Denver: Weather, Living, Commute, Land locked etc... (Littleton, Cherry Hills Village: apartment, rental)

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

OP: You're gonna love Colorado. Dry air, few bugs, almost no tornadoes to speak of and mostly they are found well east of I-25 though every so often we get one along the I-25 corridor; IIRC there've been but 3 fatalities in this state in 50+ years. Weather deaths here are more related to lightning strikes or driving badly in the snow.

No confirmed tornado (yet), but there was a rotating thunderstorm that produced a tornado warning well west of I-25 tonight. The storm tracked northwest (odd) from the Chatfield Reservoir area to Lakewood and dumped quarter-sized hail in addition to the rotation.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

Actually you're more likely to be hit by a tornado in Louisiana than you are in Colorado. Louisiana averages 6.07 tornadoes per 10,000 square miles of land. In Colorado the number is 2.32. Tornadoes in Colorado are generally weak and short-lived. The state doesn't typically see the destructive long-track tornadoes that the central and southern sections of tornado alley experiences.

Agreed, tornados in Denver are like a spectator sport. When you hear the sirens, everybody goes outside to see them. That leaves some mid-westerners scratching their heads wondering if everybody in Denver is crazy. But natives know there isn't much to worry about.


Denver, CO Tornado!! 06/14/2009 downtown - YouTube


Tornado in Denver!?! - YouTube


Tornado Alarms in Downtown Denver - YouTube

[Metairie]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

OP: You're gonna love Colorado. Dry air, few bugs, almost no tornadoes to speak of and mostly they are found well east of I-25 though every so often we get one along the I-25 corridor; IIRC there've been but 3 fatalities in this state in 50+ years. Weather deaths here are more related to lightning strikes or driving badly in the snow.

Thanks! We are pretty excited to escape New Orleans where humidity is almost year round, bugs, roaches, mosquitos are a way of life.

[randomparent]

I drive a sedan without snow tires, and I've never had a problem here in the city. Heavy snow rarely sticks around long. If you can hang out at home for a few hours, chances are the plows will have the major routes cleared.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by Metairie

Thanks! We are pretty excited to escape New Orleans where humidity is almost year round, bugs, roaches, mosquitos are a way of life.

Just wondering. Are you prepared to trade your problems for other problems. True that Denver has extremely low humidity, but the dry air will dry out your skin and chap your lips. Also are you prepared for 60 inches of snow a year and below zero temperatures?

BTW bugs, roaches and mosquitos exist in Denver too. Though I'm sure it's a small fraction of the problem it is in NOLA.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by Metairie

The land locked thing bothers me because I prefer to drive places than fly, but I guess I'll get used to flying for "ALL" travel. Any hints, advice? Thanks.

How is Denver land locked? It's located right in the middle of the country. You can drive from Denver to almost any part of the country in two to three days. One extra day for the East Coast.

[maciesmom]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

Just wondering. Are you prepared to trade your problems for other problems. True that Denver has extremely low humidity, but the dry air will dry out your skin and chap your lips. Also are you prepared for 60 inches of snow a year and below zero temperatures?

BTW bugs, roaches and mosquitos exist in Denver too. Though I'm sure it's a small fraction of the problem it is in NOLA.

Agree about the dry air. No question.

Now, let's be honest about the snow and cold. You say it like it's 60 inches at a time (!!!) and with consistently below zero temps. 60 inches (actually slightly less) is the average cumulative snowfall. That is generally spread out over about 7 months and while it does dip below zero several days over the year (thinking I read 6 or 7 somewhere), mostly that is at night. It is not usual for daytime temperatures to stay that bitter cold.

There is no need to continually post as if Denver is the ultimate experience of life in the frozen tundra. I have no doubt that anyone doing their research realizes that it will snow in Denver. And snowfall doesn't happen when it's warm. You don't want to live where it snows? Don't move to Denver. But it sure beats Chicago.

[Yakscsd]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

Won't help when:
the hail slams into your vehicle
the tornado takes you to Kansas

Actually with hail it might.....Higher end cars often have tougher sheet metal or high performance polymers. Those are often much more durable than the products used on low end cars, hence what damages your Tercel, may not damage your Mercedes. YMMY

Originally Posted by maciesmom

That is generally spread out over about 7 months and while it does dip below freezing several days over the year (thinking I read 6 or 7 somewhere), mostly that is at night. It is not usual for daytime temperatures to stay that bitter cold.

Ummm...it dips below freezing MANY, MANY times each year. Perhaps you meant to say below zero, which would be only a few times a year?

[randomparent]

Yes, it gets cold occasionally, but it's tolerable. I have a mid-weight jacket that gets me through the cold months. If it's really frigid, I put a fleece on underneath it, but it's not often necessary. I've shoveled snow in shorts. I can't explain it, but cold doesn't feel the same here as it does in the upper Midwest where I lived for a time.

As for the dryness, it's worst in the beginning. A humidifier helps, and so does drinking lots of water and avoiding long, hot showers. On a positive note, you'll find that mildew isn't a big problem. Shortness of breath will subside as hemoglobin levels rise over the course of the first six months of living at altitude, but it can be bothersome at first.

Hail is a hazard to homes, vehicles, and gardens. Some years, we get none. Other years, it seems like a daily occurrence in late spring. It's been bad this year for portions of the metro, but my neighborhood has had none at all. Who knows what will come our way next year?

Wildfires happen every summer, so avoid vulnerable areas, but the area you're planning to settle in isn't likely to be in one's path. Other posters to the board can provide excellent guidance if you choose to move to an outlying suburb.

Anyway, welcome to the mile-high city!

[maciesmom]

Originally Posted by Yakscsd

Actually with hail it might.....Higher end cars often have tougher sheet metal or high performance polymers. Those are often much more durable than the products used on low end cars, hence what damages your Tercel, may not damage your Mercedes. YMMY



Ummm...it dips below freezing MANY, MANY times each year. Perhaps you meant to say below zero, which would be only a few times a year?

Yes, that is what I meant...my bad. I was responding to KaBoom's post which said below zero. I knew I would do that, I mentally corrected myself several times before I posted. Clearly my mental correction didn't translate into proofreading!