Local Foothills Weather Forecasts

I'm not expecting much snow on Christmas. The current GFS model run is showing another one of those east-central Colorado lows, just like the previous few.

We will likely get "some" snow, but the configuration of this storm is too far north to bring us anything significant.

So yes, Santa will have good flying weather. And I hear Rudolph's nose-bulb has been replaced by one of those high-efficiency LED light sets. Shouldn't be a problem.

So what do you say about the storm coming in Monday/Tuesday?

News Stations are already trying to hype it up as a big one.

I am "model watching" today, and no not THAT kind of model watching LOL. There are still some things up in the air with this one, no pun intended. If the TV guys are hyping it, it's because they've been told to by their bosses. This system has yet to come together with consistency in the myriad forecast models. Once the analysis is complete, I'll be posting plenty of information on our Super Local Forecasts page for sure.

Why are they naming winter storms now?

Well, first of all, "They" is The Weather Channel. Winter storms are not named by any government agency like NOAA or the National Hurricane Center. Those are the people who name hurricanes. NOAA does not name winter storms.

So, what you're seeing here is an effort by TWC to get attention by taking the initiative and naming winter storms on their own. There is nothing official about what they're doing, but then again, there isn't anything illegal about it. NOAA, The National Weather Service, does not recognize the names TWC issues. It's purely a marketing campaign by TWC. I think they think it's popular, but I've also heard a lot of negative responses from people about the names they've come up with being "silly".

To summarize, the only "officially named" storms are hurricanes, typhoons and tropical cyclones. A storm gets a name when it reaches Tropical Storm status, as judged by the National Hurricane Center. That is, a tropical cyclone (originating in the Tropics) with sustained wind speeds of 39 mph. Then it gets a name from NHC.

TWC is doing their own thing with naming winter storms. I will also tell you that TWC uses the same data from NOAA and the National Weather Service that the rest of us meteorologists use in determining the forecasts. What TWC has done is make weather more "personal" and "understandable", because government agencies use official "weather speak" in their description of storms. That's why we have humans on Radio and TV to explain things.

I hope that helps answer the question! -Steve

Thanks was wondering when things change.

Snowing hard in Evergreen now we have gotten 2 inches since I came in this morning.

Preliminary Snowfall Map (3/23/16) for NE Colorado. For the latest Local Storm Reports - Go to forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=bo...uct=LSR&issuedby=BOU



Idledale 26"
Conifer 22"
Evergreen 20.5"
Denver 19.5" & 18"
Bergen Park 18.5"
Littleton 13.5"

So what is going to happen the next couple of days here in Bailey? I got plants in the green house and people talking snow please let me know.

Thanks

Looks like 3 to 4 inches in the Bailey area. This will happen mainly tonight into Tuesday morning with snow letting up by Tuesday afternoon.