climate vs. weather... Evergreen info... (Denver: how much, universities, live)

[njstinks0622]

In NJ, you pretty much know what the forecast is going to be for the week. However, I check weather.com to look at Evergreen's weather almost everyday (im moving out there with my gf next year). I noticed that snow kind of pops up more than its actually forecasted... Is this the case? I noticed a few days ago, it said that Evergreen was due for "snow flurries) yet yesterday it said that you guys were getting 4-6 inches... Does this all of the sudden pop up due to the elevevation? Can someone please explain how the weather/climate works? Thanks a bunch...

P.S. How much snow did you really get yesterday?!

And does Conifer actually get more snow than evergreen?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by njstinks0622

Can someone please explain how the weather/climate works?

Listing of Colleges and Universities Offering Meteorology and Atmospheric Science Courses

[SheridanL]

Charles....it's Colorado, the weather changes within an hour sometimes!

[breaksraver13]

Yea....They have no idea what's going to happen here beyond 36hrs.... And I MEAN that!

I lived in Evergreen and worked in Conifer and yea Conifer gets a tad bit more snow that Downtown Evergreen does, due to the fact that Conifer is higher........But I lived on Bergen Peak in Evergreen and it too got more than Downtown Evergreen.......Elevation helps!

[nelumbo]

CoCoRaHS - Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network

The Denver WFO (NWS) tends toward the conservative side for precip forecasts. Yesterday's snowfall was in line with the forecast models, maybe a little higher. I'm not sure if weather.com is still using the NWS forecasts, or if they are doing their own/automating them.

If you really want to know the forecast, read the discussion:
National Weather Service Text Product Display

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by breaksraver13

Yea....They have no idea what's going to happen here beyond 36hrs.... And I MEAN that!

Ain't that the truth. When I visited last February, I watched the weather forecast during the week leading up to my trip. About a week out, it was supposed to snow on Saturday. Then Sunday. Then Monday. Then not at all. Then Saturday again. I think it wound up snowing Friday night and Monday afternoon/evening. I learned very quickly not to plan anything around predicted snow.

[Neditate]

It's next to impossible to accurately predict mountain weather more than a few days out. Weather.com is probably your least accurate/reliable source.
Use the NOAA/NWS site or Wunderground.com.
7-Day Forecast for Latitude 39.64N and Longitude 105.35W (Elev. 7367 ft)
Evergreen, Colorado (80401) Conditions & Forecast : Weather Underground

[Consider_Again]

Above 9000 ft Conifer gets more snow than Evergreen, which is generally at a lower elevation. That said, CO mountain snow is not heavy like in NJ. The snow pack following a storm in Evergreen or Conifer does not stay long in areas not in perpetual shadow. Snow/ice will sublime at temps < 32F as long as it gets a little sunlight. Southern exposure is a good thing.

Edit: The above is true most of the time. However, occasionally the mountains will get a big snowfall (December, 2006 for example), and everything will be buried for days. It does not happen often, but there are those times.