Summary:

• Heavy snow Saturday, moving north-to-south
• High snow amounts likely, 6-10"
• Sunday through Wednesday are dry
• Additional storms on Thursday (weak) and next weekend (stronger)

 

Details:

After a dry start to the month, this past week has been just what we needed. About 10-20 inches has fallen for many areas, with up to 30 inches along the I-70 mountains. After this week's storm cycle and the few days of dry weather next week, the snowpack across the state will likely be around 60-85%. If we can get a good storm or two during the last 10 days of the month, we might be back to average, which would be remarkable after the dry first 10 days of November. 

Ok, on to the forecast...

Today on Saturday will offer one more day of heavy snowfall for most mountains with 6-10 inches possible. Here's the breakdown:

• Before noon the cold front will be north of I-70. Steamboat and Cameron Pass should see the heaviest snow during this time, but snow will accumulate along I-70 and south to Aspen as well.
  
  
  
  
• Between noon and 5pm the cold front will be around I-70 so look for heavy snow and gusty winds. There might be severe delays on I-70 during this time. Also, toward late afternoon or evening the snow will pick up around Aspen and just south toward Crested Butte.
  
  
• Between 5pm-midnight is when the heaviest snow should fall for Crested Butte, Monarch, and getting down south to the San Juans.
  
  
• After midnight a few more inches will fall from Crested Butte south to the San Juans though the brunt of the heavier snow will be over northern New Mexico around Taos.
  
  
• As this band of heavy snow moves across the state, 6 inches is a good bet for most mountains and I would not be surprised to see 10+ in some spots that get the heaviest bursts of snow.

 

Sunday morning will be cold with temperatures at or below zero, and Monday morning will be similar. Then Tuesday through the rest of next week should warm back toward normal temperatures with highs in the 20s. Snowmaking should be able to go full blast for most of next week.

Aside from flurries in the northern mountains on Sunday night and perhaps again Monday or Tuesday, most areas will be dry Sunday through Wednesday.

In the longer range, we might see a weak storm bring flakes next Thursday the 20th, then there's a better chance of a stronger storm (or two) next Sunday the 23rd and into early Thanksgiving week. That's a long way out, so stay tuned.

JOEL GRATZ