This morning, it was sunny and mild along the Front Range urban corridor. A gentle southwest breeze was associated with the pleasant conditions, leading one to doubt that snow might develop by nightfall.
But looking west to the mountains, one noticed that the higher peaks had developed a hazy appearance, contrasting with the sharp, sun-drenched terrain of the foothills; later in the morning, that haze had coalesced into a band of clouds that totally hid the peaks. By early afternoon, the wind along the urban corridor had shifted from the north, the temperature had cooled significantly and clouds had begun to replace the bright blue sky. The forecast of a coming storm was then much easier to accept.
The high peaks of the Front Range are 30-40 miles west of Metro Denver and up to 9000 feet higher in elevation. As storm systems push in from the west, the higher terrain is first to demonstrate evidence of the developing upslope; enveloped by colder air and already blanketed by snow, the high country is both the first and last area to experience precipitation when storm fronts move through. Clouds will eventually lower over the urban corridor as the wind shifts from the northeast and, in concert, the snow level will descend from the crest of the Front Range to the Piedmont and High Plains.
But looking west to the mountains, one noticed that the higher peaks had developed a hazy appearance, contrasting with the sharp, sun-drenched terrain of the foothills; later in the morning, that haze had coalesced into a band of clouds that totally hid the peaks. By early afternoon, the wind along the urban corridor had shifted from the north, the temperature had cooled significantly and clouds had begun to replace the bright blue sky. The forecast of a coming storm was then much easier to accept.
The high peaks of the Front Range are 30-40 miles west of Metro Denver and up to 9000 feet higher in elevation. As storm systems push in from the west, the higher terrain is first to demonstrate evidence of the developing upslope; enveloped by colder air and already blanketed by snow, the high country is both the first and last area to experience precipitation when storm fronts move through. Clouds will eventually lower over the urban corridor as the wind shifts from the northeast and, in concert, the snow level will descend from the crest of the Front Range to the Piedmont and High Plains.
