The Official Colorado Front Range Weather Thread (Denver, Boulder: golf, metro)

[suzco]

My son called late yesterday afternoon from the parking lot at Copper, saying there was gridlock getting out of the parking lot. He finally made it out, only to end up spending the night in the red cross shelter set up at the Silverthorne rec center. He reports that "a good time was had by all." Edit to add: I-70 is open now, finally (as of 3:20 PM); let's hope everyone makes it to where they're heading safely.

[LBear]

One should ALWAYS have an emergency kit in their vehicle whenever they are driving, this is especially true when driving in the winter and in the mountains. The truckers going through Wymoing and the Tetons, know it is a matter of life or death.

Yesterday I-80 was closed due to gusts of 75MPH. That was probably the same wind storm that hit the Colorado Rockies. Nothing to laugh at, people die in such conditions.

[jazzlover]

A common mistake people, including a lot of newcomers, make is assuming that the relatively benign weather that Colorado has experienced for most of the last decade (yes, there are exceptions like the heavy snows a year ago) is "typical." It is not. Colorado has a long history of very fickle weather--floods, hail, droughts, heavy snows, high winds, etc. I love the Colorado climate, but it is not the benign critter that a lot of chamber of commerce types like to tell you that is. Colorado's interior continental location and its local topography assure that its climate is not tame.

The admonintions on this and other weather threads on this forum about being prepared for inclement weather whenever traveling in Colorado--especially in winter--should be heeded.

[Mike from back east]

A major winter storm due here this weekend from the Pacific Coast. It will add up to 4 feet of fresh snow in the San Juan Mountains (SW area) and up to 2 feet in Vail/Aspen (Central areas). Great for skiers, awful driving, great for next year's water supply.

Meanwhile, it's a windy day in COL SPGS, probably all along the Front Range. Here are 2 pix, one regular lens, one zoom. It shows the dust in the air along the Front Range, and shows Pikes Peak Community College - Rampart Range Campus. We get these days every few weeks here in the winter, less likely in the summer. The dust isn't a problem for most folks, some with asthma may be troubled by it. Didn't have this back east, but back there we had enough pollen in the spring to make the cars look green, and if you left your windows open on a nice spring day, your furniture took had a green sheen at the end of the day. No place is perfect, I prefer it here.



I've a short video showing the trees swaying and bushes shaking. Steady winds here are about 20MPH, gust to 40+MPH.
Video of Windy Day, Colorado Springs, Trees Swaying - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by wankel7

Ok, so I am a newb to Denver...but seriously...a whole interstate closed? Is it really that bad?

We were involved in a situation like that in April, 2005, with I-25.
It was a late, wet spring snow. Winds were high.
We saw several SUVs do donuts, one right in front of us.
We got stuck in Trinidad when they closed down the highway.
It happens.

[hello-world]

Originally Posted by katmoney

I was stuck in that horrendous storm last night coming back to Denver from Keystone. I spun out and hit some snowbanks, but thankfully myself and the car are fine. I've NEVER, EVER, in my life had to drive in such terrible conditions. I am glad I got back before the roads closed.

speaking on behalf of the city-data crowd, glad we didn't lose you.

[Deltagolf]

I am curious as to what the weather around the southwest part of Littleton is like around say Roxborough and Chatfield. I am figuring snow and other wether is similar to the rest of denver. What am primarily concerned with is the summer heat there. I know Boulder and parts of Denver can get quite hot in the summer 90s and was wondering if Littleton benefits anyfrom being closer to the mountains "edge".

To go along with above, we are curious about Castle Pines. It is listed at 6600 feet elevation. So, if so i am assumig it is few degrees cooler there?

[NickMan7]

Originally Posted by Deltagolf

I am curious as to what the weather around the southwest part of Littleton is like around say Roxborough and Chatfield. I am figuring snow and other wether is similar to the rest of denver. What am primarily concerned with is the summer heat there. I know Boulder and parts of Denver can get quite hot in the summer 90s and was wondering if Littleton benefits anyfrom being closer to the mountains "edge".

To go along with above, we are curious about Castle Pines. It is listed at 6600 feet elevation. So, if so i am assumig it is few degrees cooler there?

Delta, you're correct in assuming the weather is similar. Littleton does not really benefit by being closer to the mountains and regularly records temperatures in the 90s to low 100s (along with the rest of the Denver area).

Castle Pines is generally cooler because of the altitude. Expect low to mid 90s during heat waves, but temperatures will rarely approach 100º.

[Deltagolf]

Originally Posted by NickMan7

Delta, you're correct in assuming the weather is similar. Littleton does not really benefit by being closer to the mountains and regularly records temperatures in the 90s to low 100s (along with the rest of the Denver area).

Castle Pines is generally cooler because of the altitude. Expect low to mid 90s during heat waves, but temperatures will rarely approach 100º.

Thanks. That is what I was afraid of. Wow Littleton has some nice homes but between no benefit from summer heat relief, high HOAs,and crazy high property tax I wonder why anyone lives there.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by Deltagolf

Thanks. That is what I was afraid of. Wow Littleton has some nice homes but between no benefit from summer heat relief, high HOAs,and crazy high property tax I wonder why anyone lives there.

The weather there is no different than anywhere else in the metro Denver area.