While ponds and lakes remain frozen along the Front Range and the brown landscape speaks of winter, a mild, southwesterly wind pushed afternoon highs above 60 degrees F today and this balmy flow is expected to persist for most of the coming week. Frigid air and lake-effect snows may plague the eastern U.S. but it feels like spring here in Metro Denver.
Of course, this pleasant weather is not altogether welcome in light of our persistent drought and meager snowpack. Unfortunately, a high pressure ridge over the Great Basin is deflecting Pacific storms to the north, taking them across the Northern Plains before they dive through the Midwest. As a result, heavy snow, vital to Western ecosystems, has been limited to the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies, increasing concerns about water supply throughout the American Southwest and depriving Colorado ski areas of their famous powder.
Snow has essentially disappeared from the Colorado Piedmont and, even in the foothills, is confined to the shaded, north-facing slopes.. Unless the weather pattern changes in the coming months, bringing white gold to the High Country, wildfires may once again threaten the State. While many enjoy this early spring, we truly need a heavy dose of winter.
