Coincidence or science? Why we are seeing snow on more days than others

Daniel Forster captured a beautiful and cold morning at Garden of the Gods

Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:10 PM MST

Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:18 PM MST

(SOUTHERN COLORADO) — If you feel like it has been snowing a bit more on a certain day of week lately, it’s because it has.

From the start of 2023, January and February have been big snow-makers. Combined both months have brought 17 inches of snow to Colorado Springs and over 10 inches to Pueblo.

There has been some consistency with the snow we have gotten this year, and no, it hasn’t been the amount, but rather the day of the week.

Since the start of the year, it has snowed 17 days in Pueblo and 19 in Colorado Springs through the end of February. Of those days, we have seen more snow on Wednesdays than any other day of the week.

*Colorado Springs and Pueblo have received more snow on Wednesdays than any other day of the week in 2023.*

Since Jan. 1, it has snowed five out of the last eight weeks on a Wednesday in Colorado Springs and Pueblo.

But why is Wednesday receiving so much action this year?

The pattern has been just a coincidence, but there is also a little science behind this too.

The jet stream determines our weather pattern, and Rossby waves determine how the jet stream moves.

Rossby waves are wiggles in the jet stream and scientifically known as huge movements of the ocean that stretch horizontally across the planet for hundreds of miles in a westward direction. They are so large and massive that they can change Earth’s weather and climate.

Simply put, a dip in the jet stream is a storm, but a bump up indicates nice weather. The pattern can repeat itself for a while.

Lately we have seen that repetition with most of the dips in the jet stream, on Wednesdays.

But it has not always been like this, data from October 2019 to February of 2023 shows we have seen some fluctuations with our weather systems and what day of the week has brought more snow than others.

In Pueblo, Monday has brought the most snow over the last several years. With an average of over 22 inches of snow. Sunday falls in second place but is not far behind with over 21 inches.

In Colorado Springs, Monday has also brought the most snow from October 2019 to February 2023 at 32 inches on average. Tuesday has landed in second place.