Denverites drifting off to sleep last night were serenaded by a lullaby of faint snaps, followed by thuds.
The extremely wet snow has been collapsing branches across town, leading to obstacles as minor as a twig and a few leaves on the sidewalk this morning.
But in some neighborhoods, entire branches or trunks fell, blocking roads or sidewalks, maybe even crushing a parked vehicle.
In those serious cases, the city recommends calling 311 to report it. But be warned — it may take a while for an arborist to get to it.
Denver Parks and Recreation said that they’ve received 150 reports of downed trees or branches as of this morning.
“They’re working all day to clear,” Denver Parks spokesperson Stephanie Figueroa said in an email.
Also something to heed: The cost of work to remove a tree or branch impeding a road will be billed to the responsible property owner.
If a tree fell onto private property, like yards, or the public right of way adjacent to private property, it’s the property owner’s responsibility to clear it themselves.
Small branches can be placed inside compost bins or dropped off at the Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-Off center at 7400 Cherry Creek S. Dr. Bundles of branches that weigh no more than 50 pounds can be picked up with the city’s large item pickup service.
Denver International Airport reported nearly 5 inches of snow this morning, and it has only kept going. Several school districts in the metro area have closed for the first (and possibly only) snow day of the school year.
And disruptions include more than downed trees. Xcel Energy has reported thousands of power outages across the metro area. At DIA, dozens of flights have been delayed today, with just one reported cancellation.
