Sunrise, Green Mountain, Photo by Mike Kvackay. 
Sunrise, Denver Channel 2 FOX-31, Photo by Chris Tomer. 
Sunrise, Grand Lake, Photo by John Williams. 
Sunrise, Thornton, Photo by Mark Englert. 
Sunset, Loveland, Photo by Dick Knapp. 
Sunrise, Parker, Photo by Dennis Stephens. 
Sunrise, DIA, Photo by Miller & Debbie. 
Sunrise, Lakewood, Photo by Leanne Cowell. 
Sunrise, Loveland, Photo by Dick Knapp. 
Sunrise, Denver, Photo by Andy @COweatherdude. 
Sunrise, Denver, Photo by Chris Tomer. 
Sunrise, Lakewood, Photo by Chris Tomer.
DENVER — You might have noticed the vivid sunrises and sunsets over the past seven days.
I always like to say the shoulder seasons produce the most consistently colorful sunrises and sunsets. It’s the result of a couple important factors.
First, the sun angle is lower during the shoulder seasons (instead of directly overhead), which means it must pass through more of the atmosphere and has a better chance of highlighting the bottom of existing cloud cover.
Second, average wind speeds are higher during the shoulder seasons and that tends to produce more frequent mountain-wave cloudiness across the mountains and Front Range.
Mountain wave clouds are flatter clouds (think of a pancake) and grow horizontal to the ground instead of vertical.
They are like a blank canvas for the rising/setting sun to highlight with the full spectrum of colors.
