I would really like to punch... (Denver, Boulder: house, live, vs)

[Jinny01]

the people who keep saying that Denver has a mild winter. So far we have had a couple feet of snow dump on Denver this fall & winter and below zero temperatures. It has been in the 30s and teens during this fall and winter and will continue to be according to the latest forecast.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Mild is relative. Ask someone from Buffalo or Winnipeg how mild they think Denver's winter are. Someone from LA or Miami would strongly disagree.

[2bindenver]

It's all relative to your personal past history.

I grew up in DC. Denver might get colder more often, and has more snow early and late in the season, but most days are sunny and clear.

The weather is something I treasure about this area. Certainly never boring.

[maciesmom]

As other posters have said - it depends....I find the winters here are typically mild. I have spent many a bitter and gray winter in the Chicago area and other upper midwest locales. I also think that when people say that they mean relative to the idea that many people who do not live here seem to think - that Denver is cold and buried in snow from October through May because what they see on the news is the occasional blizzard. Also people think that Colorado completely located in the mountains (Denver is the Mile High City right? So it must be in the mountains). Kind of like all of California is warm, beachfront property and all of NY is NYC and all of NJ is industrial......

[denverkid]

One really cold spell does not define a winter. The coldest month in Denver is Jan - with an average high of 43°. That's warmer, on average, than a Seattle winter. Denver has had either 22 or 36 inches of snow so far this year depending on where you measure (Stapelton vs DIA). Well on our way to our yearly average of 61 inches, but who knows if we'll get there.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

It's all relative to your personal past history.

I grew up in DC. Denver might get colder more often, and has more snow early and late in the season, but most days are sunny and clear.

The weather is something I treasure about this area. Certainly never boring.

Myself, as a Son Of Baltimore (SOB) who spent 31 years in the DC area, I can agree fully. I do miss the saltwater seafood, especially the crabcakes, crab imperial and softshells sauteed in butter. But I never ate Bison until I came here, so I guess it all evens out.

Love this dry climate and wide open spaces. I can see for 25 miles or more from my house up here by the USAF Academy on the far north end of COLO SPGS, and see Pikes Peak and Cheyenne Mountain and much more, all from my front window.

[Count David]

What I don't understand is the people who expect winter to be something other than winter.

[steveindenver]

Yeah last weekend when it was in the upper 50's / lower 60's and then on the first day of "Winter" when I was playing golf in my shirtsleeves really sucked. Such a harsh, harsh winter.

October was a bit cool, November made up for it. Now if we could only get some more snow in the mountains.

[eon-krate32]

unless one is from Alaska or something I think to say that Denver's winters are a few notches away from being 'mild'. There's always the occasional exception but seriously if we're getting the sub-zero temps for weeks plus snow dumps in feet that qualifies for a stronger term than 'mild'.

[maciesmom]

In Longmont you had "weeks" of sub-zero temps? Just checking the NWS website for the Denver Boulder area...in December there were 6 days (total - non consecutive) days where the minimum temp was below zero....and about 11 inches total of snow... This has been a chilly December but if it were typically that cold we wouldn't even be talking about it....

ETA - interestingly enough, we had 8 days where the maximum temp was over 50 deg......