Hmmn, wasn't supposed to snow last night, guess no one told the atmosphere. I will reserve this storm as the "angry inch" storm. You can make your own references.
Still looks like a good downslope wind event for tonight, as winds aloft still strong and stable layer forecast to develop above mountain top level. Westerly winds of 25-50 mph possible, with gusts to 60 mph. Highest winds will be north of I-70. Some blowing and drifting of snow possible tonight along the foothills and adjacent Plains. Wednesday winds aloft turn west to southwest, so it will be breezy and mild, with temps back slightly above seasonal norms, and no precip expected across the state. Thursday should be much like Wednesday.
Next change in the weather is on track for Friday as an upper trough that will have dug along the CA coast heads east. Models suggest a rather complex pattern to emerge Friday through next Monday across CO. For Friday, snow will increase over the southwest mountains and progress east along the southern portion of CO. Snow also likely in the central mountains Friday, with lesser amounts possible north of I-70. Could be 6-12 inches for the southwest mountains, and 3-7 inches for the central mountains. For our foothills, snow will be possible Friday afternoon, but models somewhat stingy with moisture along the foothills. Snow also possible over southeast CO, but only light amounts expected. Models now indicate a trailing upper level trough will rapidly approach CO from the northwest on Saturday, which is forecast to bring additional snow to the mountains west of the Divide Friday night, with snow moving east into eastern CO during the day on Saturday. Only light amounts (maybe 1-3 inches) expected east of the Divide, but cooler temps. Mountains may see an additional 4-8 inches of snow Friday night into Saturday afternoon. Sunday currently looks like a break day, mostly dry with temps back to seasonal norms across the state. Next system on track for Sunday night into Monday. Snow to move into the mountains west of the Divide Sunday night, then move into the foothills and Plains during the day on Monday. Currently looks like light amounts east of the Divide, but if the system develops and forms a closed circulation, we could see a better upslope type storm for eastern CO. In general, with this very brisk northwest flow and storms moving very fast from the Gulf of Alaska into the Rockies, models struggle with timing and intensity until 12-36 hours prior to event. And as we saw last night, things can happen that the models don't pick up on very well. More snow chances later next week as well. So the consensus is that temps will remain near seasonal averages, the mountains west of the Divide will continue to receive snow every 12-48 hours, and there will be chances for snow in the foothills and Plains as well. All good news in my opinion. Pattern looks to remain in place at least through the last week of December.
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"Climatology is what you expect, Weather is what you get".
"It is better to be roughly right than precisely wrong".
Too bad future generations aren't here to see all the great things we are spending their $$ on!!
