What's the weather like in April? (Denver: 2013, vs., heating bill)

[justiciability]

My wife and I have our first anniversary on April 20. We are from San Antonio and want to visit Denver for the first time.

We would like to cycle (road bikes) around and visit some of the parks.

Is the weather warm enough in April to enjoy this? Is it still snowing?

Thanks in advance.

[ELCO5280]

It can be warm 60-70, or cold and snowy hard to tell in April. But one thing is most certain it will be windy as all get out. I cycle commuted for a couple of years and spring was the worst. Sometimes I would have to peddle downhill against a blistering head wind.

[philberf]

Yes, it can snow in April. Almost guaranteed to have some in Denver proper, and definitely some up in the mountains. However, it's not many snow days and when it's not snowing, it's quite nice.

Annual Snowfall Denver NWS - according to this chart, the last 10 years has seen anything from almost no snow in April to 20 inches in the month last year. the average appears to be 9 inches in april.

[ELCO5280]

Chart-smarts, just last year the Rox game with the Mets was postponed due to snow twice. There are a lot more Rox games played in snow as well. So April is definitely a mix of weather and hard to say what it will do on any given day.

New York Mets vs. Colorado Rockies - Recap - April 15, 2013 - ESPN

Addition: I will add that if it does snow the pavement should be clear within 24-48hrs to have a nice ride.

[justiciability]

Thanks everyone!

[dude_reino]

65 degrees with a 30% chance of snow after 3 PM.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by philberf

Yes, it can snow in April. Almost guaranteed to have some in Denver proper, and definitely some up in the mountains. However, it's not many snow days and when it's not snowing, it's quite nice.

Annual Snowfall Denver NWS - according to this chart, the last 10 years has seen anything from almost no snow in April to 20 inches in the month last year. the average appears to be 9 inches in april.

Last April SUCKED! Not only was there an unusual amount of snow, it was way colder than average. My heating bill in April was higher than May in 2013. In some ways, April is the worst month in Denver. You're just so sick of snow and cold, and while there are very nice warm days, you know it's going to snow and feel like winter very soon. Then in the first week or so of May, winter finally dies!

[philberf]

Originally Posted by denverian

Last April SUCKED! Not only was there an unusual amount of snow, it was way colder than average. My heating bill in April was higher than May in 2013. In some ways, April is the worst month in Denver. You're just so sick of snow and cold, and while there are very nice warm days, you know it's going to snow and feel like winter very soon. Then in the first week or so of May, winter finally dies!

Very true. I think that's why just about everyone uses Mother's Day weekend as the marker of when to start planting.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by philberf

Very true. I think that's why just about everyone uses Mother's Day weekend as the marker of when to start planting.

The odd thing about last April was that it was so cold, nothing started blooming, as it typically does in late April. Then, in May, it suddenly got warm to hot by mid May, but the trees were still bare.

By comparison, April 2012 was much warmer than average and all the trees had bloomed by the end of the month. There was probably a one month difference in when the trees were green between 2012 and 2013.

Here's a good comparison summary:

Denver

[davebarnes]

Cloudy with a chance of meatballs.