Weather
Source: maps.weatherbell.com
The Rocky Mountains have received well below-normal snowfall so far this season, and Colorado is no exception. The snowpack across the Northern half of the state is currently at about 25% of normal, while the Southern half of the state is performing only slightly better, at about 65% of normal. The snowpack has suffered as a result of both a lack of snowfall and warm temperatures. However, a change is finally on the horizon following Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Day and Friday will both be dry and much warmer than normal across Colorado, but a shortwave will drive a strong cold front down across primarily the northern and eastern portions of the state on Friday night. Temperatures will be 10-20 degrees warmer than normal on Friday afternoon, but will drop as much as 20-30 degrees on Saturday behind the front.
Temperatures will plunge by as much as 30+ degrees from Friday to Saturday. Source: maps.weatherbell.com
The airmass associated with this front will be quite dry, but strong frontogenesis will provide the lift needed for at least some modest snow across the Northern half of the state. Snow will begin falling across the higher peaks of the Park and Front Ranges as early as sunset Friday, which is a few hours before the front arrives. Snow will become more widespread after midnight, with some light-to-moderate snowfall rates over the mid-mountains in the early AM hours of Saturday. Snow will then taper off late Saturday morning, marking the start of a 24-hour break before the next shortwave moves in.
Snow totals through Saturday afternoon. Source: maps.weatherbell.com
A second, deeper shortwave drives another cold front across the state on Sunday and Sunday night. Temperatures will already be cool because of the previous front, so snow levels will be down around 5,000 feet when light snow begins across Northwest Colorado on Sunday morning. Throughout the day, snow will both gradually increase in intensity and become more widespread. At least light snow is expected across all of the mountain ranges in Colorado by Sunday evening, with the San Juan Mountains expected to receive slightly more snow than elsewhere. Precipitation will then slide off to the south and east by Monday afternoon.
The San Juan Mountains may see periods of heavy snow late Sunday night and early Monday morning, when the combination of Southwesterly flow and frontogenesis is at its peak. Wolf Creek and Telluride are therefore expected to see more snow than most of the state by Monday afternoon, despite seeing almost no snow on Friday night/Saturday. Winter Park is positioned perfectly to benefit nicely from both storms, with around 6″-10″ from the first and another 3″-5″ from the second.
Resort Forecast Totals:
- Winter Park: 9″–15″
- Wolf Creek: 7″–14″
- Telluride: 5″–10″
- Monarch: 4″–8″
- Steamboat: 4″–8″
- Arapahoe Basin: 3″–8″
- Loveland: 3″–7″
- Beaver Creek: 3″–6″
- Crested Butte: 3″–6″
