BRRR: ‘It’s December in the Rockies’
Colorado is taking the plunge this week.
In the Pikes Peak region, that means lows in the single digits through Friday and wind chills that will make it feel like it’s below zero.
The arrival of frigid air from Canada overnight came as a shock Wednesday after springlike weather Monday and Tuesday. Snowfall is expected to be light with 1 to 3 inches forecast throughout most of the region with up to 4 inches in the Monument Hill area.
“It will definitely be a lot colder,” said Makoto Moore, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.
Temperatures tonight are expected to bottom out at 7 degrees with a wind chill making it even colder. On Thursday, a low of just 2 degrees is predicted.
The daytime highs over the next few days will be in the low 20s, pretty standard for this time of year.
“This is wintertime, it’s December in the Rockies, it’s not unusual,” Moore said.
With temperatures well below freezing, the R.J. Montgomery New Hope Center homeless shelter is open during the day and night, said Gene Morris, center director. Normally, checkout time for those admitted because of the cold weather is 7 a.m.
On days and nights when the temperature is below 32 degrees, the center opens up 45 extra cots for the homeless.
About 30 extra people came in from the cold weather Tuesday night and were allowed to remain inside the shelter throughout the day.
“They’re watching T.V., bathing, washing clothes, the typical things you do when you can’t go outside when it’s too cold,” Morris said.
Even though there’s still room at the center, Morris said there’s always a few people who will try to brave the cold, instead.
“I’m sure that there’s some people who do stay out,” he said. “How many, I couldn’t say.”
Chuck Loeffler braved freezing temperatures and blowing snow to exercise thirteen-year-old “Willow” Wednesday, December 2, 2009 in the Bent Tree neighborhood northeast of Colorado Springs. Loeffler said either he or his wife get out every day to make sure the dog gets enough exercise. Mark Reis, The Gazette Photo by MARK REIS, THE GAZETTE
Nick Wright walks in blowing snow and freezing temperatures along Highway 105 east of Interstate 25 Wednesday. Wright said he was heading to his bank and a recent car accident left him without a car. Photo by MARK REIS, THE GAZETTE
