Colorado Winter Is Here

We've been very dry.   A few inches of snow a few times since mid-autumn.  I've always followed the weather and precipitation trends, since both of my parents were always interested in the weather.   Between being a granddaughter of a farmer and a fisherman, and with Dad being in charge of road crews, watching weather and talking about how it affects people has been normal in my house.  Knowing how the weather affects the water table, which affects agriculture - both farming and livestock raising - and fire danger levels, has been a big part of my life.  The only time we had to "be quiet" during any news cycle (as kids) was during the weather segments.
   Real Colorado winter weather finally reached us Sunday night.  It was 63 degrees (F), sunny and breezy Sunday afternoon.  The wind stayed through most of the night, bringing with it a North Pacific blast of snow and cold.  Early Monday we had freezing rain, which turned to snow.  The snow fell for over 24 hours, followed by small flurries for another 24.  Total snow fall was 10 inches.  But it was the temperatures that were the "killer," for me.  It was 10 degrees Monday morning, and we had a high of 12.  Monday night/Tuesday morning, the low was negative 5; we had a high yesterday of 18.  It was minus 2 degrees at 7:30 this morning, when I returned from walking the dogs.  Brrrrrrr!  The sun is shining, however, and it was 24 at noon.  Steam is rising from the pavement and roadways.
   The snow melt will freeze again tonight in single digit weather.  More snow is forecast for tomorrow and Friday - and sunshine with no precipitation is forecast Saturday through Tuesday.  We'll see what happens.
    So, here I am, sitting in a west facing window, wearing jeans and a T-shirt.  But I have on two pairs of wool socks and house slippers on.  My feet are cold and my legs are chilly.  Dirty snow is covering much of the parking lots to both my left and right.  The fir trees to my left are decorated with snow, and the roof of all the building I see are still covered.  Each time I return from being out in the snow, I kick the sides of my boots, and the toes, along the concrete block garage wall; then I scrape the bottoms on the stair steps, and then wipe them off on the mat outside.  Still cleaning up magnesium water spots from the floor....
  And, according to my NWS/NOAA weather site - it's 80 degrees in Vero Beach; 85 degrees in Gainesville, Florida; and 77 at Chincoteague Island.  Unfair!  My toes want to be uncovered - and warm!