Sitting inside watching it stack up will only make you grumpy and want to eat (trust me, I've got the snow cave plan down really well), but getting outside and laughing with your family while pelting each other with snowballs and building a snowman and making snow angels will change your attitude in a heartbeat!
Obviously, it was still snowing when we took these pictures yesterday afternoon. It finally tapered off around 8pm last night and we ended up with over 2 feet of snow. CRAZY. It was wet, heavy snow (great for snowballs and snowmen) and should start melting quickly. In fact, the sun is shining now and the great meltdown has already begun! Now we get to look forward to lots of mud. Ugh.
I'm a bit of a weather geek and so I want to share two geeky things with you.
1. Until I lived in Colorado, I just assumed that any massive snowfall was a blizzard. NOT so. A blizzard is a combination of wind (35mph+) and heavy snow accumulation. The snow that we got this weekend was a winter storm. At times the wind was blowing and creating blizzard conditions, but technically, it wasn't blowing hard enough to deem it a blizzard.
2. Snow totals are strongly dependent on elevation. Without being too location specific I'll tell you that we live somewhere between Denver and Colorado Springs. We also live on what is called the Palmer Divide, which is an east-west ridge that extends from the Front Range out towards Kansas. Because we live on this ridge our elevation is HIGHER than Denver (about 1500 feet) and HIGHER than Colorado Springs (about 1000 feet) and that difference in elevation often results in WAY more snow in the winter and cooler temperatures in the summer!
Case in point: We went to Co Springs to eat dinner last night. It was still snowing when we left our town, but when we got about 6 miles down the road it was sunny, dry, and there was absolutely NO SNOW. I was stunned--you saw my pictures of our snow--we'd been getting pounded all day long!!!
Last month, John and I were in Seattle when our area got slammed with a blizzard. We noticed as we were driving home from the airport that Denver's snow had already melted, but as we left Denver and climbed up in elevation, the snow was still piled up everywhere. Seriously, it is CRAZY the difference in elevation makes.
That's your topography lesson for the day. If you ever consider moving to Colorado and want to live where you'll be assured of getting snow and LOTS of it, give me a call. I know just the town for you.
21 comments:
Thank you for the geography lesson! That was very interesting. We love Colorado. Have stayed in cabins near Pikes Peak, cabins in Winter Park and were just in Denver for a volleyball tournament. It's a very fun place to play but I can't imagine living there with all the snow! My very BFF is in Estes Park right now visiting her Mom who is having chemo in Boulder. I wonder if she'll make it home today?
I guess enjoy this last burst of winter. Hopefully Spring is on the way.
HA! I feel vindicated. I told Wayne that you guys must be higher than Denver and Co Springs, and I was right! I knew those places didn't get as much snow as, say, Estes Park (my fave Colorado spot). Wayne briefly considered applying for a job at the Air Force Academy, but the thought of cold, snowy winters made him change his mind.
I cannot get over how DEEP that snow is!!! WOWZERS!
Hopefully you've had one last Hoorah! for this season and the sun that's there now will stay a good long while...
What a TALL snow angel John was making!! :)
Wow! Amazing. We got his at Christmas time (which would be considered normal, except not around here) and everything shut down... no garbage service for 2 weeks. It was crazy. I can't imagine getting hit in April.
Thanks for the topography lesson. What a dapper looking snow man! Enjoy your wintry fun...I'll keep my flip flops on, thank you very much!
I feel smarter for having stopped by your blog today.
I spent the afternoon putting out my tomatoes, planting petunias, and marigolds.
I'm sure your snow will get here tomorrow and ruin all my garden plans.
That is some deep snow! I understand the topography thing, living right where the Pocono's end and the Appalachia come across... we're down in a valley, but 3 miles away, it's a whole other deal, weather wise!
Suzanne
When Corey and I were on a ski trip once, we talked about how much we liked Colorado, and that it would be a neat place to live. It is so beautiful.
Looks like our roots run pretty deep in Arkansas...but we can still soak in the Colorado beauty when we get to visit.
You know I'd move to your town tomorrow if I could. I'm not telling my husband about your little geography lesson today b/c he hates snow and I've been telling him that it really doesn't snow that much in Colorado. Ha-I guess we'll have to live closer to Denver!
Fun to read, mostly because there's no snow here. Ha! We had our last snow (hopefully!) two weeks ago today--Palm Sunday.
I'll be talking to my parents later today and am curious to hear how much snow they have.
What a white out!
Looks pretty but I enjoy our Georgia weather!
Yes, I'll never forget landing in Denver a couple of Christmases ago, into a winter storm. We had to drive past your area, or at least slide past (not kidding), and then it was much better both before and after. Always thought that was weird. And wasn't nearly so bad down in the Springs.
Wow! Now, that is some snow! Looks like y'all had fun and the best attitude you can have about a snow fall in Spring!
yeah, aren't March and Nov tied for first place in snowfall and April actually 2nd?
Great pics. Great memories. Lurve how you always seem to make lemonade from the lemons du jour.
You know, your lesson is true no matter what the weather. We've been having rain, rain, rain, and while it's not quite warm enough to play in it, when the sun did come out I was still feeling blah and lazy. But when the fam convinced me to go in the backyard with them and play kickball and weed the garden, voila! My mood and energy level improved.
You could never make snow angels like that here!!! EVER!
Meredith! You could be mistaken for one of your kids! Are you planning on aging? Ever?!
And I love that I now know the official definition of blizzard. I was much dumber before I read this today!
Love the pictures!! I thought you were a neighbor kid from next door until I looked further down and saw you again!! LOL!! Really!!
I am sure you are ready for summer flip flops, and school's out!!
I'm sure you are tired of the slushy mess, but this Texas gal is just a bit jealous of the white stuff. Of course, I would prefer it before Easter. :)
You missed your calling. You should have been a weathergirl!
And I'm coveting your snow...again. Because that just looked like good clean fun!! :)
OH.MY.WORD at the snow!!! I loved all of the pictures!
Post a Comment