Why is Colorado seeing so much rain this spring?

[Vision67]

I am back in Colorado this week taking grand kids to Glenwood Springs.

On the drive up yesterday from Denver through Vail I was astounded at how green and wet everything looked. I cannot remember the mountains ever looking so vibrant. The mountains are still snow capped.

Colorado is the most beautiful State.

[waltcolorado]

It is really beautiful right now but a rain related caution. Last week, we drove from Ridgway to Denver to Colorado Springs and took the scenic route over the Grand Mesa. And.. it was very scenic. But on top of the Mesa we came around a corner and ran over a big rock with a Toyota Corolla. The impact broke the transmission case and cracked part of the transmission. Had to get towed, rent a car, ect. Car is in the shop now and cost is adding up to be over $6K (insurance will cover most we hope).

The wet conditions are when you really need to watch for rocks on the road so just a caution. Then to top of our lousy experience (but very nice trip to Denver and CS with the rental car), I just got billed by Enterprise for using the express lane on I25 which I absolutely did not do. The bill is only for $8 so I guess they just think I will pay it to avoid the hassle of contesting which will likely be true.

[Vision67]

Originally Posted by waltcolorado

It is really beautiful right now but a rain related caution. Last week, we drove from Ridgway to Denver to Colorado Springs and took the scenic route over the Grand Mesa. And.. it was very scenic. But on top of the Mesa we came around a corner and ran over a big rock with a Toyota Corolla. The impact broke the transmission case and cracked part of the transmission. Had to get towed, rent a car, ect. Car is in the shop now and cost is adding up to be over $6K (insurance will cover most we hope).

The wet conditions are when you really need to watch for rocks on the road so just a caution. Then to top of our lousy experience (but very nice trip to Denver and CS with the rental car), I just got billed by Enterprise for using the express lane on I25 which I absolutely did not do. The bill is only for $8 so I guess they just think I will pay it to avoid the hassle of contesting which will likely be true.

When I rented my car I had to remind myself to set up Google Maps to avoid tolls. From the offsite car rental place it first tried to send me on E-470 to connect with E-70. I would have then gotten a hit on my credit card a few months later from the car rental place.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by Vision67

I am back in Colorado this week taking grand kids to Glenwood Springs.

On the drive up yesterday from Denver through Vail I was astounded at how green and wet everything looked. I cannot remember the mountains ever looking so vibrant. The mountains are still snow capped.

Colorado is the most beautiful State.

I was in the North Fork Valley - Hotchkiss/Paonia area. Same thing, vivid green everywhere.

[dnvrsoul]

Originally Posted by otowi

This pattern is abnormal according to past data. The rain has been earlier in the season and much greater than typical. We are several inches over average for precipitation. It is far too early for the monsoon pattern you remember from your childhood and this isn't monsoonal precipitation. We're in an anomalous pattern currently where the moisture that would more often be up in Canada/PNW has been here instead - hence the drought and wildfires going on there.

We are also looking to be transitioning to a likely El Nino pattern from several years of La Nina which means things will probably stay on the wetter side this year, which is good for ending our drought.

Yep not normal pattern-

This morning I could see my breath -this is June!!!

I want summer but I have to remind myself that it's good -we aren't in a drought or it will at least help

[himain]

I don't know but it's annoying

[Brill]

I love that it's mid-june and haven't had to turn on a fan yet.

Summer opening day at beaver creek:


Colorado Springs rain stats so far:

[CatPeople]

Pueblo area was in extreme drought for months. Fire warnings everyday, no rain for months. My yard went from rock hard to a muddy jungle. My battery mower has been doing 3 cycles a day for the last two weeks, hard to keep up. My acre lot is almost done. For once this area here is as green as back east.

Raining every time I go to Springs, surprised it doesn't look like a temperate rain forest. Driving south around 5PM, my new song is ”Its always raining in Fountain”. Not fun driving in the rain in that 10 mile construction zone. Name fits, at least this year.

Oct 0.06
Nov 0.03
Dec 0.06
Jan 0.06
Feb 0.03
Mar 0.06

Apr 2.60
May 2.06
Jun 2.96 as of the 17th

[wilberry]

Went to Mt Falcon and it was SO GRREEN !! beautiful !