Is anyone else ready for some snow? (Denver: schools, military)

[LBear]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

I recorded a -2 F reading, on 12/15/07, at 6:20 am. I took a picture of the temperature display inside my van, so I guess it isn't technically scientific.

This was on Arapahoe Road, east of Peoria and west of Parker. IMO, it depends on where you are, as some parts of the metro will get colder than others, obviously.

In my amateur weather-spotting in my van, I've noticed that some of the colder spots in town are: DIA, I-225/Yosemite, and Hampden/Broadway in Englewood. The warmer spots are the DTC, Central Denver, and Thornton. Of course, this is all non-scientific, and just the reports from a guy who finds himself driving around in his van all the time for work.

Most likely because of all the concrete and buildings, it makes it slightly warmer. When you are in the open plains like DIA, you don't have all the buildup.

Aurora always was a few degrees colder.

[subsound]

Originally Posted by LBear

That is NOT true. From November-2007 thru February-2008, there was at least EIGHT DAYS where the nighttime low was below zero. There were many more days where the low was in the single digits. If you add wind chill, there were 24 days that the temps were below zero.

I have to ask, why do you care? You don't live in the area anymore, even then you're not working construction and/or standing outside all day. Worry about something you can do something about, or become a priest and pray at it (maybe outside of home so you can actually experience the weather).

You want scary cold, go to Barrow Alaska...the highs are barely above freezing and records drop below well below anything seen in the continental US. You have to drive though, the bears figured out where the bus stops and would try and eat the people that got off.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by subsound

I have to ask, why do you care? You don't live in the area anymore, even then you're not working construction and/or standing outside all day. Worry about something you can do something about, or become a priest and pray at it (maybe outside of home so you can actually experience the weather).

You want scary cold, go to Barrow Alaska...the highs are barely above freezing and records drop below well below anything seen in the continental US. You have to drive though, the bears figured out where the bus stops and would try and eat the people that got off.

Holy crap! I went to Fairbanks AK for work once in January and the highs and lows were ALL below zero, every day, for ten days! And then the sun barely popped above the southern horizon for a couple hours each day - I just don't see how people live there. I was ready to hug the warm ground when I got home to San Antonio.

[LBear]

Originally Posted by subsound

I have to ask, why do you care?

A question was asked and I gave a reply to it. NOAA officially recorded EIGHT days of below zero cold last winter. So when someone falsely represents on an area because they have a BIAS because they live there, I don't think that is fair to someone who is looking to live there. It gives a false representation of the area.

Funny, the other Denver native, who lived & continues to live in Denver for 30+ years, agrees with me.

Originally Posted by wanttomoveeast

LBear: Interesting take. I see what you are saying. I guess I'm the one native who doesn't attack when people mention cold or snow. It IS cold and it does get snowy! It's cold now IMHO but not SNOWY as of yet.

haha, liked the youtube link, totally true and funny!!!

VIDEO:

You Tube Denver Weather Rant

The kicker was when she said that Denver people keep telling her, "It's not usually cold and snowy." To which she responds that they are lying and that they repeat those statement to trick people into moving there.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by LBear

A question was asked and I gave a reply to it. NOAA officially recorded EIGHT days of below zero cold last winter. .

Would you please post a link to this? I looked it up on weatherunderground last night and found two days in January of 08 that got down to 1 degree above zero. Now depending on the exact location of the sensors, a slightly different (and lower) temp could have been recoreded somewhere else. But 8 days?

[LBear]

Originally Posted by Katiana

Would you please post a link to this? I looked it up on weatherunderground last night and found two days in January of 08 that got down to 1 degree above zero. Now depending on the exact location of the sensors, a slightly different (and lower) temp could have been recoreded somewhere else. But 8 days?

JANUARY 2008:
Jan. 01 = -2F
Jan. 16 = 0F
Jan. 17 = -2F
Jan. 21 = 0F
Jan. 22 = -3F

NOAA uses either DIA or the old Stapleton Airport.

When it's "1 degree above zero", it can be safe to say that it was 0F and colder in many spots throughout Denver and DANG COLD. I don't think people say, "wow, it's only 1F, that feels much warmer than 0F."

Denvers Climatological Information

[Katarina Witt]

That's five days, not eight, and I did agree with most of your post in advance.

[LBear]

Originally Posted by Katiana

That's five days, not eight, and I did agree with most of your post in advance.

That was only five days in January 2008. For the WHOLE winter season of Nov-2007 through Feb-2008, there were a total of EIGHT days were it fell to 0F and below. That is NOT counting wind chill. Even a 15MPH breeze when its 0F, makes it feel like -10F or -15F below zero.

On February 02, 2007, at 4:44AM, Denver International Airport dropped to -18 degrees below zero, setting a new record low for Feb. 2nd. The life-threatening temperatures were accompanied by unbelievably low wind chill temperatures, in the -25 below to -50 below zero range.


Denver Sets New Record Low - Denver Weather News Story - KMGH Denver

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/2007/0202/10913011.jpg (broken link)

[Katarina Witt]

Welcome to Weather Underground : Weather Underground lists the coldest days in November of 07 as having lows of +8 degrees (Nov. 21,22). December had one day below zero (12/15, -3); Jan 08 had 3 days below 0 (1/17,21,22) and two more with lows of +1 (1/16) and + 3 (1/2). Feb. 08 had two days below 0 (2/5, 6).

Your previous post is talking about a record low. It's a record because it never happened before. I'm not sold on this wind-chill business.

[jazzlover]

I really get sick of all of the transplants (as well as some natives) who make like it is a huge deal if the temperature goes below zero. Yes, Denver will go below 0° F. a few times a winter. Big deal--yawn!

Compared to many locations in the Rocky Mountain West--including a few that I've lived in--that's pretty balmy. Some of my personal low temperature records: -27° F. in Cheyenne with a windchill at about 48 below. And -55° F. ambient temperature (unofficial, but recorded on an accurate thermometer) in Gunnison. That same winter there it went a MONTH without getting above 0° F. How about -30° F. AND snowing in Steamboat Springs? Strawberry Hot Springs (outside) sure felt warm that evening. Oh, not in the Rockies, but out in a windchill of near -70° F. in the Dakotas. That will take your breath away--and freeze any exposed body parts in about a minute or less. So, to everybody P & M'ing about a little below zero weather in Denver--BUCK UP, LITTLE CAMPERS!

And, back on topic, yes, I'm ready for snow--plenty of it. Not because I give a damn about skiing or ski areas, but because we need the snowpack for water next summer!