Unseasonably dry weather impacts more than just the early ski season

As the Christmas carol goes, it's beginning to look a lot like ... well ... not exactly Christmas.

Or at least not a wintery December, as Niwot has yet to see any significant snow accumulation this season.. That, along with unseasonably warm temperatures, has residents wondering if winter will ever show up.

And while Colorado's warm weather and dry conditions could easily change at the drop of a hat (as the saying goes, if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes) the longer-term consequences of this unseasonably dry start to the winter season will first be seen in the high country - though the ripple effects will likely be felt along the Front Range into next year and in more ways than just increased risk for wildfires.

Dry winter spells in Colorado aren't uncommon. The La Niña climate pattern swings through the southwestern United States with some regularity. And while it sometimes leads to dry conditions and below-average snowpack, this isn't always the case, as each La Niña season shapes up differently with both strong and weak patterns.

But the issue this year is a compounding one, as the dry winter weather comes on the tail of several of Colorado's hottest summers on record, and one of the most active wildfire seasons the state has ever seen in 2020 when nearly 700,000 acres burned. Looking at the vital snowpack statistics, experts are concerned that the lack of snowfall to date may have a broad-reaching impact into 2022.

According to the Dec. 2 U.S. Drought Monitor, all of Colorado is in some degree of drought, with the Front Range, including Boulder County, in severe drought.

Skiers and snowboarders are already feeling that crunch. As of Dec. 4, Eldora reported four of their 10 lifts were open for access to nine of the resort's 61 total runs. The resort's morning snow report for that Saturday noted no new snow and a high near 51 degrees.

Up the I-70 corridor, Arapahoe Basin, Loveland,and Copper Mountain are in much the same predicament, with scanty base-depths ranging from 22 to 24 inches, a fraction of their terrain open and barely any snow in the 10-day forecast.

Even with man-made snow-blowing efforts that require water, which resorts are allotted only so much of, the resorts are struggling to make snow. Twenty six-degrees Fahrenheit is the sweet spot for snow-making, and temps in the mountain have been hovering above that regularly.

While snow sports are seeing the impact now, summer recreation also may see an impact. In 2021, many Colorado reservoirs hit historic lows. What this will mean for boating, fishing, and other water-based recreation of the future remains to be seen. A hike into the foothills or a glance up at the rocky slopes of Longs Peak reveals some decidedly dry conditions.

Closer to home, local agriculture could feel the hit of reduced snowpack too. Local farms and ranches, many of which rely on pre-determined water allocations, will feel a financial strain in the event of another drought-ridden summer with water shortages - both in watering crops and in feeding livestock, as hay production and prices are tied to water supply.

On the consumer end, water scarcity might be reflected in everything from increased grocery prices to the increased cost of water itself. Water doesn't flow from household taps for free.

As the Front Range continues to see population growth, more water will be needed for more homes, businesses and consumers. 2020 Census data indicated Boulder County's population grew 10.7% while Weld County grew 28.3% between April 1, 2010 and July 1, 2019.

That equates to over 112,000 new residents in these two counties which, for growth over a 10-year period, may not seem excessive. But every increase in the number of residents will result in increased water usage. According to Denver Water, their residential customers average 50 gallons of water use per person per day.

The recent fight over the expansion of Gross Reservoir highlights the issue of where and how this water should be collected and delivered. What if there is significantly less water to allocate due to low snowpack? As historically low water levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell and water shortages along the Colorado River have shown in 2021, the issue of water allocation and shortages is not a future problem, but a present one.

According to the Left Hand Valley Water District websitee, customers are currently requested to voluntarily limit irrigation of landscaped areas to two days per week and to minimize or discontinue water use for non-essential purposes. And though watering restrictions are voluntary (though encouraged) at present, if municipalities in other arid climates like Arizona and Nevada are any indication, regular water restrictions for residential customers may someday be the norm.

So what to do since we can't control the weather? Perhaps take stock of how much water you use at home, and see if you can find ways to use it more efficiently. Then break out the shorts and enjoy the 60-degree December days while they last, but keep your fingers crossed for snow - and a lot of it - in the high country.

As the other Christmas tune goes, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.