I was downstairs when the lighting struck, but I heard and felt the amazingly loud thunder and wondered if there had been an avalanche from one of the surrounding cliffs or an overloaded tree had fallen against the house.  A neighbor who had been snowblowing at the time described it as a brilliant yellow flash that lit up the whole area brighter than a sunny day and then faded away slowly.  Likewise, friends down in Denver said there had been thunder and lightning with the snow in their neighborhood as well.

And to think I was going to get a building permit for a new deck today.