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Denver may not be an arid as southern Nevada, but it is still pretty dry. Go to Houston, Chicago, or St. Louis and tell me Denver is a humid climate.
I agree, and this kind of thing isn't really subjective. Based on the amount of rain (the way that a desert is defined) Denver is certainly not a desert. However, with a high elevation and it's location it would be silly not to say that it's extremely dry.
According to cityratings.com, Denver has about 15 inches or precipitation annually, while Las Vegas has around 5. If I remember what I learned in grade school, a desert was defined by <10 inches of precipitation (or something like that).
To put that into perspective, Washington DC has 40 inches. Denver is very dry by any standard, and ONLY by comparing it to an actual desert can you say it's not so dry!
Hehe ya it is! A couple hundred more years and who knows? Climate change. That's one reason why I love the sunshine here... If only it weren't so dry as well....
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Originally Posted by OneMoreMove
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Why are you confused. You do realize I'm being partly facetious right?
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Originally Posted by FromNewEngland
I think it's important for most newcomers to understand that the Denver area more closely resembles a desert than a mountain environment, and they should prepare for it.
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Originally Posted by new2colo
I'm sorry, I definitely have to disagree. I just moved to Colorado from southern Nevada. There is NOTHING about Denver, or the Front Range, that resembles a desert climate AT ALL.
Not to be rude, but if you read the sentence of my post that you had actually bolded, you can see that I didn’t say it was a desert environment, I just said it was closer to a desert than a mountain one. I’m assuming you haven’t lived in some of the more humid areas of the country
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Originally Posted by new2colo
Also, the weather here is variable. Just this week roads in the mountains were closed due to sleet and snow. Tomorrow we have an expected high in the mid-90s. If that's not variability, I don't know what is.
Well you’re referring to two different climate regions. The mountains and the plains have very different weather patterns. Also, I was comparing variability to New Hampshire’s weather patterns, which are some of the most volatile in the world, so all of this is nothing to me.
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Originally Posted by FromNewEngland
Also, if you're looking for a populous area in Colorado outside of Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs... Good luck. From Westminster straight north to Fort Collins it's just empty, desolate plains...
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Originally Posted by new2colo
Disagree, again. Fort Collins/Loveland/Greeley has a combined population of over 300,000. Greeley is out on the plains, but Fort Collins and Loveland are directly adjacent to the foothills with the snow-capped peaks in the background. Loveland and Fort Collins are full of trees too, so I don't know how they would be considered "desolate" by any means.
I was referring to the area pretty much straight north from Westminster and Aurora, which includes Longmont, Firestone, and Berthoud as well as Greeley, Evans, Loveland and others. I wasn’t referring to Ft. Collins as I happen to think it’s a little better off, especially with the revenue and popularity provided by CSU. I work in Loveland and am friends with a good deal of my co-workers from many of the surrounding areas that I just mentioned. I’ve also explored a good deal of these areas myself. Culturally, economically, and in terms of population density per square mile, I can tell you from my own experience, and from the experience of others who live there, that these areas are typically quite barren, to put it mildly. But of course, seeing as how the word “culturally” in particular is mostly a personal perspective, I can understand that some people might disagree.
Anyway, in my OP I was just offering my own personal experience from my time in Colorado and the Denver area, as someone coming from New England, just to add some perspective for anyone traveling from there to here. Considering that everyone comes from different areas of the country and arrives in different personal circumstances, with different preferences and expectations, it’s really impossible to declare just about anything definitively, it's all apples to oranges That’s my two cents—now I’m out!
I'm sorry, I definitely have to disagree. I just moved to Colorado from southern Nevada. There is NOTHING about Denver, or the Front Range, that resembles a desert climate AT ALL. Desert climates don't get pounded by hail storms multiple times a week or have severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings issued along with those hail storms. I am still trying to understand why people say it's dry here. There hasn't been one day that I haven't noticed how high the humidity is here. There is greenery everywhere and even where there is no irrigation there is still grass and trees. That doesn't scream desert to me.
Also, the weather here is variable. Just this week roads in the mountains were closed due to sleet and snow. Tomorrow we have an expected high in the mid-90s. If that's not variability, I don't know what is.
Honestly it's kind of obvious that you just moved to Colorado, even if you hadn't said so. I lived in Denver for a long time, and I spent a little bit of time in Nevada. So I know the difference between the two. First, yes you are correct, there is nothing about Denver's climate that even remotely resembles a desert. Nevada is mostly sand and shrubs. Colorado is mostly grass. Nevada has virtually no precipitation, but for a little bit in the winter. Colorado has at least some precipitation year round, but July and August can get pretty dry.
But if you think Denver is humid, then you don't know what humidity is. Real humidity is when your skin and your clothes become sopping wet, even if it's not raining, or you are not out in the rain. There is no really humid place anywhere in the US, but Washington, Minnesota and Florida probably come closest. But Colorado is not even close.
As for Colorado being green. Yes, there are nice green lawns everywhere in Denver. But unless the situation has changed since I left Denver a dozen years ago. A lot of irrigation is required to keep it that way. Probably most of Denver's water supply in the summer is used to keep Denver green. I think maybe you need to take a walk around late at night, when all the automatic sprinklers go on. If you have a lawn in Denver, and don't water it, most likely it will not be green by August. Fortunately Denver is near the mountains and has a good supply of water to keep the sprinklers going. Also if you get out side of Metro Denver in the late summer, you will see that the landscape is actually more brown then it is green. Colorado is dry.
One reason I was interested in C.O. was the recreational opportunities, being a very active and out-of-doors person myself. Unfortunately, I have to say I'm disappointed with this area as well (this is a thread about dislikes, after all :-) I do have many things I enjoy). Denver is not a mountain city, as much as the media would love to hype it as one, for advertising purposes. I guess the big thing for me was that EVERYONE flocks to the recreational areas until the point where they lose any illusion of seclusion or isolation. This, combined with traffic, which is aggravated by the very poor state of Denver's public transportation system, can make relatively simple things like going for a hike a less-than-relaxing experience.
Is your problem finding outdoor recreational opportunities, or finding transportation to get to get to it? It sounds like it might be the later. If it is transportation, then I agree, it would be a problem. It would be pretty difficult for RTD to provide service to areas like that.
If thats not it, then I don't get your point. You are less then an hours drive from the mountains, including hiking and skiing. You have Cherry Creak Recreation Area, and others for water activities. Denver has probably the largest network of dedicated off street bike trails of probably any city in the world. Except for not having ocean beaches, I don't know any other metropolitan areas, that can offer more recreational opportunities, then Denver does.
If you can't find recreational opportunities with all that, then I think the problem is more you, then the area. When I lived in Denver, I never had a problem driving to the foothills on a weekday, and having a nice hiking trail almost all to myself. Here in California, I don't even bother to try. I'd have to drive so far, and even then the area probably would be over run with people.
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Originally Posted by FromNewEngland
Again, this is just coming from someone born and raised in New England. I can see how someone coming from a might think Denver is the high-life for recreational opportunities, but personally, I don't see it.
If outdoor recreational activities are your major goal. A dense urban environment, is probably not the best place to be looking. Urban = Nightlife, entertainment, shopping. Rural = outdoor recreation.
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Originally Posted by FromNewEngland
Also, if you're looking for a populous area in Colorado outside of Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs... Good luck. From Westminster straight north to Fort Collins it's just empty, desolate plains...
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Also, if you're looking for a populous area in Colorado outside of Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs... Good luck. From Westminster straight north to Fort Collins it's just empty, desolate plains...
What? Just look at a map. Straight north of Westminster: Broomfield, Lafayette, Erie, Frederick, Firestone, Longmont, Mead, Berthoud, Loveland, Ft. Collins, Wellington, then you're almost to Wyoming. Drive up I-25, just slightly to the east of Westminster, and it's development all the way to Ft. Collins.
Honestly it's kind of obvious that you just moved to Colorado, even if you hadn't said so. I lived in Denver for a long time, and I spent a little bit of time in Nevada. So I know the difference between the two. First, yes you are correct, there is nothing about Denver's climate that even remotely resembles a desert. Nevada is mostly sand and shrubs. Colorado is mostly grass. Nevada has virtually no precipitation, but for a little bit in the winter. Colorado has at least some precipitation year round, but July and August can get pretty dry.
But if you think Denver is humid, then you don't know what humidity is. Real humidity is when your skin and your clothes become sopping wet, even if it's not raining, or you are not out in the rain. There is no really humid place anywhere in the US, but Washington, Minnesota and Florida probably come closest. But Colorado is not even close.
As for Colorado being green. Yes, there are nice green lawns everywhere in Denver. But unless the situation has changed since I left Denver a dozen years ago. A lot of irrigation is required to keep it that way. Probably most of Denver's water supply in the summer is used to keep Denver green. I think maybe you need to take a walk around late at night, when all the automatic sprinklers go on. If you have a lawn in Denver, and don't water it, most likely it will not be green by August. Fortunately Denver is near the mountains and has a good supply of water to keep the sprinklers going. Also if you get out side of Metro Denver in the late summer, you will see that the landscape is actually more brown then it is green. Colorado is dry.
I don't know what Amazon-like standards you have for humidity, but the above statement proves that we have very different ideas on the topic.
I know what humidity is. I lived in North Carolina for more than 10 years which, according to your list, is dry as well. You said that Denver's climate is more reminiscent of a desert climate than a mountain climate, which is untrue. I guess coming from New Hampshire, two days worth of sunshine a week would seem desert-like. However, to someone who has lived in actual desert, Denver is nowhere close. When dewpoint temperatures are routinely in the 50-60 degree range that does not scream "desert" to me. It's certainly not Louisiana or Florida style humidity, but it's uncomfortable nonetheless.
Like I said in my prior post, Denver is very green outside of irrigated areas. Grass is growing everywhere and there are trees even where there are no sprinklers. That is not desert-like.
How can Denver have this plentiful water to keep these sprinklers running if it so deathly dry? Dry places have irrigation channels. Denver is not desert-like at all.
Like I said in my prior post, Denver is very green outside of irrigated areas. Grass is growing everywhere and there are trees even where there are no sprinklers. That is not desert-like.
How can Denver have this plentiful water to keep these sprinklers running if it so deathly dry? Dry places have irrigation channels. Denver is not desert-like at all.
How long have you been in Denver? From what I've seen, the undeveloped areas green up in the spring and into the summer, then go brown as the summer heat catches up with them.
Plentiful water? I think I can hear Jazz punching his monitor right now. I hope he's got a sturdy old CRT.
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