Weather
NOAA has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Colorado that is calling for 3-6+” of snowfall tonight and tomorrow morning. The heaviest snow is forecast to accumulate above 8,000-feet.
“A winter weather advisory will be in effect from 9 PM MDT tonight through noon MDT tomorrow for the Elkhead and Park Mountains and the Flattops, above 8000 feet. 3 to 6 inches of snow accumulation are expected with locally higher amounts possible. A ridge of high pressure will build in behind the disturbance on Friday, dominating the weather through the coming weekend with dry and warmer conditions.” – NOAA Grand Junction, CO today
This is great news for Arapahoe Basin & Loveland Pass ski areas who are both trying to get open as early as next week.
“If everything went perfectly, cold temps and plenty of water, we can get the mountain open in less than a week.” – Arapahoe Basin CEO Alan Henceroth, yesterday
A Basin and Loveland Pass are both just outside the Winter Weather Advisory zone, but they are damn close and they both have Hazardous Weather Outlooks issued.
Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin, and Loveland Pass are all already making snow. Copper Mountain plans to open on November 11th, 2015.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY for COLORADO:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1028 AM MDT WED OCT 5 2016
ELKHEAD AND PARK MOUNTAINS-FLAT TOPS-
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS
EVENING TO NOON MDT THURSDAY ABOVE 8000 FEET...
* LOCATIONS INCLUDE THE CITIES OF...COLUMBINE...HAHNS PEAK...
TOPONAS...BUFORD...TRAPPERS LAKE.
* TIMING...SNOW SHOWERS DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE
THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING.
* SNOW ACCUMULATION...3 TO 6 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
POSSIBLE.
* SNOW LEVEL...HEAVIEST ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BE ABOVE 8000
FEET.
* WINDS...WEST 5 TO 10 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH NEAR RIDGES.
* IMPACTS...ROADWAYS ABOVE 8000 FEET ARE LIKELY TO BECOME SLUSHY
TO SNOWPACKED AND CREATE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS LATE
TONIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.
