20 Inches of Snowfall Hits Denver—Drought or Disaster?

20 Inches of Snowfall Hits Denver
20 Inches of Snowfall Hits Denver. Credit | AP

United States: Denver recently endured its 11th most formidable snowstorm since formal recordkeeping commenced in 1882, according to insights from the National Weather Service.

From Tuesday through Saturday, a substantial storm system unleashed snow accumulations that varied widely, blanketing Denver with nearly 20 inches and leaving upwards of 40 inches in regions such as Limon, according to reports by 9news.com.

This event stands as the third-largest snowstorm on record for November in Denver and the most significant November snowfall since 1983, when 21.5 inches accumulated over a mere two days, November 26–27.

Over the storm’s duration, snow persisted for an extraordinary 75 out of 88 hours, spanning from 6 pm Tuesday to 10 am Saturday. At Denver International Airport, a significant 20 inches of snow was measured, constituting almost one-third of the airport’s annual average snowfall. In certain locales, this singular storm brought nearly half the snowfall typically expected throughout an entire winter season.

A unique feature of this storm was its precipitation density. Typically, 10 inches of snow would translate to about one inch of liquid water. However, in this instance, meteorologists observed nearly three inches of rain equivalent to every 10 inches of snowfall, an anomaly indicative of the storm’s intensity, as per 9news.com.

Looking ahead, the forthcoming drought monitor—anticipated Thursday—offers promising news. With a bit of optimism, areas currently plagued by severe drought, including Denver, Greeley, and Fort Collins, may experience notable relief. The hope is that the moisture provided by this storm brings lasting respite to these parched regions.