Weather confusion - Could locals explain please (Colorado Springs, Pueblo: university, income)

[pikabike]

[quote=DOUBLE H;49171451]

Originally Posted by Still Seeking

To a lesser extent that can also apply to Mesa County in western Colorado. From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend you can generally pencil in "90-95 for the high, 10% chance for rain." The one thing about Colorado's front range I do miss is those afternoon and evening thunder showers, however, heh, I certainly don't miss lightning.

Regarding the weather changing fast, that does happen from time to time in the early Spring with rain, sleet, flurries, hail, rain, and blue skies in four hours time. However a general rule of thumb for the Grand Valley's late Winter/early weather systems is the "triple 50 factor"--50 raindrops, 50 snowflakes, and 50 m.p.h. winds.

I was talking about all of CO, not just the Front Range. The latter gets more hail, though.

[Pilot1]

Originally Posted by Katarina Witt

My dad used to say wait five minutes in Pittsburgh, but I think our weather here in CO is even more changeable.

In general, I find the weather on the Front Range to be very pleasant a lot of the time, even in winter.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Pilot1

In general, I find the weather on the Front Range to be very pleasant a lot of the time, even in winter.

Oh, I love it (most of the time)! It's just very changeable. Snow in June (the day my daughter graduated from HS, June 5, 2005), September (several times), 70 degree days in January and July, storms that blow up a lot faster than in Pittsburgh or Champaign, IL, the other two places I lived long enough to get a handle on the weather, etc.

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by Pilot1

In general, I find the weather on the Front Range to be very pleasant a lot of the time, even in winter.

I second that, at least along the Front Range corridor. The lack of rain most of the time and arid air make living here comfortable most of the time year round.

Sure we have the occasional winter storm and cold snap, but winter is for the most part pleasant with lots of sun and many days in the 50's or higher. In fact it's very easy to work outside, enjoy outdoor activities and even sit outside in the sun and read year round comfortably.

[westcoastg]

Thanks everyone. I had some intermittent internet problems and had problems logging on. Didn't want people to think I didn't read comments. I am not totally set on Colorado. We ideally also want a town around 100,000 - 150,000 people. We know we want to move, just figuring out what states/locations we should consider.

[hiapr]

For a "typical" month on the Front Range from December through February, about 15 of the days will have highs in the 30s and 40s, 5 days will have highs in the single digits, teens or twenties and about 10 of the days will have highs in the 50s or higher. The days that are in the 50s tend to come in 2-4 day blocks. However, the warm winter days are generally created by Chinook winds so these days are often windy. Sometimes it's cold for weeks at a time with no days in the 50s. It varies from year to year and month to month. The northern Front Range (Fort Collins/Loveland area) will be a few degrees colder on average than Denver/COS during the winter months and from my experience, the snow tends to stick around a little longer.

Snow can fall any time from September through May. However, there may be weeks with no snow fall and no snow on the ground. March and November are quite variable with a mix of nice days and cold days with snow that tends to melt quicker than the snow that falls during Dec-Feb. April and May are typically pretty nice (although sometimes very wet) with occasional cold blasts and snow storms mixed in. We usually get our bigger snowfalls in March and April.

If you are looking for a place that only gets "a little snow", Colorado may not be the right place. Cities on the Front Range will typically average 45"-60" of snow per year with foothill and mountain locations averaging significantly more. The US average is 24" of snowfall per year.

If you like having four seasons (sometimes in one day), Colorado is great. If you don't want to see any snow or only want occasional snow, there are other locations that may be a better fit (others listed some alternative locations).

[janeh777]

Grand Junction - Mesa State is now a university - housing is affordable and the winter is pretty mild. Summers are hot

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Plenty of people are not high on Colorado.

Anyhow. You need this place called Medford, OR.

This is an excellent area to check out if less snow and less extreme temperature variation is desired. It has both mountains and ocean within a few hours' drive. I bet home prices are lower than much of CO, too. I know someone who lives near there, and the winters she described were drier and less cold. Big enough to have a mall and the usual amenities.

[Freak On a Leash]

Originally Posted by pikabike

Freaky weather is part of CO living. That old saw about "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute"? I heard it in New England, CO, and coastal WA. Of those places, it did not apply to coastal WA, whose weather is very predictable. New England, it fit somewhat, but to nowhere near the degree that it fits CO. The weather often changes FAST.

Wind from dead calm to roaring 70 mph chinook gusts? Yup.
Late autumn noon temp of 68 degrees and clear sunny sky hurrying to pounding rain/thunder/lightning, within minutes shifting to hail, then loud corn snow (thundersnow), and then to steady, heavy snow within a few hours? You bet.

I moved away for four years and found that I actually missed the dramatic weather. BUT it can also be dangerous, and frequently it is a PITA! Did I mention that it is often a PITA? You have to be flexible with plans for outdoor activities. Not just fun recreational stuff like biking or hiking, but also work such as yard work and construction.

Read this about 20 times before making a final decision about where to move. Nails it. Weather forecasts are useless in Colorado. If weather is a factor in your decision be very careful.

I love snow. I love skiing and moved to a ski town and got a job in the ski industry. I love the town, the scenery and the culture. I don't like the daily rain showers we get in the summer so in the summer I will be leaving and go elsewhere. In the cold, damp spring I plan to leave as well. So I will stay in Colorado half the year. That's my plan and I've built a life around that. Make a plan based on knowledge, not desire.

[Freak On a Leash]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Plenty of people are not high on Colorado.

Anyhow. You need this place called Medford, OR.

I'm looking at interior Oregon for next summer. Dry and sunny.

Originally Posted by Still Seeking

To a lesser extent that can also apply to Mesa County in western Colorado. From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend you can generally pencil in "90-95 for the high, 10% chance for rain." The one thing about Colorado's front range I do miss is those afternoon and evening thunder showers, however, heh, I certainly don't miss lightning.

You get the "Monsoon Moisture" there in the summer, just like the rest of Colorado. You can have the afternoon and evening T-showers. I hate them. I'll take the 10% chance of rain and temps in the 80s. 90-95. Too hot! I've been out to your part of the country in the fall and it's rather nice. I'm still debating where I want to go this September and October.