Heavy winter snow could prevent summer drought

KUSA – Although this remarkable stretch of snow may be causing troubles for commuters, once it all starts to melt it may bring a positive end result.

It is hard to see the water through the snow, but those at Colorado State University say when the white stuff does start to melt, it may prove to be a blessing in disguise - at least for the environment.

"The snow is not a bad thing,” said Steven Fassnacht, a snow hydrologist at CSU. “The snow is typically a good thing."

Some would say those are brave words coming from Fassnacht, considering the piles of pain the snow has brought with it.

However, keep in mind, as a snow hydrologist at CSU, he is not talking about the short term effects on the roads. He's talking about the long term effects on the environment.

The additional water could be very important for a state that cannot seem to shake a perennial drought.

"If we have several other storms that can add extra water, it'll be a good start for the growing season for the farmers," said Fassnacht.

So far, Fassnacht says all this snow will translate into two to three inches of water that should melt out into the ground slowly.

"This will not yield very extensive flooding that you get from the summer convective thunderstorms such as the 1997 flood," said Fassnacht.

If anything, there may just be some relatively minor inconveniences.

"What you'll see are localized flooding where your storm drains are plugged, certain areas where the water isn't running off and you'll have big puddles to drive through or jump over,” said Fassnacht.