DENVER (KDVR ) — A snowstorm pushed through Colorado Monday morning, bringing big totals to parts of the northern Front Range and only an inch or two to most of Metro Denver.
Windsor, Colorado saw some of the biggest totals with up to 11 inches of snow. Denver International Airport, the official measuring site for the city of Denver, saw 1.4 inches, while parts of the Palmer Divide saw less than an inch.
But why was there such a big difference in totals for places that are only about 60 miles apart?
The main answer is how wind direction plays a role during snowstorms here on the Front Range.
Below is a snapshot of Satellite and Radar at about 7:42 a.m. Monday morning. It shows what meteorologists call a convergence line.
This is when winds from two different directions collide, forcing the air upwards, and helping to develop heavier precipitation.
The northern Front Range saw a convergence line along with upslope winds out of the east helping to boost totals.
In Denver, winds out of the northwest created downslope conditions across the metro area which leads to drier conditions.