If you're considering moving to Durango, Colorado, one question you might have is how much snow we get each winter. The answer isn't as straightforward as you might think. Some years bring incredible snowfall, while others leave us wishing for more.
Durango sits in a high-desert region surrounded by mountains, and our winter snowfall can vary dramatically depending on weather patterns in the Pacific. El Niño and La Niña can influence where winter storms track and how much snow reaches Southwest Colorado.
In some winters, storms roll through one after another, bringing great skiing at Purgatory and Silverton and keeping snowblowers busy around town. Other years, the bigger storms favor areas farther north, leaving us hoping for the next good powder day.
After more than 20 years living in the Durango area, I've experienced some of our best winters and some of our driest—and sometimes those extremes happen just a few years apart.
So how much snow should you expect? That depends on the year, but one thing is certain: mountain living means dealing with snow. Whether you're shoveling a couple times a month or a couple times a day, it's part of life here in Southwest Colorado.
Check out this edition of Straight Talk Minute for my perspective on Durango winters.
Honest Advice & Straight Talk.
