With Labor Day in the rearview mirror, who's ready for snow?

Too soon?

It's not too soon in the Pikes Peak Region!

On Sunday (which, admittedly, was before Labor Day, not after), Jim and I headed to the park bright and early for the annual Labor Day Lift Off hot-air balloon festival in Colorado Springs (which is where I captured these colorful shots in 2015). We set up our lawn chairs, sipped hot coffee, and nibbled on muffins as we awaited the 7 a.m. lift off of colorful balloons.

As we waited, we enjoyed the perfect view... of snow-capped Pikes Peak. Which I shared on Facebook and Instagram:

It was the first blanket of snow atop The Peak since early spring.

And it was, unfortunately, the only applause-worthy site we saw Sunday morning due to winds way up in the sky being too strong for the balloons to fly.

Disappointing, yes. But all was not lost thanks to Pikes Peak and its snowy display. Which increased in its wintery appearance as we packed up our chairs.

Sure, September 2 may seem too soon for snow, but such rules don't apply at 14,115 feet, the elevation of America's Mountain.

In fact, when it comes to snow in the Pikes Peak Region, not just atop Pikes Peak, there aren't really any rules on which we can count. For starters, winter isn't our snowiest season. No, that would be spring, with March and April typically boasting the biggest snowstorms,

Some certified snow stats for my hometown, per the National Weather Service:

Earliest/Latest Snowfalls:

EARLIEST SNOWFALL:  trace  Sep  2, 1961
EARLIEST MEASURABLE SNOWFALL:    4.2  Sep  3, 1961          
LATEST SNOWFALL:   1.1  June 10, 1975            
LATEST MEASURABLE 1st SNOWFALL:   0.2   Dec  2, 2016

Record Snowfalls:

RECORD ONE-MONTH SNOWFALL

1.  42.7   Apr 1957 

2.  34.5   Apr 1900 

3.  30.2   Mar 1909 

4.  28.7   Jan 1987 

5.  27.9   Sep 1959 

6.  26.3   Nov 1991 

7.  25.9   Oct 1984 1

8.  25.5   Apr 1959 

9.  24.7   Mar 1906 

10. 24.6   Dec 1913 

RECORD ONE-DAY SNOWFALL

1.  25.6   Mar 11, 1909

2.  22.0   Jan 15, 1987

3.  18.0   Mar 15, 1928

4.  18.0   Apr  5, 1900

5.  16.7   Apr  7, 1957

6.  16.2   Feb 10, 193

7.  16.0   Apr 11, 1901

8.  15.0   Mar 18, 1998

9.  14.9   May  5, 1978
      
10. 14.8   Feb 26, 1987

With all that said, the snow we saw on Sunday? It's gone! Completely. And fall—my favorite season of all—now seems in full swing in Colorado Springs.

My fingers are crossed it'll stay that way for a while. Snow on Pikes Peak may be good and fine—and helps with the endless drought in our mountain desert climate. But when it comes to my streets, my yard, my roof, I'll be the first to say it is indeed too soon for snow!

Today's question:

When do you expect your first snowfall?