Question for those who say we do not have a fall season in Denver (live, statistics)

[SkyDog77]

Admittedly, I have never lived in the East so have not experienced one of the glorius East Coast falls everyone seems to rave about, but I do not understand why people on here are constantly saying Denver doesn't really have a fall.

We are right at seasonal average temps today so it is hardly unusual weather and it is absolutely perfect outside right now. The leaves are changing, the sun is shining, and the is a hint of chill in the air.

What am I missing??

[OhioToCO]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Admittedly, I have never lived in the East so have not experienced one of the glorius East Coast falls everyone seems to rave about, but I do not understand why people on here are constantly saying Denver doesn't really have a fall. We are right at seasonal average temps today so it is hardly unusual weather and it is absolutely perfect outside right now. The leaves are changing, the sun is shining, and the is a hint of chill in the air.

What am I missing??

I think this year's fall is great! This is my third one in CO, and I like it the best so far. Previous two years were kinda short - it was too hot up until beginning of October, and then a snowstorm around 25th of October that finished off all the leaves.
My personal take on fall in Colorado is that they are just too short. This one, so far, is almost the length of the usual East coast fall. I think all that rain we got in September helped too - it wasn't dry and it helped sustain the vegetation a bit longer, well into it's color changing stage.

[otterprods]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Admittedly, I have never lived in the East so have not experienced one of the glorius East Coast falls everyone seems to rave about, but I do not understand why people on here are constantly saying Denver doesn't really have a fall.

We are right at seasonal average temps today so it is hardly unusual weather and it is absolutely perfect outside right now. The leaves are changing, the sun is shining, and the is a hint of chill in the air.

What am I missing??

What you're missing is not that autumn in CO is consistently bad, it's that it's totally inconsistent. Sure, it's really nice today, even at >7k', but it could suddenly turn freezing cold with sideways blowing wind and then be nice again.

[Timmyy]

Forecast has snow for next week. It is required to snow Halloween week.

[Freelee]

who cares, I love it!!

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by OhioToCO

I think this year's fall is great! This is my third one in CO, and I like it the best so far. Previous two years were kinda short - it was too hot up until beginning of October, and then a snowstorm around 25th of October that finished off all the leaves.
My personal take on fall in Colorado is that they are just too short. This one, so far, is almost the length of the usual East coast fall. I think all that rain we got in September helped too - it wasn't dry and it helped sustain the vegetation a bit longer, well into it's color changing stage.

^^This.

It has been a wonderful fall here this year. The trees are beautiful and the weather has been lovely.
My understanding from long-timers/natives, however, is that it is rather unusual and that the summer-to-winter cycle has become more of the norm.

Whatever, it is, I'll take it!

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by TigerLily24

^^This.

It has been a wonderful fall here this year. The trees are beautiful and the weather has been lovely.
My understanding from long-timers/natives, however, is that it is rather unusual and that the summer-to-winter cycle has become more of the norm.

Whatever, it is, I'll take it!

I'm a native and this is a very average fall day.

Daily Weather Averages and Records for Denver, CO

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

I'm a native and this is a very average fall day.

Daily Weather Averages and Records for Denver, CO

Perhaps it is a matter of quantity combined with quality.

If we have one or two nice days in between 80-90 degree temps and 20-30 degree days with snow, does that constitute a "fall" season?

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by TigerLily24

^^This.

It has been a wonderful fall here this year. The trees are beautiful and the weather has been lovely.
My understanding from long-timers/natives, however, is that it is rather unusual and that the summer-to-winter cycle has become more of the norm.

Whatever, it is, I'll take it!

This has been a beautiful fall, kind of like the ones you read about in fiction books. I've been here for 33 falls. I've seen all sorts of different things. Sometimes a September snow/freeze will turn the leaves black and they just fall off w/o taking any color at all. Sometimes it's hot (80s, occasional 90 degree days) until October.

I agree with Timmyy, it has to snow for Halloween. That's a Denver 'urban legend' that has a grain of truth to it.
Denver Halloween Snow Statistics Through 2009

I will say, fall in Pennsylvania is usually prettier than fall here.

[jamesdenver]

What you're missing is not that autumn in CO is consistently bad, it's that it's totally inconsistent. Sure, it's really nice today, even at >7k', but it could suddenly turn freezing cold with sideways blowing wind and then be nice again.

Precisely. Monday night I returned from a pending midwest snowstorm leaving biting winds and arrived to 65 degrees at the airport at 9pm. After work today I did a beautiful run through the park appreciative of the perfect weather, yellow leaves, and early sunset views.

And all knowing within days there could be an early season snowstorm collasping trees and snarling commutes. And a few days after we'll pick up the branches and it'll be perfect again.

And repeat.