Front Range snow storm to arrive on Saturday

The snow event I have mentioned in recent posts is still on track for the weekend, with the picture starting to become a little more clear (though it's still too early to forecast snow amounts with any confidence).  The low pressure system responsible for this storm will move through the Four Corners Region on Friday, bringing heavy snow to the San Juan Range Friday afternoon into Friday night.  Next, the center of the Low will track into southeastern Colorado and winds will switch to easterly (upslope), bringing significant snow to the Sangre de Christo Range northward to the Front Range, including the Denver metro area.  Snow should start around midnight or so in Denver, perhaps earlier, and last throughout the day Saturday into Saturday night, before exiting toward the east early Sunday morning.

The system is strong enough to produce easterly winds at greater heights, meaning heavy snow should reach the Continental Divide as well, likely affecting ski areas near the Divide such as Loveland, A-Basin, Winter Park, and perhaps even Keystone.  Eldora will be favored of course, being located a little east of the Divide, which is ideal for deep upslope storms such as this.  The same holds true throughout areas of the Indian Peaks and Rocky Mountain National Park along and east of the Continental Divide.  The Front Range foothills from 7,000 ft. to 10,000 ft. in altitude are typically favored for the heaviest accumulations in these type of storms, and that will likely be the case once again.

As for other ski areas, Wolf Creek, Silverton, Purgatory (Durango), and Taos, NM will likely see big totals as the storm moves through on Friday, and Monarch should see good snow as well into Saturday, as it is located in a unique geographical location that allows it to receive good upslope snowfalls from easterly winds.  Other ski areas west of the Divide are somewhat of a question mark at this point, as wrap-around moisture on the backside of the system will be a possibility... but is far from certain at this point.


Mild temperatures to precede the storm

As for the current weather, another mild day is in store for most areas tomorrow, with highs likely to top 60 in Denver again.  Highs will be a tad cooler on Friday (likely in the mid 50's) with clouds moving in from the southwest ahead of the system, but as the system arrives on Friday night, it will quickly pull in colder air from the north, and once precipitation begins, the cooling effect of the upslope-enhanced precipitation will drop temperatures and quickly change rain to snow, if precipitation starts as rain (as moist air rises in elevation from the east toward the Front Range, cooling and condensing of the atmosphere occur, meaning temperatures fall quickly).

By tomorrow night, we should have a general idea of expected snow accumulations, and I would bet we'll see our first Winter Storm Watches by tomorrow evening.  Hopefully this storm will provide some much-needed moisture to the Front Range.