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Old 08-02-2007, 12:25 PM
 
Location: Florida
396 posts, read 399,271 times
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I've read pieces of scattered information about dense thermal inversions over Denver during some seasons b/c the city is built in a basin (lower elevation) than surrounding cities (Castle Rock and Fort Collins). I understand the air gets so bad that restrictions are put in place keeping residents from using wood-burning fireplaces. Does anyone have pictures they can post, or have experiences they can share about Denver's thermal inversions?
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Old 08-02-2007, 07:44 PM
 
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No pics, but yes, they can be periodically occur and worsen air quality significantly. Inversions usually last for a period of a couple days, and the smog will simply build and build until a front finally pushes it out. Luckily, this will only occur usually about 2-3 times per winter, though sometimes more.

That being said, every western city (pretty much) suffers from inversions, some worse than Denver. It's the price you pay to be close to mountains.
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Old 08-03-2007, 02:49 PM
 
Location: Norman, OK
3,478 posts, read 7,252,383 times
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Fort Collins is lower in elevation than Denver, so I'm not sure what basin effect you mean...
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Old 08-03-2007, 02:55 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wxjay View Post
Fort Collins is lower in elevation than Denver, so I'm not sure what basin effect you mean...
That is true, but there are areas in-between FC and Denver area are higher elevation. The South Platte River (northeast) is the only direction you can go from downtown Denver without gaining in elevation, hence the basin effect.
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Old 08-04-2007, 09:47 AM
 
Location: Florida
396 posts, read 399,271 times
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The reason I ask is although I love Colorado, I hear alot that people relocate to Colorado for the "clean air". I don't know how familiar many posters are with Denver's thermal inversions, but has anyone heard that Los Angeles, Mexico City and Denver are listed as places having notable thermal inversions? When I heard that I thought, "Wow!, L.A. and Mexico City are as bad as Denver?!" What are you thoughts?
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Old 08-04-2007, 09:57 AM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,297 posts, read 120,704,934 times
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The suburbs to the immediate north of Denver along i-25 (Federal Hts, Northglenn, Thornton, Broomfield) all have higher elevations than Denver. By the time you get to Erie, it begins to drop. Longmont, Loveland and Ft. Collins are all at lower altitude than Denver.

Last edited by Katarina Witt; 08-04-2007 at 09:57 AM.. Reason: addition
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Old 08-04-2007, 02:15 PM
 
Location: Florida
396 posts, read 399,271 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pittnurse70 View Post
The suburbs to the immediate north of Denver along i-25 (Federal Hts, Northglenn, Thornton, Broomfield) all have higher elevations than Denver. By the time you get to Erie, it begins to drop. Longmont, Loveland and Ft. Collins are all at lower altitude than Denver.
What do you know about thermal inversion over denver?
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Old 08-04-2007, 02:43 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,297 posts, read 120,704,934 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grew-up-3rd-culture View Post
What do you know about thermal inversion over denver?
Same as tfox said on August 2. The air gets trapped. The infamous "brown cloud" ensues.
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