Monument/Woodmoor Weather Storys/Photos (Denver, Colorado Springs: how much, home, neighborhood)

[adkinsadam1]

I would like to hear any weather stories or opinions about the Monument/Woodmoor area. Any and all weather pictures from the area would be fantastic!

What can you tell me about thunderstorms? Hail? How about lightning storms? Is there more lightning in the area than other places ya think? Any big torrential rainstorms? Pictures?

What can you tell me about snowfall? How big are the blizzards in the area? Any pictures? Any stories?

Any photos of any weather in the area would be greatly appreciated!

The reason for this request for stories and photos is because I have heard that the weather in the Monument/Woodmoor area is extreme as far as storms all year round. I would like to know if this is true and how it compares to Denver and Colorado Springs. Thank you so much all - I look forward to see what you post up!

[vfrpilot]

//www.city-data.com/forum/color...formation.html

There's a few pictures here^^.
We've been here 10 years and while we usually get more snow than COS, the amount is not a big deal. The drifts can be a pain, especially in the areas along the Palmer Divide where there is a fair amount of tree-less pastures. And the snow tends to hang around longer in areas shaded by trees. The temps are usually 5-10 degrees colder year round. The colder winter temps make driving more hazardous, especially in hilly residential areas with trees and curvy roads. I-25 can get interesting at times, mostly due to the amount of traffic during times of inclement weather, but the highway usually gets a lot of attention from CDOT before and during storms.
COS has recieved more severe summer storms in the form of heavy rains, winds, and hail, especially the last couple of years.

[otowi]

I think it seems exaggeration to say that the Monument/Woodmoor area has weather drastically more extreme than surrounding areas. The main phenomenon of note is that the higher elevation of the Palmer Divide area and nature of weather system movements means it often gets deeper snow than immediately surrounding areas when a snow-producing front comes through.

The entire area can have extreme weather at times - thunderstorm/hail/wind/lightning events in particular can pop up just about anywhere in the region.

[beezle1]

I agree with both vfrpilot and otowi. I don't live in Monument, but I live about 10 miles east of there on the Palmer Divide. I would not call the weather we get up here 'extreme', its just a little more intense sometimes than other areas nearby. I think drifting snow is probably the most annoying part of the storms we get. Personally I love the thunderstorms here, as long as I am not outside in it!

[otterprods]

Snow often drifts to 3-4 feet or more on one side of my yard and the other is clear to the grass. I have many pics but don't post pics of my home in public places.

It is cooler up here but not exactly extreme. But, shhhh... don't tell COS people that. It's so extreme up here, extremely extreme! Especially on sunny weekend afternoons. So you definitely should not ride your skinny tire bike on the roads up here with your tight pants on and your white chest hair hanging out of your v-neck zipper, not because it's gross or annoying, but just because that would be so crazy extreme in our extreme weather.

[adkinsadam1]

I heard there was a big snowstorm there in October 1997. Any stories or photos to report of that event? How much snow fell? Could you get out okay?

[vfrpilot]

I'm not sure about the numbers, but a neighbor said the front of her house, including the front door, was covered for a while during that event.
In 2006, a neighbor had a drift that went up to the eve of his roof. The drifts usually shrink pretty quickly due to lack of moisture content. Most drifts, even 3-4 feet high will not support an adult, even with snowshoes.

[otowi]

I grew up here and I remember some huge blizzards in around 81 or 82 - I think every part of the city had snow drifts tall enough to go over 6 ft. wood fences in backyards - school closed for several days if I recall correctly.

[beezle1]

I was here for the 97 Blizzard. It was crazy. I think we had 48 inches of snow, and drifts way over my family's heads in spots (like right in front of the garage door). It took the plows 3 days before they came in my neighborhood (granted I am more rural than Woodmoor). They could not even use a normal snow plow - had to have this huge snowthrower, and even used a front loader to scoop snow out of the way. I think most of this stayed on the ground until spring. Since then, I think we had maybe one more that was not quite as big in the spring of 2003?

[adkinsadam1]

Any pictures of anything?