After 232 days since Denver last saw snow, flakes finally began falling last Friday, December 10.
While Denver and the Metro area have seen a few flurries, there hasn’t been a measurable amount that has stuck around long enough to count. Snowfall for the city is measured at Denver National Airport (DIA). Last Friday 0.8 of an inch was recorded at DIA while surrounding metro areas like Evergreen and Lakewood reported up to three inches.
According to the National Weather Service, this year’s lack of snow has broken the previous record for the latest snow of the season set November 21, 1934, by three weeks.
Due to the lack of snow, the Front Range has been experiencing a major drought. Wildfires that are not typical of December weather are fueled by unkept forests filled with timber and dry pine trees. These first signs of snow are very welcome and elevate hopes of more to come.
Even though Denver’s winter has taken a slow start, not all hope for a snow-filled winter is lost. 2000 and 2013 were the most recent years in which Denver experienced a slow start to the winter. Both seasons ended up reaching average snowfall by the spring. This year will most likely be similar as Denver is experiencing the effects of a La Nina weather pattern.
