At 8600 ft of elevation, snow is possible in all twelve months of the year, although it is not common in June, July, and August. I have, however, seen it snow on the 4th of July three summers in a row. We always muse, “Is this an early snow or a late snow?” Of course, those snows barely sit on the grass to the point of being noticed before they disappear. But still….it snowed.
The “real” snow season can start as early as the 3rd week of September, and last until the 1st week of June. After spending 19 years living here, we’ve discovered that the weather definitely has a pattern. We almost always get a snow of at least 3 or 4 inches before the end of September, which leads us into an “Indian Summer”, one of the best times of the year in the mountains. Brilliant blue skies, bright gold and red colors, daytime temperatures in the 70’s, and gentle breezes characterize this period, which often lasts until Thanksgiving.
Even the period from Thanksgiving through January usually brings mostly dry and reasonable weather. Usually. There have been times when snows upwards of 3 feet have hit, also. But the rather dry period, with small, mostly insignificant snows is more normal.
From the first of February through April, all bets are off! Heavy, wet snows arrive, which cause us to be “snowed in” for weeks at a time. I believe the record is 6 weeks. At this time, the county road can host drifts up to 7 feet. There is no winter road maintenance by the County up here, so we are “on our own”. April usually brings the thaw, but our biggest snowfalls, also. So it’s an “on again and off again” situation for the entire month. We don’t mind those large snows, as they generally melt off in a few days, and this mountain plains environment depends on the much needed moisture to reduce fire danger. Some of these snowfalls can amount to 4 feet at a time. April and May snows bring on the good summer grass!
The snow season can be difficult, at times, but it’s also spectacularly beautiful!