Friday update: On/off light snow for the mountains this weekend. Strong wind in spots.

12/13/24 8:10am: Happy Friday. The weak storm system is approaching CO now with some thicker clouds and a few light snow showers moving into southwest / western CO now.

The main light snow event for the north-central mountains will be from 1pm today to 1am tomorrow morning. For the local ski areas / I-70 mountain corridor still looking at just 1-3" of snow for the higher terrain and ski areas (not much for valleys). Highest amounts locally will be in the Tenmile Range (Copper, Breck). Overall highest amounts (with maybe up 5" in a few spots) expected in the Park Range (north of Steamboat) and Medicine Bow Range (Cameron Pass to RMNP).

The bigger story will be the strong winds across the mountains and parts of the front-range today and Sun. Strongest wind will be from 2pm today to 4am tomorrow morning. In the mountains northwest wind-gusts of 30-60 mph, strongest along/east of the Cont. Divide (Front Range mountains). For Den/Bou and the front-range wind-gusts of 20-40 mph today, strongest in the foothills. The wind calms down in many areas by tomorrow morning, especially west of the Cont. Divide (not bad during the day on Sat).

Stronger wind returns to much of the mountains tomorrow evening and especially into Sun morning, strongest 2am-2pm Sun again westerly wind-gusts of 30-60mph, strongest along/east of the Cont Divide (Front Range mountains). Breezy in Den/Bou on Sun as well.

Some more light snow showers over the north-central mountains on Sat night, favoring western / northwest CO (Trace-2" in spots).

Next round of light snow for the mountains expected from 8am Sun to 8am Mon, light amounts for the local ski areas / I-70 mountain corridor: 1-4" in spots again favoring northern / northwest CO: Flat Tops, Park Range, Medicine Bow range will favored.

Then more snow for the north-central mountains Tue into Wed favoring northern CO, more details on that later. Maybe a few cold snow-showers for parts of the front-range / eastern plains between 2pm Tue to 2am Wed, won't be much (no snow accum for Den/Bou).

First two images compare forecast total snowfall from now through 5am Sat (or 1am Sat) from latest HRRR and NAM-3km models (take NAM amounts with grain of salt but shows where heavier snow maybe). Third image shows forecast totals snowfall through 5am Wed from latest ECMWF (includes all 3 waves, take with grain of salt but you can see the northern / northwest mountains will be favored). Fourth image loop shows forecast wind-gust over the next 48hrs from latest HRRR model.

I'll be posting this content to my webpage now. If you signed up for the Newsletter, please let me know in the comments if it showed up in your inbox or not (sometimes takes 10-15minutes).