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Taken in September, 1995 on Mountain Avenue.
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Warmer air can hold more moisture than colder air. Therefore, the heaviest snows happen right around the freezing mark (32 degrees Fahrenheit). Sometimes when the snow is wet enough and heavy enough, the danger is not in the slippery roads, but in the tree and structure damage. This is especially true in the early part of the season, before the trees have lost their leaves. These two photographs depict this type of heavy, wet snow early in the autumn of 1995 in Fort Collins.
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Taken in September, 1995 on Mountain Avenue.
Click on photo for larger version.
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Memorable Winter Storms
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Local Blizzards
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December 1-5, 1913
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A huge dump of wet snow fell from New Mexico northward to Wyoming. Many areas got close to four feet on the level with drifts reported to more than 25 feet in open areas. Denver totaled 46 inches for the storm while Georgetown (west of Denver) got 86 inches.
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April 14-15, 1921
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An intense spring storm with copious moisture buried portions of the Colorado Front Range with one to four feet of wet snow, while nearby valleys and plains received mostly rain. A total of 87 inches fell at Silver Lake (west of Boulder) including a North American record of 75.8 inches in 24 hours.
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January 1-6, 1949
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An extreme blizzard struck the northern plains and northern Rockies. Thirty-nine deaths were reported in Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado with snowdrifts totally covering houses and barns. (See excerpt below for more information on this historic storm.)
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Information taken from "The Snow Booklet" 2nd Edition by Nolan J. Doesken & Arthur Judson, 1997
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Excerpt from "Visions Along the Poudre Valley"
"In January, 1949, the worst blizzard in the history of Larimer County blew through in a ferocious frenzy. Thousands of cattle froze to death as they became buried in snow. This was despite the efforts of the Air Force who dropped thousands of tons of hay in 'Operation Hay Life.' The road between Fort Collins and Wellington was snowed shut, stranding dozens of cars. Three people died in their cars, frozen to death. Four ranch families east of Wellington were caught in the storm and froze to death right in their homes. It was a terrible disaster."
-Phil Walker
Definitions and Introduction | Regional Information | Extreme Cold | What Makes A Winter Storm? | Winter Storm Facts | Survival Tips
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