It Hasn't Snowed In Denver Yet This Winter (Or Fall) | HuffPost Latest News

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas persistent megadrought .

For the first time since record-keeping began in 1882 , it has yet to snow in Denver this season.

Thats the first time ever the city has had a snowless meteorological fall, a term referring to the three-month span from September through November, which ended Tuesday.

And at 224 consecutive snowless days (and counting ), Denver looks poised to potentially set another record for consecutive days without measurable snowfall (more than one-tenth of an inch). That record, 235 consecutive days, was set in 1887.

Not only has it not snowed, its been downright hot, with highs in the 70s, which for November and December represents temperatures 20 to 30 degrees above normal . Similar patterns are playing out this week across the central and western U.S.

We don't have any graphs of temperature departures on a month to month basis, but do have daily graphs! Go to https://t.co/Ld1MQ96S1B

Then for 2. Product, select \"Temperature Graphs\" and customize location/dates from there! Hope that's somewhat helpful :) pic.twitter.com/Qi8IeWvn6U

NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) December 1, 2021","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"NWS Boulder","author_url":"https://twitter.com/NWSBoulder","cache_age":86400,"description":"We don't have any graphs of temperature departures on a month to month basis, but do have daily graphs! Go to https://t.co/Ld1MQ96S1BThen for 2. Product, select \"Temperature Graphs\" and customize location/dates from there! 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We don't have any graphs of temperature departures on a month to month basis, but do have daily graphs! Go to https://t.co/Ld1MQ96S1B

Then for 2. Product, select "Temperature Graphs" and customize location/dates from there! Hope that's somewhat helpful :) pic.twitter.com/Qi8IeWvn6U
NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) December 1, 2021

The causes for the aberrant weather in Colorado, at least, are likely threefold, says local 9News meteorologist Chris Bianchi.

Colder than average sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific have set up whats known as a La Nia system thats contributing to drier and warmer conditions across the state. Dumb luck has probably played a role. And climate change is undoubtedly a factor as well.

According to Bianchi, June 1 through Nov. 30 has been the warmest and by far the driest six-month stretch for the city on record.

This is what climate change looks like. Last 6 months in Denver:

13th-warmest June on record
9th-warmest July
4th-warmest August
3rd-warmest September
32nd-warmest October (+2.8 above average)
Likely top-5 warmest November#9wx #COwx

Chris Bianchi (@BianchiWeather) November 29, 2021","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Chris Bianchi","author_url":"https://twitter.com/BianchiWeather","cache_age":86400,"description":"This is what climate change looks like. 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This is what climate change looks like. Last 6 months in Denver:

13th-warmest June on record
9th-warmest July
4th-warmest August
3rd-warmest September
32nd-warmest October (+2.8 above average)
Likely top-5 warmest November#9wx #COwx
Chris Bianchi (@BianchiWeather) November 29, 2021

Thanks to a freakishly rainy spring the wettest in 80 years eastern Colorados yearly precipitation totals arent too far off historical averages.

But theres nevertheless plenty of reason for concern. Colorados snowpack is running 35% to 85% of average and more than half the state is in severe drought, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System , reflecting conditions across most of the western United States .

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Until stringent action is taken to mitigate human-caused climate change, the situation will worsen, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report this September advised .

Persistent drought across the west and southwest led to the first-ever Colorado River water shortage declaration this summer, with low water levels causing cascading problems downstream .

We are seeing the effects of climate change in the Colorado River Basin through extended drought, extreme temperatures, expansive wildfires, and in some places flooding and landslides, Interior Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tanya Trujillo told reporters in August, after federal officials declared a shortage in Lake Mead, and now is the time to take action to respond to them.