Spring Mountain Storm

Were preparing for our flight from Santa Fe, N.M. and theres been news of an unusually cold late spring storm moving through Colorado. On May 11, of all things, winter storm warnings are already up for Wyoming and much of Colorado. Our bumbling friend Dave called ahead and unfortunately most of the resorts like Aspen and Telluride had already closed for the season (What a waste, he complained.) but we found that Arapahoe Basin is still open. So our quest is to get to Denver.

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, July 29, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A group of friends flew from Santa Fe to Colorado for late-season skiing, adapting their destination from Denver to Pueblo due to an unusually severe late-spring snowstorm.
The flight navigated complex meteorological conditions, including a cold-core upper-level low and a surging Canadian polar front, resulting in snow showers, strong winds, and potential wind shear.
Despite pre-flight planning, actual wind conditions at Pueblo were significantly stronger (gusting to 43 knots) and arrived earlier than forecast, emphasizing the critical need for extra safety margins in aviation.

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We’re preparing for our flight from Santa Fe, N.M. and there’s been news of an unusually cold late spring storm moving through Colorado. On May 11, of all things, winter storm warnings are already up for Wyoming and much of Colorado. Our bumbling friend Dave called ahead and unfortunately most of the resorts like Aspen and Telluride had already closed for the season (“What a waste,” he complained.) but we found that Arapahoe Basin is still open. So our quest is to get to Denver.