NOAA: Colorado Storm Upgraded | Up to 20″ of Snow Forecast Today – Thursday

NOAA has upgraded the San Juan mountain range of Colorado to a Winter Storm Warning today.  Telluride, Silverton, and Wolf Creek are in the bulls-eye of this storm and are forecast to see big snow the next 3 days.

The regions that remained Winter Storm Watches, such as Aspen and Crested Butte, aren’t looking bad, though, as they still have up to 12″ of snow forecast in the next 3 days.

This Winter Storm Warning is coming with a big snow forecast.  6-12″ of snow are expected at 9,000-feet with 15-20″ of snow forecast above treeline.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...AT 9000 FEET...6 TO 12 INCHES OF NEW SNOW
  IS EXPECTED. FOR THE MOUNTAIN PASSES AND ABOVE TIMBERLINE...
  TOTAL SNOWFALL WILL RANGE FROM 15 TO 20 INCHES. - NOAA Grand Junction, CO

Snow levels will start high, but will drop to 7,000 to 8,000-feet by Wednesday morning.

SNOW LEVELS START HIGH...BUT COOLER AIR
BEHIND THE FRONT WILL RESULT IN DROPPING SNOW LEVELS TO 7K-8K BY
WEDNESDAY MORNING. - NOAA Grand Junction, CO

WINTER STORM WARNING for COLORADO TODAY:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
807 AM MST TUE NOV 3 2015

GRAND AND BATTLEMENT MESAS-NORTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-
SOUTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING
TO NOON MST THURSDAY ABOVE 9000 FEET...

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE THE CITIES OF...SKYWAY...TELLURIDE...
  SILVERTON...RICO...THE EASTERN SAN JUAN AND LA GARITA MOUNTAINS 
  ABOVE 10000 FEET.

* TIMING...SNOW IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TONIGHT WITH PERIODS OF
  SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES ON SOUTH FACING ASPECTS...THROUGH
  THURSDAY MORNING. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS LIKELY TO OCCUR ON
  WEDNESDAY MORNING AND AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...AT 9000 FEET...6 TO 12 INCHES OF NEW SNOW
  IS EXPECTED. FOR THE MOUNTAIN PASSES AND ABOVE TIMBERLINE...
  TOTAL SNOWFALL WILL RANGE FROM 15 TO 20 INCHES.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF ACCUMULATING SNOW AND WIND COULD
  MAKE TRAVEL DIFFICULT. POOR VISIBILITIES FROM SNOW AND FOG
  WILL EXIST OVER THE MOUNTAIN PASSES.

WINTER STORM WATCH for COLORADO TODAY:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
807 AM MST TUE NOV 3 2015

COZ010-012-013-032315-
/O.CON.KGJT.WS.A.0013.151104T0100Z-151105T1900Z/
GORE AND ELK MOUNTAINS/CENTRAL MOUNTAIN VALLEYS-
WEST ELK AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS-FLAT TOPS-
807 AM MST TUE NOV 3 2015

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM MST THIS
EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING ABOVE 9000 FEET...

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE THE CITIES OF...SNOWMASS...TAYLOR PARK...
  TRAPPERS LAKE.

* TIMING...SNOW IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TONIGHT WITH PERIODS OF
  SNOW THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. TIMING OF THE HEAVIEST
  PRECIPITATION IS LIKELY TO OCCUR EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING AND
  WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...4 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE AROUND
  9000 FEET. UPWARDS OF 12 INCHES OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE AT THE
  MOUNTAIN PASSES AND ABOVE TIMBERLINE.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF ACCUMULATING SNOW AND WIND COULD
  MAKE TRAVEL DIFFICULT. POOR VISIBILITIES FROM SNOW AND FOG
  WILL EXIST OVER THE MOUNTAIN PASSES.