Early Snow extent

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Monte Meals
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Early Snow extent

Post by Monte Meals »

Snow Extent in the Northern Hemisphere now Among the Highest in 56 years

https://www.severe-weather.eu/global-we ... -cold-rrc/
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Scott P
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Re: Early Snow extent

Post by Scott P »

Hopefully Colorado will have a good snow year. It started out good, but has been dropping steadily. Most areas are below normal, but not terribly so. It's still too early in the season to see how thing will end up though.
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Re: Early Snow extent

Post by ekalina »

This next storm will hopefully top off the reserves. Some of the northern and northwestern higher mountains will get at least a foot, maybe more.

This is the first November in a while that has felt wintry to me. Last year it had barely snowed at all, and we were still a month away from the most destructive wildfire in CO history.
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ltlFish99
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Re: Early Snow extent

Post by ltlFish99 »

Certainly more snow here south of Montrose than last year.

Last year i made it to the East Dallas creek trailhead as late as December 4th., and the hike to lower blue lake was very comfortable, just used spikes.
This year, i barely made it to that same trailhead October 28th., and the hike to lower blue lake had more snow than i have seen there so early .
The last quarter mile before the lake, the snow was a little more than knee deep.
Last edited by ltlFish99 on Thu Dec 08, 2022 3:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Dave B
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Re: Early Snow extent

Post by Dave B »

Snow cover extent may be historically high across the northern hemisphere but that's not indicative of how much water is stored in high elevation snowpack, which is what's important for CO and still below average across most of the state. Granted, most of our snow is still yet to fall so looking at snow totals in late Nov is a bit like driving a road at night without headlights.

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Jorts
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Re: Early Snow extent

Post by Jorts »

Dave B wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 6:21 am Granted, most of our snow is still yet to fall so looking at snow totals in late Nov is a bit like driving a road at night without headlights.
Not sure that simile works here. :-k Maybe more like recording the final score when the game is only five minutes in.

I do remember the alarming early melt off last spring in the San Juans. Leads me to think that even in average snowpack seasons, warmer average temperatures could lead to drought effects.
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Dave B
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Re: Early Snow extent

Post by Dave B »

Jorts wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 7:30 am
Dave B wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 6:21 am Granted, most of our snow is still yet to fall so looking at snow totals in late Nov is a bit like driving a road at night without headlights.
Not sure that simile works here. :-k Maybe more like recording the final score when the game is only five minutes in.

I do remember the alarming early melt off last spring in the San Juans. Leads me to think that even in average snowpack seasons, warmer average temperatures could lead to drought effects.
Fair enough, but hyperbole can be fun. Either way, we still don't know what's ahead of us.

I think a good portion of the early melt off last year was due to some big dust storms, but warm temps certainly exacerbated it.
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Istoodupthere
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Re: Early Snow extent

Post by Istoodupthere »

Dave B wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 10:09 am
Jorts wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 7:30 am
Dave B wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 6:21 am Granted, most of our snow is still yet to fall so looking at snow totals in late Nov is a bit like driving a road at night without headlights.
Not sure that simile works here. :-k Maybe more like recording the final score when the game is only five minutes in.

I do remember the alarming early melt off last spring in the San Juans. Leads me to think that even in average snowpack seasons, warmer average temperatures could lead to drought effects.
Fair enough, but hyperbole can be fun. Either way, we still don't know what's ahead of us.

I think a good portion of the early melt off last year was due to some big dust storms, but warm temps certainly exacerbated it.
Interesting link about the dust storms and their effects on snow melt. Thanks for sharing
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Re: Early Snow extent

Post by JTOlson26 »

Looks like a solid snow event over the past 24 hours, although not a huge event by any means. Reading Joel Gratz' forecast this morning, it appears Colorado will be in/around a stormy pattern with some nice refills over the next four or five days.
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