After more than a week of spring-like weather, snow is falling in Colorado once again this weekend.
Rain and snow showers started in southwest Colorado near the Four Corners Thursday night, and are expected to spread to the northern mountains by Friday afternoon as the storm intensifies, according to National Weather Service meteorologists.
Heavy snow Friday evening could overlap with ski traffic along Interstate 70 in the mountains. The majority of Colorado’s mountain passes are expecting 1 to 2 feet of snow, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
A winter storm warning and winter weather advisory go into effect at 5 p.m. Friday for the majority of the mountains, according to National Weather Service meteorologists
A significant amount of snow is expected to hit southwest Colorado’s high country and US 40 Berthoud Pass, popular backcountry recreation destinations, which may pose avalanche risks throughout the weekend, CDOT stated in a Thursday news release.
“Backcountry avalanche conditions are going to be changing throughout the weekend as the storm moves through the state,” stated Ethan Greene, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, in the release. “We expect high avalanche danger in most mountain areas on Saturday and dangerous conditions lasting into Monday.”
Avalanches aren’t only a danger for backcountry explorers but also for motorists as snow slides can easily reach onto roadways, the release stated.
Across the urban corridor and plains, Friday will be cooler but with more chances of rain showers than snow, according to a NWS hazardous weather outlook. By the evening, the rain showers will increase with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
The foothills and Palmer Divide will continue to experience a slushy rain-snow mix Friday evening into Saturday night, and urban areas along Interstate 25 will start to see snow Saturday, according to CDOT’s release.
Rain in the metro area will mix with snow Friday night into Saturday as above-freezing temperatures prevent too much snow from accumulating, according to NWS forecasters.
By 10 p.m. Saturday, all rain in the Denver area will turn to snow, but how much will stick is still in the air, NWS forecasters said.
Denver can expect anywhere from less than an inch to 7 inches of snow, according to updated snow totals from the weather service.
Up in the mountains, areas like Vail Pass, Breckenridge and Winter Park have an even wider range, with projected snowfall between 4 inches and 18 inches.
National Weather Service meteorologists aren’t sure how fast the storm will move through the state.
A slower, stronger storm could spread more moisture and have a higher impact on the I-25 corridor, but a faster, weaker storm would support more rain and snow in eastern Colorado, according to the NWS.
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