Colorado Mountains Expecting Over a Foot of Snow Amid High Winds and Fire Danger Elsewhere
While Colorado’s Front Range and Eastern Plains face strong winds and critical fire danger this week, the state’s mountain ranges are gearing up for more than a foot of snow, as per the National Weather Service.
Winter storm warnings have been issued for the Gore and Elk mountain ranges, the Flat Tops, and the San Juan Mountains from 11 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Thursday.
The forecast predicts over a foot of fresh snow across Colorado’s mountain ranges, including areas near Aspen, Snowmass, Vail, Telluride, Ouray, and Silverton.
Colorado weather: Power outages possible amid high winds, ‘critical’ fire danger
The weather service’s snow forecasts extend through 5 a.m. Wednesday. Expected snowfall amounts by early Wednesday morning include:
- 2 inches in Eldora, with a possibility of up to 3 inches
- 3 inches in Breckenridge, with a possibility of up to 4 inches
- 3 inches in Grand Lake, with a possibility of up to 6 inches
- 4 inches in Winter Park and at the Keystone Ski Area Summit, with a possibility of up to 5 inches
- 4 inches at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, with a possibility of up to 6 inches
- 4 inches on Colorado 9’s Hoosier Pass near Breckenridge, with a possibility of up to 7 inches
- 5 inches on U.S. 6’s Loveland Pass, with a possibility of up to 6 inches
- 5 inches on U.S. 40’s Berthoud Pass, Interstate 70’s Vail Pass, and Colorado 125’s Willow Creek Pass near Granby, with a possibility of up to 7 inches
- 6 inches on U.S. 40’s Muddy Pass near Kremmling, with a possibility of up to 7 inches
- 7 inches on U.S. 34’s Milner Pass in RMNP, with a possibility of up to 9 inches
- 8 inches on Colorado 14’s Cameron Pass near Fort Collins, with a possibility of up to 10 inches
- 14 inches on Mount Zirkel, the highest summit of the Park Range in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, with a possibility of up to 16 inches
Forecasters caution that “travel could be very difficult to impossible” due to blowing snow causing near-zero visibility at times.
A winter weather advisory has also been issued for parts of Jackson, Larimer, Grand, Boulder, Gilpin, Clear Creek, and Park counties, according to the weather service. The advisory covers Rocky Mountain National Park and will be in effect from 11 p.m. Monday to 11 p.m. Wednesday.
The advisory warns of “sudden snow squalls” in the area that could bring intense bursts of snow, reduced visibility, and hazardous travel conditions.
Snow is expected to start Monday night in the mountains and continue sporadically into the weekend, according to hourly forecasts from the weather service. Snow is forecast to continue on Colorado’s tallest peaks, including Mount Zirkel, and at ski areas like Keystone and Breckenridge, until Saturday evening.
