Learn How to Drive in the Snow and 27 Other Necessary Tips That’ll Make Your Move Easier

When you move to Denver, you’re not just changing states, you’re also changing lifestyles. Here is your guide to lots of things you need to know to successfully adapt to living and driving in Colorado.

Getting Dressed for Four Seasons

Y’all know the old joke about Texas’ two seasons: hot and hotter. Well, you’ll experience the full four in Denver, although spring and fall sometimes fly by in a week or two.

Winter—Expect to see snow anytime from September to May, with the heaviest accumulations in February and March. Temperatures hover in the 30s and 40s, but may dip as low as zero on occasion. You’ll find that the winter air is extremely dry; use lip balm and moisturizing lotion often. Many of Denver’s older homes have radiator heat instead of forced air, the system more commonly found in Texas homes.

Things to do to in Winter

* Wrap trunks of young trees to prevent sun scald
* Keep your snow shovel accessible
* Maintain home heat at 55° while you’re away to avoid freezing pipes
* Have ice melt or rock salt to dissolve icy sidewalks and stairs

Spring—When the tulips start sprouting, you’ll know it’s almost spring. Temperatures range from the 40s at night to the 70s during the day. Spring is also the time when you’ll notice that lots of people are having little plugs of lawn pulled out. That’s called aeration, and it helps water and nutrients soak into our clay soil.

Things to do in Spring

* Cut back perennial bushes and grasses
* Plant vegetables after last frost (generally the second week in May)
* Aerate and fertilize your lawn
* Activate swamp cooler (late May/early June)
* Turn on the sprinkler system (late May/early June)

Summer—It may not get as hot as Texas, but it can climb into the 90s for weeks at a time. The good news is that humidity is very low; the difference between sun and shadow can be 20°. Also, remember that Denver has a semi-desert climate and our water supplies are limited--water sparingly. Summer is also hail season.

Things to do in Summer

* Water plants and lawn early in the day
* Mow lawn every other week; longer grass blades use water more efficiently
* Clean downspouts
* Enjoy summer activities in the mountains

Fall—If you love to watch the leaves change, you’ll love autumn in Denver. However, you won’t get a full orange-red-purple spectrum as the majority of the leaves turn yellow. Take a day trip up into the mountains to see the Aspen turn and send spectacular, cascading streams of yellow down the mountainside. Fall, naturally, is leaf-raking season—we don’t burn them, but Denver does have leaf “drop-off” days in a number of parks. Temperatures may range between 40° and 80°.

Things to do in Fall

You won't Be Bugged Here

As a Texan, you’ll appreciate the lack of major insect pests in Denver. No fire ants, no palmetto bugs and very few roaches. You will find mosquitoes in the summer, especially if you have ponds, fountains or pools. Springtime brings the invasion of the Miller moths—they swarm around any kind of light and have a sneaky way of infiltrating homes. The number of moths varies every year. Fortunately, they don’t bite and don’t chew holes in your clothes and they’re usually gone by mid-June.