Snowfall map for Thu-Sun storm system

03/12/25 8:45pm: Alright, even though I've been super busy, I made a snowfall map for you 🙂 For this next storm system slated to impact the state from Thu night through Sun am. As with all these spring storms lately, uncertainty in exact snowfall amounts remains high but my best guess below, based on the two waves combined. I'll let the map and the model snowfall images mostly speak for themselves.

Main snow event for the central mountains will be from 10pm Thu through 5am Sun, with heaviest snow initially between 3am-9pm Fri, then likely a lull Sat am before more snow Sat afternoon into early Sun morning. The storm clears out Sun mid-morning.

For the I-70 mountain corridor and local ski areas, as I mentioned likely 4-8" through Sat am and then an additional 3-7" from Sat afternoon into Sun so totals of 7-15" generally at the ski areas, with heaviest amounts expected west of Vail Pass. Refer to map for details.

Heaviest snow overall will be in the western San Juans from Telluride to Silverton and Purgatory: 14-24" for those ski areas. Crested Butte, Aspen, Grand Mesa, Flat Tops, Steamboat ski should also do well with a good 8-16" for those ski areas

For Den/Bou and the front-range with trajectory and fast moving short-wave, not going to be much precip at all and mostly wind. A chance for rain/snow showers between 3am-3pm Fri.

Bigger story will be the strong wind expected over the Front Range and eastern plains on Friday, windiest 9am-8pm. For urban corridor (Den/Bou) and lower elevations northwesterly wind-gusts of 30-60 mph. For the Front Range mountains and foothills along/east of the Cont. Divide wind-gusts of 50-90 mph on Fri afternoon (heads up there). For rest of mountains not quite as windy but still gusts of 20-40mph on Fri.

That is all for now. First image is my total snowfall map through 6am Sun. Images 2 and 3 compare forecast total snowfall from now through 6am Sun from latest GFS and ECMWF models. Fourth image show forecast wind-gusts at 2pm Fri from latest HRRR.