Light rain overnight turned to even lighter snow this morning, leaving a white dusting on our Littleton farm. While we will take any precipitation that we can get, this atmospheric gift will not begin to dent our ongoing drought. Worse yet, this meager amount of snow is about two weeks late compared to the average first snowfall in Metro Denver.
Fortunately, a significant snowstorm is forecast to arrive by mid week, with optimistic expectations of a half-foot or more of accumulation. That storm, now developing in the Pacific Northwest, will hopefully set us on the pattern of alternating snow and sunshine that tends to characterize the Front Range winter and spring. Of course, the mountain snowpack is especially important and the projected storm should significantly boost that vital resource, which is off to a sluggish start this year.
In this semi-arid environment, snowstorms, isolated thunderstorms and monsoon rains are the primary sources of precipitation. Climate change may increase or decrease the total amount we receive; alternatively, it may alter its pattern and/or composition (i.e. rain vs. snow). However and whenever the moisture arrives, water conservation remains critical to the welfare of this region.
