December 21, 2006

Global Warming Smothers Denver

Two feet of snow in Denver and as much as three feet total predicted. Such blizzards are somewhat uncommon in Denver - the last was in April 2003. The Rocky Mountain just west of the city do get a lot of snow, but a weather effect called orographic lift usually dries out the air passing over the Front Range, protecting Denver from large-scale precipitation for much of the winter. Denver's snowiest month is March. Here's a Denver blogger with photos. Many more Denver Holiday '06 Blizzard photos at Flickr. Some - like this one taken in downtown Denver, and this one - are quite amazing. Also, here's a Denver blizzard video on YouTube.

Blizzard or no, I still wouldn't mind living there. Except for the occasional blizzard, Denver's winters are pleasant - winter days generally mean warm sun and crisp air. Compare that to the gray skies that mark much of a Nashville winter. Snow falls infrequently in Denver and usually disappears quickly. The Mile High City boasts an average 300 days of sunshine a year - more than Nashville, which has just 205.

Update: The blizzard is an el Nino thing.