Summer Snow Blankets The Higher Colorado Mountains
DENVER (CBS4) - The first morning of September brought at least a dusting of snow to many of the higher mountains in Colorado. Some areas reported up to 1 inch of accumulation that is expected to quickly melt.
Most snow reports from the high mountains originate from the ski resorts and most of them do not report in the summer nor leave their snow stake cameras operating in the summer months. One exception is Aspen Mountain where about 1 inch of accumulation was observed on their snow stake early Tuesday morning.
The snow stake about half way up Vail Mountain also showed minor accumulation Tuesday morning.
And at the Loveland Ski Area, at least a dusting of snow could be seen near the top of Chair 9 early Tuesday. Loveland is set to start making snow on October 1 and will open by late October if conditions permit.
The accumulating snow on Tuesday comes after a dusting of snow fell on some mountains over the weekend.
Most ski areas in Colorado are about 80 days from opening in mid or late November. Some mountains like Loveland and Arapahoe Basin could open earlier as conditions allow.
Meanwhile, the first snow of the season in Denver is likely at least a month away. The average date for the first measurable snow in Denver is October 18 although the earliest snow on record in the city was on September 3, 1961. And last year the first snow came early. On October 10, 2019 there was 1 inch of snow followed by a record low of 9 degrees the following morning.
