Why Colorado Is So Great: Part 2
Meteorologist Britta Merwin
Usually when people think of Colorado they think of beautiful mountains, snow, and of course skiing. Well this past Monday, September 17th, many ski resorts experienced the first measurable snowfall. This beautiful picture is of the Independence ski lift at the Breckenridge Ski Resort.
AP Photo/Breckenridge Ski Resort Monday, Sept. 17, 2007
This is the ski resort I learned how to ski at when I was eight with my Dad but in addition Breckenridge is a wonderful town full of shops and Colorado culture.
The Colorado Rockies are known for legendary ski conditions created by the winter storms that on a good year supply plenty of perfect white powder. The 2006-2007 season brought multiple blizzards that dumped large amounts of snow on the Front Range and the mountains. It was a perfect white Christmas in 2006 spent snowed in with my family and our backyard was still covered with a hefty snow pack well into spring. So what brings the snow to Colorado?
AP Photo/Breckenridge Ski Resort Monday, Sept. 17, 2007
During the beginning of fall the jet stream starts moving south from Canada over the United States. These strong upper level winds help usher in low-pressure systems from the Pacific Northwest. The clashing of cooler Canadian air and mild moist air from the south creates a temperature gradient strengthening the system as it moves over the Rockies. As the air moves over the mountains it is compressed and then stretched producing a spin in the atmosphere, we call this vorticity. As the system moves over the eastern plains of Colorado easterly winds develop creating upslope conditions allowing air to be push up into the atmosphere producing precipitation. If all the ingredients are in place there is now a powerful winter storm reading to dump feet of white snow for portions of Colorado.
This Sunday marks the first day of fall and soon it will be time for all the skiers to hit the slopes. Although I have not been to every ski resort in Colorado here are some of my personal favorites that contribute to why Colorado is so great!
Steamboat Springs
Telluride
Keystone
Copper Mountain
Breckenridge
Winter Park
Comments
Keep up the great work, Britta!
Posted by: Gavin | September 22, 2007 09:51 PM
Hi Britta,
I like Colorado weather, too. I have lived in Texas all my life, and the older I get, the more I want to move to the cooler climates of the mountains.
I spend every summer vacation there. I want to go where there are less people, not more, so some of the more remote places are really appealing. I know it can get hot there, but it doesn't last a long time, as you know.
Anyway, thanks for professional weather predicting and coverage.
Richard Johns
Mansfield, TX
Posted by: Richard Johns | October 7, 2007 07:41 PM