CO Springs winters? (Colorado Springs, Aspen, Vail: college, tornadoes, live in)

[supernova8610]

I'm giving serious consideration to moving to CO Springs within the next two years, and I was wondering.... what are the winters like in CO Springs?

[MMichelle]

Mild. We get snow, of course. But usually the snow is powder (low humidity)- not at all the icy cold of the midwest. If we are snowed in for a day .. it's just enough to be fun.

I grew up in Kansas and the winters were much harsher there!

You have to remember that Colorado Springs is at the foot of Pikes Peak - it's not the high country like Vail, Aspen, etc. The weather is moderate.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by MMichelle

Mild. We get snow, of course. But usually the snow is powder (low humidity)- not at all the icy cold of the midwest. If we are snowed in for a day .. it's just enough to be fun.

I grew up in Kansas and the winters were much harsher there!

You have to remember that Colorado Springs is at the foot of Pikes Peak - it's not the high country like Vail, Aspen, etc. The weather is moderate.

True, but if the thread starter is from LA and thinks 60 degrees is cold, they're in for an experience. I suggest they spend a week in Colorado Springs in January to get an idea if its the place for them.

[froggin4colorado]

LOL, true esacape. My inlaws are from FL and they swear they freeze when they come up! And typically we are running around in shorts, short sleeves. We have adapted in such a manner that I don't feel "cold" unless it gets below 32.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

The Springs gets an occasional blizzard and below zero temps just like every other midwest area. Half of CO in on the plains and the other half is in the Rockies.

[treedonkey]

I can best summarize the weather along most of front range this way:

July and August: Pretty warm avg. temperatures (70s-80s for daytime hi and in the 50's at night), frequent afternoon showers and t-stroms, and almost no chance of any cumulative snow.

January and February: Consistent cold - 30's daytime, well below freezing at night, frequent cumulative snowfalls of anywhere between less than an inch or more than a foot, with very little chance of daytime temps above the mid 60's.

Every other month: March, April, May, June, September, October, November and December: It might snow, it might rain, it might be sunny and 70, it might be socked in and freezing, and it could be very windy or very calm... ALL IN THE SAME DAY!

Compared to So Cal, the winters may seem cold, but the sring, early summer, and fall, will probably seem flat out crazy. Last week it hailed and snowed up here in Palmer Lake (though it did not stick) and there were tornadoes on the plains, but this week it's a consistent 80 degrees, mostly sunny, with very little wind. Coming from CA myself, the main adjustment will be that you can't just go out for the day and assume that because it's calm, sunny and warm at 9am that it will remain that way until you get home.

[otowi]

January and February are actually among the driest months here and average daytime temperature would be in the 50's. The wettest month of the year is often March, including snow and sometimes rain.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by otowi

January and February are actually among the driest months here and average daytime temperature would be in the 50's. The wettest month of the year is often March, including snow and sometimes rain.

Okay, make that Late January to Late March if you prefer...

The point is, our area really has THREE main divisions, or seasons, if you will...
There are about two months out of the year where it probably won't snow (aka summer), two months where it probably won't get above 70 (aka winter), and eight more months where anything can happen on any given day. (aka spring/fall... or perhaps we could call it sprall or fring)

[supernova8610]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

True, but if the thread starter is from LA and thinks 60 degrees is cold, they're in for an experience. I suggest they spend a week in Colorado Springs in January to get an idea if its the place for them.

I live in Northern California (SF Bay Area, north bay to be precise), and the coldest i've ever seen it get during the day is lower forties, and the coldest at night i've seen was around the lower 20s (once it was in the teens). LA county has the warmest winters I've ever encountered because I go to college there, so coming back to NorCal was a bit of a shock, to say the least!
I also remember going to NYC in Feb last year, where temps were in the lower 20s to upper teens, and it was super-cold to me. But the amount of coldness (if that's even a word, which it isnt) doesn't matter too much to me; as long as I'm bundled up enough when I go outside, I'm good. The only thing that worries me, really, is driving in that kind of weather.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by supernova8610

But the amount of coldness (if that's even a word, which it isnt) doesn't matter too much to me

coldness - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Originally Posted by supernova8610

The only thing that worries me, really, is driving in that kind of weather.

That's a good thing to worry about. Driving safely in snow will take some getting used to. There are lots of threads on here about it on here, so if you plan to come out, you should do some research on that before your first winter. Trust me, you DO NOT want to be the guy with CA plates sliding all over the roads.