Believe it or not, it is almost March already. While February only boasted one large snowfall, there were a number of relatively small two to six inch snowfalls which were just enough to make roads slick and the going slow. It also resulted in a grand total of 37.7 inches of snow here at our home in Nederland for the month. While this was not the snowiest February in my records (that was February 2015 when we saw 55.9 inches of the white stuff), it was in the top three since 2010. This was after our least snowiest January in my records – only 1.1 inches!
March normally brings with it moderating temperatures. Warmer days are more frequent, and snow stays on the ground for shorter amounts of time. The average high and low temperature for March 1st are 22 F and 2 F respectively. By March 31st, the average high and low are 47 F and 22 F respectively. Oddly enough, March is not as snowy or wet as February, averaging around 19.9 inches of snow. This is biased somewhat by March 2012 where only 0.1 inches of snow fell. The higher sun in March helps to melt the ice and snow and warm things up. Northern facing slopes still retain some snow pack, especially above 8000 feet,
This weekend will offer a small taste of spring. Saturday promises to be a spectacular day with temperatures rising into the upper 40s to near 50 F here in Nederland and the surrounding Front Range Foothill communities. It will be breezy with 20 mph winds gusting to 35 mph, and this will make it feel a tad cooler,.But despite a few high clouds, there will be plenty of sunshine.
On Sunday afternoon and evening, a cold front will sag southward across Colorado bringing an increase in moisture and easterly upslope winds along the Front Range Foothills. This will result in a period of snow. Like many of our recent snowfalls, this one does not appear to be large, perhaps 3 to 6 inches, but it will be enough to once again make the roads slick for a day or so. After our spring teaser on Saturday, highs on Monday will barely reach above freezing.
Will March come in like a lion or a lamb? It depends on whether you consider a 3 to 6 inch snowfall to be lion-like. I consider it to be more like a mewing kitten or a yapping puppy. We have seen much worse here in Nederland. And even though I have mentioned the “spring” word, there is still plenty of winter to go. Here is a peek at the 8 to 14 day forecast from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC):
If this holds, early March may not be so bad for us!