Record low hit in Springs; snow in high country

The temperature in Colorado Springs hit a record low of 37 degrees overnight, breaking a record of 38 set in 1906, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service’s official point of reference is the Colorado Springs Airport, and temperatures were actually lower elsewhere in the region.

Randy Gray, the observation program leader at the weather service in Pueblo, said it was 28 degrees at 6 a.m. at the Air Force Academy. He also said a weather-watcher near Leadville reported just under a half-inch of snow over the past 24 hours.

“There was a low-pressure system that originated in the Pacific Northwest. We didn't actually even bear the brunt of that system because it passed north of Colorado. It had a real strong circulation with it, so we were sort of on the south end of the low-pressure system,” Gray said.

Pool weather, though, is on the way. The high today in Colorado Springs is expected to reach 67, with the mercury climbing this weekend into the 80s, Gray said. Saturday’s high is expected to be 80; Sunday may see a temperature of 84.

CALLS FROM 911

The Colorado Springs Police Department has launched a new automated phone system to alert the public to emergencies, such as safety issues or threats.

In such cases, the department will send a recorded message to every land-line phone number within a targeted geographic area.

Cell phone notifications are available. To sign up, visit the El Paso-Teller County E911 Web site at www.elpasoteller911.org and click on “Early Warning Notification.”

If your phone number is called during a notification, you will hear a message that says, “This is an important message from 911. Press 1 to hear the message.”