"Nice" Winter Weather Has Its Consequences...

Every winter, it's the same complaint: "I wish Spring would get here!" or "I'm sick of the cold & snow!"  For  those living in the Colorado Front Range, it's a yearly incident.  We also have many "transplants" who have moved here from warmer climates, and understandably, hate the cold. 

For those who wanted a mild, dry winter; you got your wish!  However, this type of winter has dire consequences.  Right now, there is a 1200 acre wildfire burning NW of Golden, CO.  Luckily, this fire has not claimed any structures yet.  Sadly, the 55MPH wind gusts are of no assistance to the firefighters on the front lines.  As of the time of this post, we are still under a Red Flag Warning and any open burning (including outdoor cigarette smoking) is temporarily banned, due to the extremely dry conditions.

This wildfire is only the beginning of the problems that can arise from a dry winter.  Once the fire is out, there will be more.  Most wildfires are either caused by lightning or by an errant cigarette that was discarded from a moving vehicle.  Not only do these fires deplete the budgets of the counties they occur in, but they can destroy people's property, kill livestock, and the smoke causes unnecessary respiratory distress for those with allergies, asthma or other respiratory issues. 

Next, lets discuss another consequence of a dry winter: Drought.  Drought costs farmers and ranchers millions in lost revenue annually.  The winter wheat crop of Eastern CO and Western KS is planted in the fall and is totally reliant on the snow to provide the moisture for the seed to germinate the following spring.  Since most of the crop is on dryland fields, they are not irrigated.  Already, the wheat yields are looking weak due to the lack of moisture.  Hopefully with a weakening LaNina pattern, the rains will come soon. (Before it's too late.)

Another consequence is water supply.  Luckily, the mountains have normal to above normal snowpacks to balance the shortage on the eastern plains.  If there was not this snowpack, there would be terrible consequences for all such as water rationing and higher bills.  Farmers need the water from the rivers, municipalities need water from the reservoirs, and we all need water from Mother Nature. 

To end:  Yes, it's nice to have "nice" winter weather.  BUT, it comes with consequences that are not pleasant for anyone.  Please remember that our wintertime precipitation is needed.  So, even though it is cold and miserable for some, I'm sure the majority of people would rather deal with a few days of misery than to deal with a whole summer of drought and fires.