While the Spring Equinox occurred around 3 a.m. on Thursday, do not put away your winter coat, hat, gloves, or boots. Or your snow shovel. Baby, it’s cold outside, and it is going to stay cold for a few more weeks.
For newcomers from the lowlands, spring weather in the mountains needs to be respected. It is unpredictable and can pack a punch. There is wisdom in the old saying, “Climate is what we expect; weather is what we get.”
The Farmer’s Almanac may be predicting a warmer and wetter spring this year, but the reality is that springtime in the Rockies is cold and windy, with highs during March averaging in the mid-40s during the day and lows in the low 20s during the overnights.
As we blow into April – and yes, the winds will still be blowing in April, not as strong as in January, but it’s still windy – temps will increase during the day into the mid-50s and hover around 30 at night.
We are likely to get precipitation, and the chances are good that some of that will be snow. And the snow that falls can be wet and heavy. On average, the Estes Valley will likely get four to five inches of snow in April, and there is a 36% chance of snow every day. And with the snow or rain, expect cloudy, overcast days about 48% of the time.
Do not rush buying spring bedding plants for your containers. If you put tender annuals out before June 1, you risk the overnight temps killing them because we can still have a frost into late May.
And do not be surprised to see your bulb plants – tulips and iris – flower in early June. You may need to drive down valley in May if you need to see lilacs, flowering trees, and other signs that spring growth is happening. It is just slower in Estes.
But wait. June, July, August, September, and October will not disappoint those who love high-altitude gardening or who relish seeing bouquets of mountain flowers unfold.