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Snowstorm in early November shortens “unusually warm” fall | Weather

by November 9, 2024

Colorado Springs welcomed the return of winter this week after a short-lived and unseasonably warm fall, with snowfall accumulations of 7 to 12 inches Thursday evening and more on Friday.

Across the Pikes Peak region, students celebrated snow days, with several districts canceling classes on both Wednesday and Thursday. Many called early Thursday afternoon for Friday’s classes to be canceled or postponed as more snow is forecast.

Highways and major roads across the state were closed due to Thursday’s snow. Interstate 25 southbound from Pueblo to the New Mexico border is closed due to poor road conditions Visibility. US 36 Eastbound/Westbound was closed between Last Chance and the Kansas state line.

48-hour snow totals for southern Colorado: November 7

Navigating the local roads was also a challenge. Mountain Metro buses stopped service mid-morning. Snow plows cleared major and minor roads, focusing on keeping a lane clear as snow fell. Colorado Springs operations and maintenance manager Corey Farkas urged caution the first biggest snow event of the year.

“We have people moving into town all the time who may have never driven in the snow, so we always anticipate that the first snow there will be issues that are beyond our control,” Farkas said at a news conference Thursday .

The focus of plowing was on major and minor roads during active snowfall, Farkas said. Those calling for snow removal on neighborhoods and small streets shouldn’t expect a response until the city gets ahead of major streets.

As of 5:45 p.m., the active winter weather event dashboard launched on the county’s website last year showed plows slowly making their way through lower priority streets, but not recently through neighborhoods.

Colorado Springs doesn’t use De-icer Treat roads before it snows in the city not have the space to store the tens of thousands of gallons needed. The Colorado Department of Transportation is using a liquid anti-icing agent to prepare highways for winter storms De-icer to remove ice as it forms.

Colorado Springs County is sending road crews out to clear snow for the rest of the week

This is changing, according to Gazette reporting. Farkas said the public works department completed an 80,000-gallon storage facility on the city’s north side last year. A similar facility is in the works on the south side and is scheduled to open by the end of 2025.

The Colorado Springs Police Department has remained has been on cold accident reporting status since Tuesday, meaning minor accidents without injuries or damage can be reported online.

Several flights from Colorado Springs Airport were delayed due to bad weather. Until the afternoon, almost all Flights were back on track, making up for morning delays. Airport officials are urging travelers to check the status of their flights before arriving on Friday in case there are further delays.

Although this multi-day wintry weather system has disrupted daily life and is rare for this time of year, It is not of historical importance Sizesaid meteorologist Cameron Simcoe of the National Weather Service in Pueblo.

In Colorado Springs, the first snow typically falls in September or October, Simcoe said. This year the city was able to escape the storms and it remained unusually warm. almost eight Degrees warmer than usual. The normal temperature in October is 64.7 degrees, but the city averaged 72.5 degrees, several daily Records were broken.

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Several fire restrictions in Colorado have been lifted amid a snowstorm

“Summer decided to hang on a little longer and we only had a stubborn ridge of high pressure across the western United States to keep us warm,” Simcoe said.

This week’s snowstorm may seem massive, especially when you add expected snowfall on Fridaybut doesn’t come close to the city’s record from November.

In 1991 Colorado The Springs Airport recorded a record 26.3 inches of snow in November. Although snowfall of up to 9 inches is forecast in some areas, this will be the case in the city probably not Break a record with this storm.

“I would say the chances are extremely slim us To “We’re going to break the snow record for November,” Simcoe said. “It’s probably very unlikely, but you never know. “There could be one or two more storm systems during the month and that could put us over the edge.”

The city experienced no such storm at the end of 2023. The only one that came close was when the airport recorded 7.1 inches of snow on October 24, 2023. This storm only lasted two days, with just over 3 cm recorded on the second day.

As the Pikes Peak region enters the final phase of the storm, Colorado Springs is expected to receive another 5 to 9 inches. According to the National Weather Service, winds are a concern as gusts between 30 and 40 miles per hour could lead to blowing snow. This combination could lead to blizzard conditions with poor visibility.

Road closures around Colorado: Updated list including US 24 east of Colorado Springs

Once the storm passes on Saturday morning, the forecast looks good for sunshine fans. The region will experience a slow warming trend, with temperatures still slightly below average. No major storms are forecast for the immediate future, Simcoe said.

The weather has had some positive impacts despite the disruptions faced by drivers and students. Several communities have lifted fire restrictions. El Paso, plate, Custer and Douglas Counties lifted all of their restrictions and bans this week amid the storms.

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