NOAA: Winter Storm Warning for Colorado Today – Tuesday | 8-14″ of Snow Forecast

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Copper Mountain, CO on September 23rd, 2016. photo: copper mountain
Copper Mountain, CO on September 23rd, 2016. photo: copper mountain

NOAA has issued Winter Storm Warnings all over Colorado today – Tuesday.

NOAA is calling for 8-14″ of snow to fall all over Colorado.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...8 TO 14 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
  ON SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES. - NOAA Grand Junction, CO today

6 ski resorts are currently open in Colorado and should have powder days this week:

Snow forecast for Colorado looking good. image: noaa, today
Snow forecast for Colorado looking good. image: noaa, today

NOAA has also issued Winter Weather Advisories for many areas of Colorado that are generally forecasting 5-10″ of snow (see map above).

“A series of storms will move through the region beginning late tonight and early Monday. With colder air already in place snow is likely. Snow levels will likely start around the 8,000 foot level before dropping to near the 7,000 feet by early Tuesday as the coldest air from the system moves in. Snow totals of 8-14 inches are possible with higher amounts above 10,000 feet. While most high elevation areas should see snow, the best chance will be south across the San Juan Range. Snow should slowly tapper off late Tuesday and early Wednesday. A brief break is expected before another weaker storm system lines up for Friday.” – NOAA Grand Junction, CO today

PINK = Winter Storm Warning. PURPLE = Winter Weather Advisory. image: noaa, today
PINK = Winter Storm Warning. PURPLE = Winter Weather Advisory. image: noaa, today

In a currently issued Hazardous Weather Warning, NOAA is saying that they expect storms to continue hitting Colorado all week.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE OFF AND ON THROUGH LATE
TUESDAY. EXPECT SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO TRAVEL THROUGH TUESDAY WITH
SNOW LEVELS DROPPING FROM AROUND 9000 FEET TO NEAR 6000 FEET BY
TUESDAY MORNING. THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE OUT LATE TUESDAY WITH
ANOTHER FAST MOVING WAVE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE ON THURSDAY WITH A
THIRD SYSTEM ARRIVING OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL KEEP THE WEATHER
UNSETTLED ACROSS THE REGION. - NOAA, Grand Junction, CO today

We flew directly over Wolf Creek ski resort in CO today on our way back from Antarctica and saw that it was looking very dry.  Colorado needs this storm.  Hopefully it drops enough snow to get more ski resorts open for Thanksgiving.

Wolf Creek ski area, CO (lower right) today from the air. photo: snowbrains.com, today
Wolf Creek ski area, CO (lower right) today from the air. photo: snowbrains.com, today

 

WINTER STORM WARNING for COLORADO:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
259 PM MST SUN NOV 20 2016

SOUTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT
TO NOON MST TUESDAY ABOVE 8500 FEET...

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE THE CITIES OF...SILVERTON...RICO.

* TIMING...SNOW SHOWERS DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT AND INCREASE IN
  COVERAGE ON MONDAY. THE SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY
  TUESDAY BEFORE ENDING TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...8 TO 14 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
  ON SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES.

* SNOW LEVEL...NEAR 8500 FEET AND LOWERING TO AROUND 6000 FEET
  BY TUESDAY MORNING.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 5 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* IMPACTS...HEAVY SNOWFALL AND BLOWING SNOW WILL RESULT IN
  HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY OVER HIGHER ELEVATION
  ROADS SUCH AS RED MOUNTAIN AND LIZARD HEAD PASS.

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