It is May, and Colorado is blanketed in snow, much to the delight of locals. Weather experts indicate this unusual spring snowfall could become Denver's biggest May snowstorm in over two decades.
Record-Breaking Snowfall
A rare May snowstorm dumped more than two feet of snow across parts of Colorado this week, coating mountain towns in heavy, wet snow and leaving some residents overjoyed after a dry winter. The town of Estes Park, located near Rocky Mountain National Park, was buried under an extraordinary snowfall of 22 to 30 inches, according to the National Weather Service. “The view of the mountains is just spectacular, as long as you like the color white,” Estes Park resident Kathy Ross told KSAT on Wednesday.
The unusual spring snowfall could become Denver’s biggest May snowstorm in more than 20 years, as reported by KDVR. While the heavy, wet snow caused some disruption and cleanup after downing trees across the metro area, residents say the added moisture during a prolonged drought makes the tradeoff worthwhile.
Drought Relief Welcomed
“Everyone is glad for the moisture,” Denver resident Cathy Higgens told Denver 7. Fellow resident Jeff Hopfenbeck agreed, “We certainly need the moisture, so that's good.”
Residents in Green Mountain Falls, a small town about 80 to 90 miles south of Denver, told KOAA 5 that the ongoing lack of moisture had heightened wildfire concerns, and they gladly welcomed any rain or snow that could help prevent them. As of early April, Colorado was in a historic snow drought with some of the lowest snowpack on record, often below 50 percent of normal, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System. A record-warm, dry March accelerated snowmelt, and by April 1, 18 monitoring stations recorded zero snow water equivalent for the first time in over 50 years of data.
“I live on the west side (of Colorado) and yeah, big, big fire concerns there as well. So yeah, we'll take all the moisture we can get,” Joy Oram told KOAA 5 on Wednesday after hiking in Green Mountain Falls. “I don't care if it's snow or rain. We need it really, really bad,” Wilma Sue Sanders, who joined Oram for the hike, added.
Embracing the Snow
Beyond easing drought concerns, Oram and Sanders told the outlet they were thrilled to get outside and enjoy the much-needed weather, even if some friends questioned their enthusiasm. “We were excited for the return of winter that wasn't,” Oram said. “It was an awesome, gorgeous hike — nice little loop. We had movie snow falling down, big flakes falling down on us for part of it,” they both gushed. “I will say, we invited a whole bunch of people, and they all thought we were crazy,” Oram joked. “But we had a great time.”
The winter drought had brought on wildfire concerns for many residents across the state. By April 1, 18 monitoring stations recorded zero snow water equivalent in Colorado for the first time in more than 50 years of data. Colorado residents are enjoying both increased outdoor recreation and the relief of drought-breaking snowfall, with the state seeing historic snow totals in some areas.
