As drought takes over state, Denver nears record snowless streak

Posted 7:58 pm, November 10, 2016, by Matt Makens

DENVER — Colorado has been fully taken over by drought. And for the metro area, things are moving into a historic snowless territory.

The drought has dramatically expanded recently. Thursday’s drought monitor indicates that more than 98 percent of the state is in a drought, up from only 10 percent at the start of the year.

For most, a dry weather pattern took over in midsummer when the rains ended.

And little snow has materialized. The mountains have had barely 5 to 10 inches across most of the ranges. Denver has yet to see its first snow.

In Denver, the last snow was May 1. The number of days without snowfall is at 193 as of Thursday, the eighth-longest streak since 1948.

In 1992, Denver went 211 days without snow and 2016 might rival that record.

The latest measurable snowfall in Denver was Nov. 21, 1934 and that record might fall this year unless the persistent warm, dry weather pattern breaks down soon.             Fox