Last warm day this week. Some active weather with two waves through Fri, bigger storm Sun-Tue next week

05/13/25 8:20am: Last really warm day before a cool down and some rain/snow showers in spots. If we can get rid of this wave cloud this morning, should be another hot day along the front-range (and warm in the mountains). Models still show two short-waves impacting the state from Wed to Fri and another storm system Sun to Tue next week:

• First wave from about 12pm Wed through 3am Thu

• Second wave from 12pm Thu through 9am Fri

• Third, stronger storm system from 12pm Sun through 12pm Tue

  
  

A gusty cold front will move across the state tomorrow afternoon / evening.

For the north-central mountains rain/snow showers with each wave. Some minor snow accumulation, mostly above 9500ft, likely more with the second wave. Overall totals of 1-5" in spots for the highe terrain and ski areas (some tomorrow night, some on Thu night). Best chances will be along/north of I-70.

For Den/Bou and the front-range, a few gusty thunderstorms and rain showers tomorrow afternoon / evening, best chances after 2pm. Best coverage for storms will be from Boulder north and east. Most of the Den/Bou urban corridor won't get much rain. Better chances over northeast CO. On Thu another chance for scattered weak storms after 2pm, best chances in the foothills (but maybe some for Denver as well, won't be that much).

It will be cooler on Thu and Fri, high temps in the 60s/70s for the front-range and eastern plains with 40s/50s in the mountains.

The other big story will be the strong wind at times with these waves: Initially strong wind over western CO this afternoon. There is a Wind Advisory in place for areas like Grand Junction / Fruita from 9am-9pm today: southwesterly wind-gusts of 40-60mph. Windy over parts of the north-central mountains as well this afternoon.

On Wed, as the cold-front moves through, strong wind expected in both the mountains and front-range: 11am-11pm: westerly wind-gusts of 30-60mph, strongest over the Front Range mountains and foothills after 3pm Wed.

On Thu the strongest wind will be confined to the Front Range mountains with wind-gusts of 20-50mph, less wind for Den/Bou on Thu.

The storm clears out Fri morning, after 9am in the mountains with some fresh snow.

Looking ahead, a stronger storm system (southern track low) will impact the state from about 12pm Sun through 12pm Tue (05/18-05/20) with rounds of rain/snow for the mountains and some rain/thunderstorms for the front-range (Den/Bou).

Snow could pile up in the mountains by Tue am of next week. We ain't done with the snow in the mountains yet!

Maybe some good rain for Den/Bou as well especially Sun night into Mon and maybe again Mon afternoon into Tue. More on all of that later.

First image loop shows forecast wind-gusts over the next 48hrs (6am this morning to 6am Thu) from latest HRRR. Second image shows forecast radar at 6pm Wed from latest HRRR showing some storms in the area. Images 3 and 4 compare forecast total liquid precip and snowfall from now through 6am Fri from latest ECMWF model, take amounts with grain of salt but you can see where heavier rain/snow may be.