1/25/2024 0 Comments Precipitation totals denverOne to three storms can deliver this much snow, so things can change quickly.”Ĭolorado ski enthusiasts look for storms that come in from the southwest, because they carry abundant moisture from the Pacific Ocean that can equate to several feet of snow in the mountains. Joel Gratz, who forecasts snow for ski resorts and is founding meteorologist of OpenSnow, told CNN Weather, “A couple of feet of snow can help many mountains open a lot of terrain. Now for some of our apple pie! #cowx /pv3PVa2PsK- NWS Boulder November 26, 2021 This often equates to feet of snow in the mountains, where skiers welcome it with open arms.ĭecembers are often dry, but are sometimes quite snowy! December has historically been known to produce some healthy snowfall totals in Denver, with an average of 8 inches for the month. Just because it’s been a slow start to the winter season, it doesn’t mean the rest of the winter will follow suit. “To date, Denver has only received 12.37 inches of liquid precipitation while normally we would have 14.14 inches,” explained Wilkinson. The heat continues into December as record highs are challenged once again, along with below-average rainfall, consistent with the ongoing drought. After some brief improvement over the spring and summer, the statewide percentage under moderate drought was 88% last week and now sits at 95% with no precipitation in the forecast until next week.ĭenver just recorded its “3rd warmest November on record,” Wilkinson told CNN. A water shortage has been declared for the first time, fueled in part by climate change.Ĭolorado’s specific drought situation has once again taken a turn for the worse. The Colorado River Basin, whose headwaters originate in the western part of the state, supplies more than 40 million Americans with their drinking water. Less snow means less water, which is bad news for everyone, considering the long-standing drought plaguing the western United States. Over two-thirds of Colorado’s water supply comes from the snowpack, according to the Environmental Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. Snow in Colorado is not only crucial for the nearly $5 billion ski industry, but it’s also imperative for the state’s access to fresh water.ĭrought conditions worsen across Colorado “We have all the tools in our kit to assist Mother Nature and then once Mother Nature shows up, we are ready to welcome her,” said Duke. Conditions within the mountains must remain at or below freezing both at night and during the day to help maximize the base snowpack. Optimal snowmaking conditions involve a “combination of low temperatures and low humidity,” also known as the wet bulb. While the state endures one of the driest and warmest periods in modern record-keeping, the effect it’s having on ski resorts can’t be overlooked. 6Ep2raRBNF- NWS Weather Prediction Center November 30, 2021 Tomorrow may be December 1st, but it certainly is not beginning to look a lot like Christmas across CONUS. This November is behind only 1949 when literally “no flakes fell from the sky.”Ĭolorado looks representative of the rest of the country, too, at the start of meteorological winter on December 1, and only 11.1% of the United States is covered in snow. For example, “Denver has just recorded their second-least snowiest November,” with no measurable snow observed – meaning they had some flurries, but nothing accumulated. “Everywhere across the state is experiencing some kind of drought conditions,” Ayesha Wilkinson, a National Weather Service meteorologist, told CNN. #COwx /8CjkZBGUPF- NWS Boulder November 29, 2021 Warm and dry conditions continue this week across the region. On April 21st 2021 (222 days ago), we received 2.6 inches of snow. We’re at 222 consecutive snowless days for Denver. This extended dry period has implications for the state’s long-standing drought, a dwindling water supply and a population that wants to hit the slopes. In that time, Denver has never entered December without measurable snow. It’s been 224 consecutive days (and counting) since it snowed a measurable amount in Denver, and it has just broken the record for the latest date for a first snowfall – a record that has held since snowfall records began in 1882. Snowless in Colorado? No, this is not a follow-up to the Tom Hanks movie “Sleepless in Seattle,” but rather a real-life drama unfolding across the state with very real-life consequences.
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