicitations may come through cold calls, email campaigns, crowdfunding platforms—soliciting money from many people usually over the Internet—or fake social media accounts and websites. They are designed to make it easy for victims to give and feel like they’re making a difference. Perpetrators may divert some or all the funds for their personal use, and those most in need will never see the donation.

    Consumers can do the following to reduce their chances of being victimized:

    • Check credit card statements routinely. If possible, set up credit card transaction auto alerts, or check balance after every online purchase. It is important to check statements after the holiday season, as many fraudulent charges can show up even several weeks later.
    • If purchasing merchandise, ensure it is from a reputable source.
    • Ensure a site is secure and reputable before providing credit card number online. Don’t trust a site just because it claims to be secure.
    • Beware of purchases or services that require payment with a gift card.
    • Beware of providing credit card information when requested through unsolicited emails.
    • Do not respond to unsolicited emails.
    • Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited email.
    • Avoid filling out forms contained in email messages that ask for personal information.
    • Be cautious of emails claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. Scan all attachments for viruses if possible.
    • Verify requests for personal information from any business or financial institution by contacting them using the main contact information on their official website.
    • Secure credit card accounts, even rewards accounts, with strong passwords. Change passwords and check accounts routinely.
    • Be wary when replying to unsolicited emails for work-at-home employment.
    • Be cautious of exaggerated claims of possible earnings or profits.
    • Beware when money is required up front for instructions or products for employment.
    • Do not give out personal information when first interacting with a prospective employer.
    • Be leery when a job posting claims “no experience necessary.”
    • Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of the country.
    • Only donate to known and trusted charities; legitimate charities do not solicit donations via money transfer services or ask for donations via gift cards.
    • Make contributions directly, rather than through an intermediary, and pay via credit card or check; avoid cash donations, if possible.
    • Beware of organizations with copycat names similar to reputable charities; most legitimate charity websites use .org (NOT .com).
    • Follow the Federal Trade Commission’s tips for online charity research. (https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/how-donate-wisely-and-avoid-charity-scams)

    Consumers who believe they are the victim of a scam should:

    • Contact their financial institution immediately upon suspecting or discovering a fraudulent transfer.
    • Ask their bank to reach out to the financial institution where the fraudulent transfer was sent.
    • Contact law enforcement.

    File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov, regardless of dollar loss. Provide all relevant information in the complaint.

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  • The 2019 US tornado season included an ‘extraordinary’ occurrence

    The 2019 US tornado season included an ‘extraordinary’ occurrence

    By John Roach, AccuWeather staff writer

    Updated Dec. 13, 2019 10:33 AM

    A pair of unforgettable tornadoes bookended the 2019 U.S. tornado season, which is effectively over; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has no reports of tornadoes so far in December. The U.S. tornado season typically runs from March through November or sometimes into early December, although tornadoes can occur at any time.  

    The year’s deadliest event was an EF4 tornado that killed 23 people in Lee County, Alabama, in early March. Tornadoes and their destruction killed a total of 38 people in the U.S. this year. 

    Last year, the U.S. set a record low for the number of fatalities with just 10 people killed, the lowest number since tornado fatality record-keeping began in 1875. The previous record low total was 12 in 1910. Tornadoes cause an average of 80 U.S. fatalities annually.

    However, one of the costliest tornado outbreaks in Texas history, amazingly, resulted in no deaths when it struck north Dallas on October 20 and 21. AccuWeather estimates the total damage and economic loss from that severe outbreak of 10 tornadoes – including an EF3 – will approach $4 billion. 

    The tornado that struck Jefferson City, Missouri, was one of 556 nationally that occurred in May, an unofficial record for the month. (Twitter photo/Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin)

    “The tornado outbreak this past October was extraordinary in the sense that, thankfully, nobody was killed,” said AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers. “Nobody – not one person! That’s the story – the amazing progress that has been made in weather forecasting accuracy over the last 50 or more years and our ability to get life-saving warnings to people in advance so they can take action and get out of harm’s way certainly paid off in this case.”

    In between the events in Alabama and Texas, 556 tornadoes occurred nationally in May, unofficially breaking the record for the month of 542 set in 2003, though the monthly total has yet to be confirmed. The 25-year average for May is 269 tornadoes. 

    Aerial image shot by a drone shows a Home Depot store in Dallas, Texas, that was obliterated after a destructive nocturnal tornado ripped through the area on Sunday, October 20, 2019. (SevereStudios / John Humphress)

    AccuWeather’s 2019 forecast released in February accurately pinpointed the areas to be hit hardest this year, with a higher frequency of severe weather risks in the traditional Tornado Alley — notably Oklahoma, Kansas and parts of Texas – which is more than they had experienced on average the previous three years. 

    “People were starting to question whether Tornado Alley should be shifted farther east, but our forecast accurately called for more events in the traditional area this year,” said AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok. 

    Texas, with 188 tornadoes, has experienced the most of any state in the U.S., according to preliminary, unconfirmed data from NOAA. Kansas is second with 127, while Oklahoma and Mississippi are tied for third with 98. 

    “We are trying to prepare people in advance where disruptive weather can occur more frequently throughout the season and impact their safety, work or everyday plans,” Pastelok said. “We work to save as many lives as possible and to give people, companies, those in emergency services and others as much advance notice as possible to prepare and to take action.”  

    NOAA’s preliminary reports show there have been 1,603 tornadoes in 2019, but that total is not a confirmed final number. The inflation-adjusted annual tornado running total – which attempts to remove overcount by multiplying the preliminary total by 0.85 – is 1,363, according to NOAA. 

    Students from Beauregard High School in Beauregard, Ala., post a sign in support of the victims of Sunday’s deadly tornados on the school’s fence Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett)

    There were 1,169 tornadoes in 2018, and the 25-year average is 1,199 tornadoes a year, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center. AccuWeather’s forecast in February for 2019 estimated an increase of roughly 20 percent over the 25-year average.

    Tornado-related fatalities have been trending downward despite more people living in tornado-prone areas. The reasons for this trend include advances in weather science and technology, the increasing accuracy and speed of processing warnings and the effectiveness of warning methods such as through mobile apps, as well as better cooperation between government weather services and the American weather industry that includes AccuWeather.

    AccuWeather is a proud and early partner of NOAA’s WeatherReady Nation resiliency program, which helps to continue this trend, and the company is proud to get these lifesaving warnings out to the public rapidly and accurately through its apps and website. 

     

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  • FAA Issues Denver Environmental Assessment

    FAA Issues Denver Environmental Assessment

    WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Denver Metroplex project.

    Before the FAA makes a final decision on the project, the agency will hold a 32-day public comment period. This will allow people to comment on the changes made in the Final EA compared to the Draft EA, and on any of the preliminary determinations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

    The project would use cutting-edge satellite navigation to move air traffic more safely and efficiently through the area. Satellite-based routes would allow for more direct and efficient routing of aircraft into and out of Denver and surrounding airports, enhancing aviation safety and efficiency, and potentially reducing flight delays.

    Denver International Airport

     

    The project also would expand the number of entry and exit points into and out of the Denver airspace, by segregating Denver arrival traffic from satellite airport traffic and creating additional departure routes, similar to creating more on- and off-ramps in the sky. The project includes two major airports, Denver International Airport and Centennial Airport, and three satellite airports – Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, Northern Colorado Regional Airport and Greeley-Weld County Airport.

    Prior to issuing the Final EA, the FAA held a total of 24 public workshops in 2017 and in the spring of 2019, conducted approximately 78 briefings for community groups, airport officials, and local, state and federal officials. The agency also evaluated and responded to 518 public comments.

    The public is invited to submit comments by mail, or via the web comment form available online throughout the comment period which ends on December 20.

    Electronic copies of the Final EA and supporting materials, including all Section 106 materials, are available at the following locations:

    • Online at the Project website.
    • Electronic versions of the Final EA have been sent to 78 libraries in the General Study Area with a request to make the digital document available to patrons. A complete list of libraries with electronic copies of the Final EA is available online at the Project website

     

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  • Colorado’s Presidential Primary Field is Largely Set

    Colorado’s Presidential Primary Field is Largely Set

    The field of candidates who will be on Colorado’s first Presidential Primary in 20 years has been largely established. The deadline to file to appear on the March 3 ballot was yesterday at 5 p.m. 

    “Next year will be busy for Colorado voters, with three statewide elections taking place,” said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.  “We have our first Presidential Primary in two decades, but also a Colorado primary on June 30, and of course the General Election on November 3, which gives Coloradans plenty of opportunities to have their voices heard.”

    The candidates who have submitted a statement of intent and filing fee in order to appear on the March 3 Colorado Presidential Primary, which is also Super Tuesday, include:

    Democratic 

     

    Michael Bennet

     

    Joseph R. Biden

     

    Michael R. Bloomberg

     

    Cory Booker

     

    Pete Buttigieg

     

    Julián Castro

     

    John K. Delaney

     

    Tulsi Gabbard

     

    Amy Klobuchar

     

    Rita Krichevsky

     

    Deval Patrick

     

    Bernie Sanders

     

    Tom Steyer

     

    Elizabeth Warren

     

    Robby Wells

     

    Marianne Williamson

     

    Andrew Yang

     

     Republican 

     

    Robert Andini

     

    Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente

     

    Zoltan G. Istvan

     

    Matthew John Matern

     

    Donald J. Trump 

     

    Joe Walsh

     

    Bill Weld

     

    Candidates may still apply to appear on the ballot as a write-in candidate until December 27, which is also the last day a candidate may remove their name from Colorado’s ballot.

    Voters affiliated with a major party may only cast ballots for the party with which they are affiliated, while unaffiliated voters may cast a ballot for either party, but must choose one.

    There are a number of key dates to keep in mind in the lead-up to the primary:    

    • January 3: Secretary of State certifies the names and party affiliations of candidates on the Presidential Primary Ballot.
    • January 18: Deadline for Primary Ballots to be sent to military and overseas voters.
    • February 3: Last day for voters who are affiliated with a party to change or withdraw their affiliation in order to vote in a different party’s Presidential Primary. Also, last day for unaffiliated voters to select a party preference in order to be sent that party’s ballot.
    • February 10: First day Primary Ballots can be mailed to voters.
    • February 24-March 3: Voter Services and Polling Centers must be open for Primary Election.
    • March 3: Colorado Presidential Primary.

    This will be the fourth Presidential Primary in state history, with similar votes taking place in 1992, 1996, and 2000.  

     

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  • The 2019 California wildfires caused less damage than the last two devastating seasons

    The 2019 California wildfires caused less damage than the last two devastating seasons

    By John Roach, AccuWeather staff writer

    AccuWeather predicted earlier this year that the California wildfire season would be extended into December and that the total damage and economic loss caused by the state’s wildfires would be $80 billion, a pair of estimates that accurately reflect what occurred during the 2019 California wildfire season. 

    There were a total of 253,354 acres burned in California in 2019 and the wildfires that scorched the most land area were Kincade (77,758 acres), Walker (54,612 acres), Tucker (14,217 acres) and Maria (9,999 acres), according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. October was the most active wildfire month this year with 119,814 acres burned, followed by 83,908 acres consumed in September, 21,454 acres burned in July and 16,430 acres charred in August. There were also documented wildfires in every month except February, March and December. 

    For comparison, wildfires burned 1.8 million acres in California last year and 1.3 million acres in 2017.

    “There were much fewer acres burned this year than last,” said AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers. “But there were more power outages this year than last, which increased costs for businesses and individuals. We predicted power outages – both proactive and reactive – would be more of a factor and they were, resulting in a significant cost per customer during the duration of the blackouts.”

    California’s three big power companies – Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric – engaged in Public Safety Power Shut-offs (PSPS) as part of their plans to prevent wildfires sparked by a transmission line. PG&E’s four mass blackouts in October left hundreds of thousands of homes and business without power, with an Oct. 26 blackout cutting power to as many as three million people, according to The New York Times. 

    The Insurance Journal estimated that insured losses from California wildfires were $25.4 billion through Oct. 29. It notes, however, “Damage estimates can vary because some only contain insured losses, while others take in everything that was destroyed. After disasters, many people will pay for repairs out of their own pocket, which often leads to under counting.”

    Myers agrees there’s a likelihood of a substantial under-estimation of the damages. “The insurance costs through October 29 were $25.4 billion and there were additional fires subsequently damaging roughly 17,000 acres,” he said. “So the total of insured losses is now probably closer to $40 billion and insured losses usually represent only about half of the total loss, suggesting our $80 billion estimate is accurate.”

     

    Flames from a backfire consume a hillside as firefighters battle the Maria Fire in Santa Paula, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. According to Ventura County Fire Department, the blaze has scorched more than 8,000 acres and destroyed at least two structures. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

     

    The 2019 California wildfire season follows two of the largest, most destructive and deadliest seasons in the state’s history. AccuWeather estimates the total damage and economic loss caused by wildfires cost California $400 billion in 2018 and $85 billion in 2017. 

    The “wet season,” which typically begins in California in October and runs into March, was delayed this year, with many cities receiving no measurable precipitation until late November. In Fresno, rain arrived on Nov. 20, making it the third-latest start to the wet season on record, behind Dec. 11, 1995 and Nov. 30, 1923. 

    “Typically, we have seen storms come down during the middle or latter part of October and at least bring some precipitation,” said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dan Kottlowski. “[To go] through the middle of November with no rainfall is highly unusual…. But that was predicted – we thought that would be the case, so we weren’t surprised about that.” 

    AccuWeather’s estimate includes damage to homes and businesses as well as their contents and cars, job and wage losses, school closures and the costs of power outages to businesses and individuals. It also accounts for economic losses because of highway closures, evacuations and increased insurance premiums throughout the state, firefighting costs, airport closures, flight cancellations and delays and the current and long-term residual health effects on those impacted by smoke and dirty air. 

    Download the free AccuWeather app to track the temperature for your area. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.

     

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  • ‘Arguably the best meteor shower of the entire year’ to reach its pinnacle this week

    ‘Arguably the best meteor shower of the entire year’ to reach its pinnacle this week

    By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist and staff writer

    As the year nears its close, many people are already looking ahead to 2020, but stargazers remain focused on 2019 as one of the year’s top meteor showers is about to put on a dazzling display in the night sky.

    “Arguably the best meteor shower of the entire year peaks on Friday night into the early hours of Saturday morning,” AccuWeather Astronomy Blogger Dave Samuhel said. “The Geminids shower is just as or slightly more active than the Perseids meteor shower of August.”

    This meteor shower in particular is a good one for younger children that cannot stay up late into the night.

    “The Geminids are unique in the fact it produces a large amount of meteors during the evening,” Samuhel said. Hourly rates will gradually increase as the night transpires, with the number of Geminid meteors streaking across the night sky expected to climax after midnight.

    Nature’s ‘light show’ is how NASA describes the Geminid meteor shower – a meteor flash is seen here with an aurora borealis shimmer in Norway. (NASA)

    The 2019 showing of the Geminids may bring as many as 150 meteors per hour, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS), but onlookers should tamper their expectations as the shower peaks the night after December’s full Cold Moon.

    An abundance of natural light pollution from the moon will wash out the dimmer meteors, reducing the number of meteors visible per hour from over 100 to a few dozen. However, even the anticipated diminished rate of visible meteors is higher than many meteor showers throughout the year.

    Not only are the Geminids known for their impressive numbers, but also their bright, multi-colored meteors. Onlookers should be able to see these shooting stars in areas of the sky away from the full moon, as long as Mother Nature cooperates.

    “A storm will bring widespread clouds to the eastern third of the country,” Samuhel said. The storm will also spread widespread, disruptive clouds over much of Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

    Cloudy conditions could interfere with the celestial display across parts of the north-central and northwestern U.S., but a few breaks in the clouds may allow determined stargazers to glimpse a few shooting stars.

    The best viewing conditions are expected from Southern California through the Four Corners region and into the southern Plains.

    For those with clouds in the forecast on Friday night, Samuhel suggests heading out earlier in the week.

    “In my experience, I have noticed the shower is quite active in the few days leading up to the peak, but much less active after the peak. So, look sooner rather than later this week,” Samuhel said.

    “If you live on the East Coast, Thursday night is probably your best bet for clear skies this week.”

     

    Folks that miss out on the Geminids this week will have one more opportunity to see a meteor shower before the end of the year.

    The night of Saturday, Dec. 21 into Sunday, Dec. 22, is the longest of the year for the Northern Hemisphere and will feature the peak of the Ursids. This is a minor meteor shower, only bringing about 10 meteors per hour, but will not be contested by the moon, allowing for great viewing conditions.

    Looking ahead to 2020, the Geminid meteor shower should be significantly better than this year’s showing, falling just one night before the new moon. This will allow for people in dark, cloud-free areas to experience the best that this meteor shower has to offer.

  • Bennet Welcomes New Banking Guidelines for Hemp Farmers and Processors

    Bennet Welcomes New Banking Guidelines for Hemp Farmers and Processors

    Following Bennet Letter to Federal Financial Regulators, New Guidance Will Help Hemp Industry Access Banking System

     Washington, D.C. – Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet welcomed new guidance from federal financial regulators that would help hemp producers and processors gain access to the banking system. Despite the removal of hemp as a Schedule 1 drug last December following passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018  (“2018 Farm Bill”), many growers and processors are still unable to access financial services due to a lack of clarity from regulators. In June, Bennet sent a letter pressing regulators to provide the clarity necessary for the hemp industry to access the financial services afforded to comparable crops and agricultural products.

     “The hemp industry is booming in Colorado and across the country, yet hemp-related businesses continue to face significant hurdles due to the lack of access to the banking system,” said Bennet. “While more needs to be done to unleash hemp’s economic potential, these new guidelines are a significant step forward in providing banks and credit unions with the assurance and clarity needed to remove this barrier and open their doors to the growing hemp industry.”

     Bennet, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, worked to include a pilot program for hemp growers in the 2014 Farm Bill, which paved the way to secure legalization of the crop in the 2018 Farm Bill. Last Congress he led the Hemp Water Rights Act and called on the Department of Justice not to interfere with hemp cultivation or act against financial institutions that handle related funds. Bennet and U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) wrote to the Bureau of Reclamation in January 2019 urging the agency to update its policies in accordance with the 2018 Farm Bill to ensure hemp growers can access water and irrigate their crops. In their response to the Bennet-Tester letter, the Bureau of Reclamation said: “Because hemp was removed from the Controlled Substances Act list of controlled substances, it is no longer subject to the policy and therefore Reclamation is able to provide water for hemp cultivation in accordance with current law.”

     

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  • Mail Call for Overseas Military, Diplomatic Service Members

    Mail Call for Overseas Military, Diplomatic Service Members

    HOLIDAY SEASON SHIPPING DEADLINES ARE APPROACHING

     Thousands of men and women in the nation’s military and diplomatic corps are serving abroad during the holidays. The mail is a great way to stay connected with them by sending cards, letters, presents and care packages for the festive season.

    To send packages to loved ones serving in the military abroad, the Postal Service offers a discount on its Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box. The $18.45 price includes a $1.50 per box discount for mail sent to APO / FPO / DPO destinations worldwide. Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes are available at no cost at local Post Offices, or can be ordered online at usps.com/freeboxes.

    To help with timely delivery of holiday wishes by Dec. 25, cards and packages to military addresses overseas should be sent no later than:

    OVERSEAS MILITARY DEADLINES  

    Dec. 11 – Cards, Letters, and Priority Mail Packages

    Dec. 18 – Priority Mail Express

    FREE MILITARY BOXES AND SUPPLIES

    The Postal Service has created a free Military Care Kit based on the items most frequently requested by military families. The kit contains address labels, tape, boxes, and customs forms.

    To order the kit, call 800-610-8734 or go to: store.usps.com/store/product/shipping-supplies/military-care-kit-P_MILITARYKIT. Guidelines for packing, addressing and shipping items to U.S. troops can be also found at: https://www.usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-dpo.htm.

    Postage, labels, and customs forms can be printed online anytime using Click-N-Ship at usps.com/ship. While you are at usps.com, you can also print your shipping labels, pay for postage, and call for your letter carrier to pick up your Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express items at your home or business for free (where available).

    MAIL PREPARATION TIPS:

    • Use good strong boxes and good strong packing tape. No duct tape or masking tape. No string or wire. No shoeboxes.
    • Don’t use boxes from a liquor store. Boxes that indicate there is alcohol inside cannot be mailed.
    • Don’t ship anything with a lithium battery.
    • Always include a return address on the parcel, and include destination/return address on a card inside the parcel (in case the address on the parcel is rendered unreadable).
    • Never use holiday wrapping paper around your parcel. Wrapping paper is very thin and isn’t suitable in the high speed sorting machines.

    ADDRESSING THE PACKAGE

    • Write the service member’s full name
    • Include the unit and APO/FPO/DPO address with the 9-digit ZIP Code (if one is assigned). For example:

    Army/Air Post Office (APO)

    PFC JANE DOE

    PSC 3 BOX 4120

    APO AE 09021          

    Fleet Post Office (FPO)

    SEAMAN JOSEPH SMITH

    UNIT 100100 BOX 4120

    FPO AP 96691

    Diplomatic Post Office (DPO)

    MELANIE ADAMS

    UNIT 8400 BOX 0000

    DPO AE 09498-0048

    ·       Do not write the country name where the service member is stationed in the address

    ·       Include a return address

    ·       Inside the box, include the service member’s name and address as well as the sender’s name and address on an index card in case the shipping label gets damaged in transit

     Additional news and information, including all domestic, international and military mailing and shipping deadlines, can be found at the Postal Service Holiday Newsroom at usps.com/holidaynews

     The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

    		    

     

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  • Statement of Senate Cybersecurity Caucus Co-Chairs Gardner and Warner

    Statement of Senate Cybersecurity Caucus Co-Chairs Gardner and Warner

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Mark R. Warner (D-VA), the bipartisan co-chairs of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, issued a statement after convening a classified briefing with Senators and Chris Krebs, Director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), to discuss the growing threat posed by ransomware attacks:

     “The continued prevalence of ransomware should really capture our attention. It’s costly, devastatingly high-impact, growing, and, in most cases, easily preventable with basic responsible cybersecurity practices. 

     “Ransomware and its destructive cousin wiperware are designed to inflict fear and uncertainty, disrupt vital services, and sow distrust in public institutions. While often viewed as basic digital extortion, ransomware has had materially adverse impacts on markets, social services like education, water, and power, and on healthcare delivery, as we have seen in a number of states and municipalities across the United States.

     “We are glad our colleagues in the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus could join Director Krebs for this much-needed conversation about ways Congress and the federal government can better address this important issue.”

     

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