Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado, aren’t known for their late spring snowfall, but 2019 is an exception! On May 21, 2019, several inches of snow hit both mountainous metro areas due to record-low temperatures in the region.
Read on to learn more about the surprising snowstorms and their effects on Colorado’s weather.
On Tuesday, May 21, around six inches of snow hit the Denver metro area in Colorado, while over a foot of snowflakes piled up in Colorado Springs at the same time. In El Paso County, up to 20 inches fell in some regions, making it a record-breaking spring weather incident. The U.S. Air Force Academy and the areas around it saw around 18 inches of snow.
The shocking inches of snow were related, meteorologists suggest, to the storms that swept across the Great Plains recently. These areas of Colorado normally don’t experience snow in May, nor have they seen such cold temperatures in late spring in over a century.
Before the May incident, it had been over 128 years since the lowest high-temperature record (39 degrees Fahrenheit) struck the area. On Wednesday, May 22, Denver experienced 30-degree weather for the first time since 1930.
Moreover, it marked the first significant snow during this time of year since Fort Collins saw less than an inch of the white flaky stuff in June 1947. Boulder, Colorado, meanwhile, saw over five inches of snow in late spring for the first time since 1950.
Colorado isn’t used to seeing this kind of inclement weather at this time of year. Several public schools and universities, such as the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, closed, while several greenhouses at a nursery in Colorado Springs collapsed under the weight of the snow.
Driving became dangerous in many areas, as trees and branches fell onto roads due to the piles of snow.
In areas around Denver, Interstate 70 closed in several spots due to collisions. Meanwhile, many flights out of and into Denver International Airport were canceled.
Some meteorologists suggest that flooding in June is a possibility due to melting snow and ice over the coming weeks.
