Parts of the U.S. are experiencing (enduring) an obnoxiously hot start to summer, with Texas, for example, sitting smack dab in the middle of what’s being called a “Heat Dome” and reaching triple-digits heat weeks before the historic norm. Meanwhile, Florida reportedly just saw its highest recorded temps of all time.
Things are a tad different in Colorado though. Snow fell at elevations estimated as low as about 11,000 feet this week, which isn’t completely unheard of in the area this time of year. But the idea of blizzard-like conditions is unusual. Videos and images have been making the rounds since Pikes Peak was blasted with heavy snowfall and equally heavy winds.
“Severe snow and whiteout conditions forced evacuations for us Monday, and the situation continues today,” said Skyler Rorabaugh, manager at Pikes Peak — America’s Mountain. “We’re seeing three-foot snow drifts and about half an inch of ice on the roads.” Rorabaugh told local media as much as six to eight inches fell Monday, continuing into Tuesday with the unseasonal conditions.
Meanwhile, a ranger who works in the area, Stephen “Pete” Peterson, pulled over to capture some video footage of flurries in estimated 40 mph winds. Peterson said the blizzard-like conditions lasted for about four hours.
