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Snowmaking Underway At 3 Colorado Ski Resorts

By Chris Spears

DENVER (CBS4) - It's a sound that brings a feeling of excitement to skiers and snowboarders each year. We're talking about the roar of snow guns making snow at Colorado resorts.

Operations are currently underway at Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin and Loveland Ski Area.

WATCH: Rare View Of Snow Gun With Meteorologist Chris Spears and Reporter Matt Kroschel

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(credit: Copper Mountain)

While snowmaking is a complicated process using water and fans or compressed air, it contains a fairly basic concept in meteorology.

The goal is to force the air above the slopes to cool and condense at a temperature that promotes the growth of snow crystals.

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(credit: A-Basin)

Snowmaking is an efficient process but resort operators must wait until temperatures become cold enough on a consistent basis to keep snow on the ground.

Now that we're into October the shorter days are making for ideal snowmaking conditions with overnight lows frequently falling into the 20s and daytime highs staying in the 30s and 40s in the higher elevations.

Meteorologist Chris Spears writes about stories related to weather and climate in Colorado. Check out his bio, connect with him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4.

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