DENVER (AP) — Denver’s winter has started with a whimper, and the parched mountains to the west aren’t faring much better.
The Mile High City has already shattered its 87-year-old record for the latest measurable snowfall.
When Denver finally does see some snow in Denver, it will be the latest first snowfall ever on record. Denver has gone 225 days since the last snowfall. The longest streak on record is 235 days, set in 1887, although the National Weather Service is skeptical on the accuracy of such an old record. More recent records — kept since 1948 for downtown — show that the previous longest snowless streak was 211 days, set in 1977 and 1992.
It's also a little more than a week away from breaking an 1887 record of 235 days straight without snow. As enjoyable as the weather is, climate scientists warn that prolonged drought could threaten the region’s water supply.
The scenario is playing out across the Rockies and the broader Western United States, which is experiencing a megadrought that studies link to human-caused climate change.
LEARN MORE: Forecast | 24/7 live radars | Weather planner and maps
There is a chance for some light snow in Denver next Tuesday with highs in the upper 30s to low 40s. The storm will not be strong, but could bring the first official snowfall to Denver and bring 3-6 inches of snow to the northern and central mountains.
Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream.
