Winter weather, 2010-2011. (Denver, Pueblo, Grand Junction: motel, maintenance, living)

[CosmicWizard]

cl723

Maybe this will make you feel better about life in Grand Junction. The times are rounded to the minute, so that is why a datespan is listed rather than just a specific day.


The earliest sunset times are 4:51 PM from Dec 1 thru Dec 13

The latest sunrise times are 7:33 AM from Dec 30 thru Jan 12

The shortest days are from Dec 18 thru Dec 25th with only 9hrs and 25 Mins of daylight

Currently, the sun is rising at 7:33 AM and the sun is setting at 5:10 PM giving us 9 hrs and 37 Mins of daylight

We've already gained 12 minutes of daylight since the shortest days.

Cheer up...Summer is coming!

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

Cheer up...Summer is coming!

Hey, I feel warmer already (even though it's +4F here this morning near the USAF Academy).

http://bestsmileys.com/sun/5.gif (broken link)

[jim9251]

After about 6-12" of snow here, the past few days it's been sunny and in the 30's. Yesterday it was so nice I went walking in just a long sleeve shirt. This morning an inch of snowfall. Went to the Ridgway Reservoir yesterday and noticed it's not frozen over. Last year at this time it was frozen. Also last year at this time my sisters farm ponds in Delta were completely frozen over, not so this year. Interesting.

[DOUBLE H]

Had a small system pass through here late last night. Just enough snow fell to make things a tad slick. Temps will improve though, possibly getting up to the upper thirties by Sunday.

[CosmicWizard]

It's been so cold in Grand Junction that 34 degrees seems like a heat wave. Had to take my jacket off and carry it during my lunch time walk today. A part of me is already dreading those 100 degrees days of summer.

[Mike from back east]

Shaping up to be a good winter, so far, with statewide snowpack measured at 125% of normal.

Here's a graphic showing the the various regions around the state.

Only problem noted at this time are drought conditions in the Lower Arkansas River Valley.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Shaping up to be a good winter, so far, with statewide snowpack measured at 125% of normal.

Here's a graphic showing the the various regions around the state.

Only problem noted at this time are drought conditions in the Lower Arkansas River Valley.

OK, let me 'splain this one more time. Having a higher than normal snowpack in January is a good thing, but it is not what makes or breaks the water situation in Colorado. Why? Because it is the late winter and spring storms that bring the snow with the big moisture content to Colorado. It is entirely possible to have much higher than normal snowpack in January, then have the snowpack picture turn dismal by May if the late winter and spring are not normal or wetter than normal. The issue in La Niña years is just that--late winter and spring are often drier than normal, especially in the southern half of the state. So, getting all giddy about a good snowpack in January is way premature. Some things are troubling about this water year, already. One thing is that the good moisture has strongly favored only the higher areas, for the most part. The middle elevation mountain areas across the state are seeing pretty low moisture so far this winter. Many lower elevation areas, including most of the Front Range and eastern Plains are not looking very good at all. Of course, none of that seems to matter to the "talking heads" on TV and the media pukes in the newspaper industry. They both look for some dumb one-sentence headline to tell a story--usually wrong.

[ndk]

If you like snowpack data, then you'll love the Colorado SNOTEL site.

Snow - All Products | Colorado NRCS

Here's the most up-to-date picture:

ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/CO/Snow/snow/watershed/daily/co_update_snow.pdf (broken link)

[cl723]

Jazz, Who cares.........

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by cl723

Jazz, Who cares.........

If you drink, bathe with, or flush your toilet with water in Colorado or any of the downstream states from Colorado, then you should care.