EW-413082 -

Thanks for your feedback. As someone who lived in Denver and visits regularly, I understand that snow is not a rare phenomenon for Colorado.

You are correct that snow is not news, but the story here is the 87,000 people without power.

Also – you’re visiting PhotoBlog, a place where we display interesting, relevant or newsworthy photos that catch our eye. I’d encourage you to visit our homepage, msnbc.com, if you’re looking for a selection of today’s most significant news stories.

It is news mostly because of the extreme swing - Monday in Denver we broker a record high of 80 degrees, and now 10+ inches of snow, and a 50 degree temperature drop.

That's awesome that the article's author is getting in on the Newsvine loop.

Jonathan, don't let it bother you, the Newsvine is full of critics. I view Denver's first snow storm of the season as an important news event because it is kind of a "groundhog day" moment for how bad this winter will be. Judging by the late start of this snow and the rather light a amount, I am predicting a light winter.

Keep up the good work.

Not by NOAA standards. Not by a long shot.

http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/snowfall.html

Get ready for a harsh, cold winter.

Damn......I love the weather here in Colorado!

Tomorrow 50 and sunshine, back in the high sixties for the weekend.........and it was balmy and sunny on Tuesday. If you don't like the weather here, wait 5 minutes!

Sorry about the power outages, many will be chilly tonight, heavy wet snow just too much for tree limbs with most of their leaves. Utility lines belong underground everywhere, not just upscale neighborhoods or new developments.

I grew up in upstate NY, so I know all about the cold, lengthy and gray winters there. Miss the autumn leaves of the Finger Lakes though. After 35yrs, I doubt I'd return.

Great photos!

I HATE HARRP, they caused this, much like they caused a hurrican in the Gulf of Mexico that is intesing right now! HARRP is whinning about our 10 watt bolt, and they are using MORE THAN FIVE MILLION WATTS OF ELECTRICITY!!!!

Amen. Except for the proposition that a large first snow fall is not news. This is far more interesting and informative than anything on FOX.

It's news to me - our family is being transferred there next week. Try to think beyond your self

Sorry but extreme weather swings in October still is NOT news. Everyone here knows the saying, "If you dont like the weather in Colorado just wait a few minutes"

This is way more newsworthy than half of the other stuff out there - Lindsay Lohan, sports, giant hamburgers (I actually liked the giant hamburger article)

Its early this year. This is what happened every Halloween when I was a kid. LOL. without fail, we'd be trick or treating in a heavy coat and gloves.

I live in Fort Collins. A early big wet snow is news around here at least. Tree braches are snapping and bringing down power lines. This is when Coloradoans are at their best, helping neighbors with snow and branch removal, and fixing meals for those without power. You know, 87,000 people without power is nothing to sniff at. Just to think a few days ago we were in the upper 70's and even hit 80 is worth mentioning too. I'd rather see this in the news than Lindsey Lohan's problems.

Yes - I think EW-413082 was being a little snarky.

Not sure who you're talking about Susan. Jonathan isn't being snarky though, just pointing out the obvious. The headline clearly states that the story is about the power outages...snow just happens to be the culprit.

jayhawk, I think Susan was talking to Jonathan.

Or............wait. Maybe not. I see there is a post from Jonathan deleted before Susan's. Who knows? Shouldn't delete posts.

I know...hard to tell ::scratches head::

Jonathon is correct. I live in Johnstown and we got 15 inches of this "stuff". 80 degrees to 15 inches of "stuff" is crazy. Lived in Colorado many many years and the winters are just wackier than ever. 87,000 people without power in below freezing temps is news worthy. My husband and I were 2 of those 87,000 people. Johnstown and Loveland area hit hard.

I agree with Jonathan. It may not be news to EW, but just because it is not news to EW does not make it trivial news for everyone else. I just don't understand why people always have to input their 'negative' vibes into every article they don't agree with.

Another reason I consider it news is, that this is coming just after one of the hottest, if not the hottest summers in America. It is quite a contrast to go from extreme heat, to several inches of snow. I also take it as an "finally, a sign that the hot summer is over.

EW is just one of those Republican shills who are paid to support their climate change deniers in any possible way possible.

or northwest Wisconsin:)

It was news for your daughter that it snows in Colorado depsite what others told her? Isnt that a bit .. naive, to say the least?

I bet the neighbors arent far off in there assumption of snowfall happening mainly elsewhere in Colorado. Where is your daughter located? I'm willing to bet if youre not in the mountains you wont see substantial snowfall ( remember, your definition of substantial may differ to ours, and the people who gave you the initial insight, they probably honestly believe it doesnt snow a lot there, because it doesnt in comparison to everywhere else in State. )

I'll leave with a great local quote that I love. :)

In Colorado its a little different here, most people panic when they start to slide on the ice...

You say : "Oh my god, it's slippery maybe we should slow down."

...We say , "Here, hold my beer and watch this sh*t."

:)

Im obviously just joking...Kind of.

And BTW - Having no power does suck! Hope these people get it back soon!

I did not know is was snowing in CO so i guess it is news to me

The extreme heatwave that blanketed a large part of the country in July made news, so why should this be any different? The impact of so many people being without power, whether from brown-outs due to heat or heavy, wet snow downing tree branches, IS news. JMO ....

You all are wacked, everyone in the US knows it snows in Colorado... just about everywhere, and if youve lived here any length of time, you know how to live without power anyway (not that its a normal occurance) its just a good excuse to take a day or two off. As for those who slow down when its a little slippery, if there plates say Texas, or California, if you are observant youll notice the locals jockeying for position to get in front of them. Boy its nice having the night off.

I grew up in Colorado Springs. And it does snow terribly about four times a year. One year we had to get up on the roof and push the snow off, because the snow had blocked the furnace vent and the furnace wouldn't come on. the high way crews don't have plows like they do in other parts of the country because it only snows a few times and usually melts pretty quickly. I now live in NW Iowa and there are snow plows everywhere here, the roads are usually clean. And when I moved here, everyone said, "Oh you're from Colorado, you are used to snow." Um, not like Iowa. Iowa could be compared to Aspen or Vail in the snow department. The climate in Colorado Springs is high desert. It snows, but your life is not lived around huge piles of snow all the winter.

The power supplier is Excel and it has nothing to do with "green power". Now go play in the snow Elmer, you bitter little person.

lol. Elmer may be bitter or he may be trolling. I don't know but he made me laugh either way.

Elmer would be talking about the Peoples Republic of Boulder.

Gee, Wally, according to your statement all the people in the state of Colorado that voted for H.B.1281 that must be in effect by the year 2020, live in Boulder County. I don't remember it being that crowded last time I was up there.

Not really JR; I've lived here for 19 years and the leaves are on the trees this time of year every year.

"the trees were late in dropping their leafs" Really!??

JR-you should see around our motorhome. OMG!!!! The two right across from us had trees land on them and now have big holes in the roof. AND...the park we live at (And not for long) apparently has cleaned NOTHING up. Roads blocked, limbs everywhere. They are some lazy rude people there. Only been there since July, but it took them from July to October to change a light bulb in the laundry room. Not sure how long this clean up will take. We left at 7am and when hubby returned at 3pm, NOTHING done. Big pretty trees too. Quite an amazing sound at 2 am listening to crack, crack...thumps. And PRAYING it won't be on yours. Or anyones but yours first.

Great idea, Decibella ... except for finding economical conduit that doesn’t corrode
and isn’t inviting to our borrowing animal friends. Otherwise, it's a perfect solution.

My neighborhood has underground lines and we have never had any problems. the borrowing animals don't seem to bother the lines at all. I live just east of Colorado Springs, on the prairie. The lines in this neighborhood have been underground since 1983. There are plenty of underground lines in Colorado and they all should be, considering the type of weather we have.

Correction. Burrowing animals, not borrowing. Paid too much attention to the post I was posting to.

You've been very fortunate then, lacywild. Underground conduits do not withstand the environment unless they are a special PVC (read as, "expensive" PVC) or are metal and are cathodically protected (read as, "VERY expensive"). Some newer covenant controlled communites specify underground power and phone cables, and the costs are passed on to the consumer in the form of higher electric bills. BTW, I totally support putting the lines underground, if for now other reason, above ground lines are an eyesore.

Boulder would be much better off spending money to bury lines then trying to be their own utility company as they want to do on this years ballot.

I know what you mean Prof. My maple tree right outside my window, about 35 ft tall and round is all yellows, reds and white! It's been great to look at all day!

I've lived here twenty years and we have had snow in September. How long have you lived here?

Lacywild ... and Dan ... where do you all live? Of course it snows EVERY September SOMEWHERE in Colorado (usually above 9,000 feet elevation). Only about 1 in 6 years does it snow in September along the Front Range. (I keep track of stuff like this - I teach meteorology.)

I live east of Colorado Springs and yes, we have seen snow in September. I also know that it doesn't snow near as much here, (in my neck of the woods), as it did when we moved here 20 years ago.

Climate change is very real, lacywild. I don't understand how anyone can deny it. When I grew up along the shore of Lake Erie in the 60's, the lake froze over every winter. People would actually hike across from the States to Canada! Now it's open water year round. And, yes, I agree, the snowfall here (I live in metro Denver) is much less than it was when I mover here in the 70s', and even as you say, in just the last 20 years. I have seen a couple studies (done indpendently of each other) that show if climate change is not taken seriously and abatement actions taken, Colorado may lose its entire ski industry by 2050 - not enough snow even for A-Basin.

Hey Prof...I live just west of downtown in the Highlands area and we lucked out with about 8-10 inches. You must have forgotten about the 30"er back in 2005. And back in 1961 it snowed 4 inches and got down to 33 degrees the night of September 3rd. The mountains had abundant snow last year and Denver averages about 60 inches a winter, sometimes more, sometimes less. This year is supposed to be another La Nina winter, which usually means lots of snow in the mountains, much less on the plains.

I do not take the climate change religion seriously and any abatement actions are not economically feasible. Nice try, but we don't need to be preached to.

Educate yourself. Start with www.thortonweather.com/noaa/cold.php

I agree, Christian College Prof. If people can't see what is in front of their eyes, I don't know what to think about them. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know the earth goes through changes and that includes changes in the weather.

Memories of the "Bronco Blizzard" of October 1997! Had more snow then, with high winds.

This happened in September of 1993 or 1994..........I was one of those without power.....for three days!

It is not a common happening along the Front Range, though!

Teri-1068052 I guess you haven't lived in Colorado long or at a higher elevation. This storm may be a walk in the park, but try living at higher altitude for awhile where the wind can blow you off the side of a mountain and they don't find your car until spring...Bet that doesn't happen in Chicago.

Terri, I'm with you. Lived in Michigan. Patrick, in southern Denver now, but hubby grew up in Woodland Park and we lived there (8500 ft) and it's not that bad!

As I previously posted, rick-1608286, it only snows in Denver on average one out of every six years.

No, it snows here every winter. Are you referring to early snows. I have seen many early snows in September, and some downright cold and snowy weather in October in many years. All depends on how the larger features of the atmosphere set up.

I'll trade places with you. 80 sounds wonderful to me. Been to Arizona quite a few times and love it.

It seems we either get the drivers who go to fast or the ones who won't go over five miles an hour. I think it should be mandatory to take a winter driving class to get a license here. I had to take one to get a license in Germany even though I came from Michigan and learned to drive in the snow.

Not sure what your post has to do with the snow, alghourd, but I definately will vote for Obama next year!

Why can't you stick to the topic and leave the political diatribes out of it? The story is about 87,000 people without power due to a snowstorm, NOT about politics. And having lived in Springfield, MO 30 years ago when it snowed and we were without power, I can relate.

.

Hey, WTF, hourd!!!! Can't we discuss anything without an attack on our President. Damn RNC troll!

Did they run you off the political threads?

OK so heres the deal alghourd I resent the fact that you seem to think that colorado needs some kind of hand out you have no idea what you are talking about colorado gets these storms about every other year if not every year there is always car accidents and trees breaking but you know what anyone that has lived in northern colorado for a year or two knows this happens its pretty much part of our winter so dont make us sound like some little kid that needs help from the big goverment northern coloradans know how to take care of themselves! and i know your point was to burn the president but colorado has nothing to do with your personal problems