About This Station

Arvadawx.com went online in January 2008. The station is powered by a Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 weather station. The station comprises an array of sensors including an anemometer (wind), rain gauge, and thermo-hygro sensor. The temperature and humidity sensors are housed in a radiation shield to protect against solar radiation and other sources of radiated and reflected heat. This shield also is aspirated by a daytime fan to ensure accurate readings. The data is collected from the sensors every 2 seconds and the website is updated from every 10 seconds to every 10 minutes depending on the data and the page.

About This Website

This website is owned and maintained by a Arvada resident as a hobby more than anything. The Oregon Scientific weather station console receives data from the various sensors. This console is then connected to a Dell Dimension 4600 computer with a 3Ghz Pentium IV processor and 512MB of RAM running Windows XP Professional. A software program called Weather Display captures all the data and then in turn uploads the information to the web server (hosted by Denver Web Host).

This site is based on a template design by CarterLake.org. Special thanks go to Kevin Reed at TNET Weather Ken True at Saratoga Weather for sharing their knowledge of PHP, AJAX and various other features that this site uses. Significant knowledge and troubleshooting help has also been gained from the awesome users on the Weather Watch forums.

About Arvada

Arvada, Colorado is located near Denver within close proximity to Denver International Airport, Downtown Denver and the mountain communities. Easily accessible via three interstate highways I-70, I-76 and I-25, Arvada residents enjoy beautiful views of mountains, lakes, and valleys with easy access to mountain recreation and activities.

The first documented discovery of gold in the Rocky Mountain region occurred on June 22, 1850, when Lewis Ralston, a Georgia prospector headed for the California gold fields, dipped his sluice pan into a small stream near its mouth at Clear Creek. Ralston found about 1/4 ounce (6 g) of gold worth about five dollars. Ralston's companions named the stream Ralston's Creek in his honor, but they all left the next morning, drawn by the lure of the California gold fields.

During the Pike's Peak Gold Rush in 1858, Ralston brought another group of prospectors back to the site of his first discovery. The placer gold in the area soon played out, but hard rock deposits of gold were found in the mountains to the west. Some of the miners abandoned their search for gold and returned to farm the rich bottom land along Ralston Creek and Clear Creek. They found an eager market for their crops among other gold seekers. The Territory of Colorado was formed on February 28, 1861, and the farms in the valley expanded to feed the growing population of the region.

In 1870, the Colorado Central Railroad laid tracks through the area on its route from Golden to link up with the Kansas Pacific Railroad and the Denver Pacific Railroad at Jersey Junction, 3 miles (5 km) north of Denver. On December 1, 1870, Benjamin F. Wadsworth and Louis A. Reno platted the Ralston Point townsite along the railroad. To avoid confusion with other communities along Ralston Creek, Ralston Point was soon renamed Arvada at the suggestion of Wadsworth's wife, Mary, in honor of her brother-in-law, Hiram Arvada Haskin. Benjamin Wadsworth became the first postmaster of Arvada. Colorado was granted statehood on August 1, 1876, and the Town of Arvada was formally incorporated on August 24, 1904. A vibrant agricultural community, Arvada claimed the title "Celery Capital of the World."

Arvada grew rapidly during the latter half of the 20th Century. Arvada became a Statutory City on October 31, 1951, and a Home Rule Municipality on July 23, 1963. By the end of the millennium, the population of Arvada exceeded 100,000.

Arvada still maintains its cherished hometown feel. From the rich historical culture to the shared community pride, Arvada combines the comforts of today's society with the best of the past. Quiet neighborhoods, a diverse business mix, and the restoration of historic landmarks keep this metro enclave vibrant and healthy. You can learn more about Arvada on the city's website at http://www.arvada.org.

For more information on Arvada, Denver and Colorado climate, please see our Climatology pages.

ArvadaWX.com is not endorsed by or affiliated with the city of Arvada.