Snow blankets Niwot Ridge in early fall storm.

The Tundra Lab on Niwot Ridge. Photo by Jen Morse on September 23, 2025.

In the shoulder seasons, a day of rain at lower-elevations often means snow up on Niwot Ridge. That was the case this past week when a soggy day in Boulder, CO coincided with a blanket of snow on the Ridge.

Niwot researchers enjoyed an early glimpse of winter while conducting fieldwork on September 23rd. While roughly 20cm of snow fell, a return to warmer temperatures later in the week led to a beautiful pattern of zebra-striped snowmelt across the Ridge.

Niwot Ridge in zebra stripes. Photos by Jen Morse on September 25, 2025.

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