Spring weather continues in Colorado on Friday, with temperatures in the Front Range cities currently in the 70's, with Denver threatening to reach its record high temperature for the day of 75 degrees. Mild temperatures continue in the mountain regions as well, with 50's for areas as high as 9,000 feet (yesterday, the high in Aspen was 60!). Changes are one the way, though, as a weak system moves through tonight, dropping temperatures and bringing precipitation chances on Saturday. Then, a second, colder system arrives on Sunday afternoon.
Denver, Front Range, and Eastern Plains
Well above average temperatures continue for the Front Range and Eastern Plains today, before a cold front arrives overnight, bringing much cooler temperatures and rain showers for Saturday (which is not what St. Patrick's party-goers in Denver will want to hear). The first round of showers should move through on Saturday morning, with a second round of showers (more convective, i.e. "pop-up" type) likely to pass through later in the afternoon, with even some thunderstorms possible. Rain chances will be greater farther east on the plains, where a steady band of precipitation could set up. Temperatures start out in the 30's with highs topping out around 50 under overcast skies, while slightly cooler temperatures will be found in the foothills, with snow showers possible along with rain showers. Snow showers will develop along the Continental Divide as well, with spotty accumulations expected depending on where the heaviest showers develop. Temperatures warm up on Sunday as the region will be in between systems, but a stronger cold front later in the day will bring colder temperatures and higher winds for Sunday night, although little to no snow is expected for the Front Range cities. The Front Range mountains will see accumulating snowfall as the cold front passes through, though.
Northern/Central Mountains
A cold front associated with a weak system will move through overnight, producing snow showers over much of the region on Saturday. Temperatures will still be relatively warm, even behind the front, with a marginal overnight freeze expected in the valleys, so snow levels will start out high with rain possible as high as 9,000 feet. The snow that does fall will be wet and convective in nature ("scattered heavy showers" variety), so accumulations will be spotty across the region, but some areas could pick up decent totals. A more organized system will move through on Sunday afternoon and evening, with much colder temperatures and another round of snowfall expected, likely producing moderate snow totals for the ski areas by Monday morning.
Southern/Western Mountains
Snow showers will develop across the western and southern mountain ranges as well on Saturday morning as the cold front moves through, bringing mostly light and spotty accumulations favoring the Elks and Northern San Juans, with moderate accumulations possible depending on where the heaviest showers occur. The system moving through on Sunday will bring a round of accumulating snowfall as well, with the Elks and Northern San Juans once again likely to be favored, as the overall system is going to favor Northern Colorado in general. Areas from Telluride to Silverton to Aspen could see moderate snow totals by Monday morning, though. Temperatures also won't fall as dramatically behind the system on Monday compared to the northern part of the state, but they will still be much cooler than the currently balmy temperatures affecting the region. The Southern San Juans (including Wolf Creek) and Sangre de Christos will likely only see a few snow showers this weekend, with little in the way of accumulations expected.
Medium/Long Range
Much colder temperatures arrive for most of Colorado on Monday (especially in the northern mountains) behind the system moving through Sunday night. However, a ridge of high pressure moves into Colorado for the early part of the week, bringing another round of mild temperatures by midweek. Then, the spring roller coaster continues with models hinting at a potentially significant multi-day storm system for the mountains late next week lasting into next weekend.
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