Precipitation and snowpack are above average, but midway through winter, meteorologists are cautiously optimistic about how much moisture Colorado could see this year
Snotel
Posted inEnvironment
Early-season snow off to good start in Colorado’s high country
Colorado’s snowpack is 140% of average for this time of year — but it’s still far too early to tell what kind of snow year the state will have
Posted inClimate, Environment, News, Water
Big March storms helped boost Colorado’s snowpack, but they weren’t enough to solve the long-term drought
Snowstorms last month replenished snowpack in the Colorado mountains and improved drought conditions on the Front Range, as did rain that quenched the parched Eastern Plains. But smaller amounts of precipitation farther south and west have done less to dampen drought conditions. Ultimately, researchers say that one big storm is not enough to break Colorado […]
Posted inColoradans, Environment, Outdoors
Determining how much water Colorado’s snowpack will yield is an inexact science, but researchers persist
On a sunny April day at the tail end of last winter, Jeff Deems, a researcher at the Boulder-based National Snow and Ice Data Center, and Nathan Elder, the water supply manager for Denver Water, used snowshoes to reach a point high above the Blue River in Summit County. There they dug a pit, which […]
Posted inBusiness, Coloradans, Culture, Environment, News, Outdoors
Southern Colorado is learning a tough lesson: Too much snow is a headache for the summer economy
SILVERTON — The exceptionally snowy winter has created dangerous backcountry conditions that persist as southwest Colorado heads into its busy summer season. Remote mountain towns, including Silverton, are grappling to find a balance between supporting a booming summer economy, built on people exploring the high country on foot, bikes and off-road vehicles, and keeping all […]
Posted inEnvironment, News, Water
Colorado’s snow season is starting off strong. These satellite photos tell the story.
Colorado’s snow season is starting off strong, giving the state’s drought-parched agricultural industry high hopes for a quenching runoff come spring. “Definitely been a good start here,” said Russell Danielson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boulder. “Overall, the state has seen pretty healthy precipitation, snowpack so far this fall.” Compared with last […]