December 2006 Blizzard, Colorado

Gonzo's Photography Pages

Terms & Conditions Disclosure Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Disclaimer Copyright Notice

~ December 2006 Blizzard, Colorado ~

These Galleries are Best Viewed at 1024 x 768 Screen Resolution

[Description] [Bill's Photos] [Photo Credits]

Blizzard 2006 - Fort Collins, CO
(Click Image to see Full Size Photo)

The Holiday blizzard of 2006 is listed right now "unofficially" as the fourth worst snow storm in Denver history. It snowed from early in the morning December 20th, until mid-day December 21st. At some points snow was falling at a rate of two inches or more per hour. Fort Collins received 23 inches of snow. Some parts of Denver got over 30 inches of snow. The DIA airport was shutdown for quite awhile and did not re-open until December 22 at 12:00 noon. Driving around town on that first day after the storm, numerous cars were seen abandoned, some in the middle of the street on side streets that do not get plowed.

Unlike when we lived in Sioux Falls, the Fort Collins street department does not plow the residential side streets. We had to dig our way out to the street, and eventually everyone with trucks and SUVs packed the snow in the street down enough so that people could get out. We got lucky - our street was pretty well packed very quickly, but we noticed that many of the other side streets were impassable and will be for at least a few days.

Here are some unofficial snow totals, courtesy of KUSA Denver Channel 9: Aurora - 33", Denver - 24", Fort Collins - 23", Genesee (just west of Denver) - 39", Nederland (west of Boulder) - 40".

Beginning on Thursday, December 28th, there was a second strong snow storm to move through the area. Together, these two storms are now on record as the largest back-to-back snow storms in Colorado history. More photos are included to document this part of the storm as well. This large amount of snow is sure to cause problems with flooding later as it melts. More photos will be added to document this, so be sure to check back often.

Bill's Photos:

Click on a thumbnail to see the full-sized image.

December 20, 2006 - First Day of Snow Storm

December 21, 2006 - The Day After, and Digging Out

December 21, 2006 - Later That Day: The Sun Finally Came Out

December 24, 2006 - Christmas Eve: Four Days After the Storm Began

The main streets are all plowed, and some of the side streets are partially plowed. Our street is still not plowed, and the hard snow pack is softening. Because of this, many cars are getting stuck on our street, even four wheel drive trucks are having a difficult time. A few things you can expect from a storm such as this - some of the grocery stores did not receive trucks during the storm, so things like milk, ground beef, bread, and other common items were hard to find. A few gas stations ran out of fuel, but it was not a huge issue because gas could be found fairly easily. Trucks are now getting through, so grocery stores and gas stations are getting their deliveries once again. The mail is now running, an postal workers are even working today (Sunday) to get the mail delivered.

On a lighter note, David took advantage of the huge amount of snow and large drifts in our back yard to dig a snow maze for Milo to run around in. He loves it and has a ball running around and peeking over the walls of the maze.

December 29, 2006 - Second Storm:

Another strong storm came through the area beginning on December 28th, and is predicted to last through Sunday, December 31st. Although this storm was not supposed to be as strong as the last one, Fort Collins still got nine inches of new snow overnight, awaiting more. The snow was not as difficult to dig out of this time, and the residential streets were somewhat easier to navigate.

December 30, 2006 - The Storms are Over:

Fort Collins and the Denver metro area got a break in that the storm moved farther south than expected. We were supposed to get several more inches of snow, but the snow actually stopped earlier than expected, and never resumed. Fort Collins received nine inches of new snow from this storm, bringing the total snowfall to thirty two inches from the two storms combined. Southeastern Colorado received a huge amount of snow, and snow drifts were reported at 10 - 15 feet high in some areas.

Epilogue:

Not since our days of living in Japan have Mary Jo and I seen so much snow. Even in all my years of growing up in Colorado, I have not seen so much snow other than during trips to the mountains. It is a unique experience, but I am glad it only happens once in awhile. My prediction is that as the snow melts, things will get worse before they get better, as the packed snow in our streets turns to mush and ice, causing worse driving conditions. But at least by that time the Christmas rush will be over and everyone will be back at work. There is going to be a concern about flooding when this snow starts to melt, I'm sure.

One really notable observation is that an event like this brings out the best in people, but also the worst. Many cars got stuck, but there were always people who would be willing to help out. On the first day of the storm, and during the digging out the day after, those people with snow blowers were out bowing out sidewalks and driveways for other people.

But this storm did happen during the Christmas travel and heavy shopping week, after all. As usual, many people can't see past their own needs and selfishness, and indeed showed an amplification of this behavior during this event. People shopping during Christmas, as a whole, paint a vicious, selfish picture of humanity. Couple that with a big storm, and they get even more self consumed and oblivious to others. People somehow managed to blame the stores for running out of milk, and blamed the airport because security was taking so long - knowing but not thinking - that there were an extra 5,000 people trying to get through to the gates.

See the KUSA 9-News DIA Slideshow