wxgeek's weather-Snow in Mtns-Windy in Foothills Update 1/12

Update Sun Jan 12

Upper level trough and associated cold front beginning to move into western CO this morning, with snow developing along and west of the Divide. Snow will become heavy at times during the day today in the High Country, and will be accompanied by strong westerly winds, so very difficult travel through the High Country today into tonight. Delays and road closures very possible. Snow will make it east to the Front Range Crest later this morning, with some flurries moving east into the foothills and western suburbs, but litle accumulation expected east of the Front Range Crest, maybe up to an inch in western foothill areas. 8-16 inches possible in the northern and central mountains along and west of the Divide, and 3-8 inches possible for the southwest mountains and Front Range mountains. Chinook winds of last night with westerly flow aloft, will switch to a Bora wind event this afternoon and tonight with very strong northwest flow aloft. Upper trough axis will move through the Front Range around 2 pm this afternoon, and winds become strong and gusty after upper trough passage. Amplified mountain wave likely to develop tonight, which will enhance strong flow aloft down into the foothills. So west to northwest surface winds of 25-50 mph will develop from this afternoon through Monday morning with gusts up to 80 mph possible. Strong winds will persist during the day on Monday, with another enhanced downslope winds event possible Monday night. The end result is very windy conditions expected in the foothills through Tuesday morning, with downed trees and power outages likely. Snow diminishes in the High Country tonight, but orographic snow mostly along west facing slopes will persist through Monday night in the central and northern mountains, with an additional 1-4 inches possible, and areas of blowing and drifting snow will make travel difficlt through Tuesday morning.

Conditions begin to settle down on Tuesday statewide with warmer temps and dry conditions. Mild and dry conditions then expected to persist across the state through next weekend and the week beyod as upper ridge that has been along the west coast moves inland into the Great Basin. Ridge expected to remain in this position through the end of January at this time, so not much more snow expected in CO through the end of January at this time. This would make another below average snow month for the foothills and plains and bring us even further behind our average snowfall for the season.

_________________
"Climatology is what you expect, Weather is what you get".

"It is better to be roughly right than precisely wrong".

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Update 1/10
Snowy day in the High Country, windy in the foothills and plains. Anywhere from 3-12 inches has fallen last 24 hours mostly along and west of the Divide, with a dusting into the foothills. Wind speeds of 50-80 mph have been recorded earlier today in the foothills. Wind speeds have calmed some, but will remain brisk to strong through Monday, with some periods much stronger. Snow will abate tonight in the High Country.

Strong northwest winds aloft will shift to westerly on Saturday as a short wave upper ridge moves over the state. This will create warm temps and dry conditions during the day. Temps likely to be 10-20 degrees above seasonal norms. Next upstream system will move into CO from the Pacific Northwest Saturday night into Sunday. Snow will increase after midnight Saturday night west of the Divide and associated cold front will move through CO early Sunday, so temps back near seasonal norms on Sunday. Some light snow may push east into the foothills and Urban Corridor Sunday, but amounts would be limited to a dusting to less than an inch east of the Front Range Crest. An additional 5-10 inches possible along and west of the Divide Sunday, so another tough travel day through the High Country. Snow should diminish Sunday night with only some light flurries into Monday morning. The bigger issue late Sunday into Monday in the High Country will be blowing and drifting of snow.

Speaking of winds, as stated previously, strong westerly winds will be with us in the foothills through Tuesday morning. Winds will pick up Saturday afternoon and night with speeds in the 25-50 mph range and higher gusts possible. The next real High Wind Event looks to be Sunday night after upper level disturbance has passed and strong northwest winds aloft move over the state. This event could last into Monday and Monday night with wind speeds of 35-60 mph and gusts of 75-90 mph possible, so another round of power outages very possible. The wind may also cause blowing and drifting of snow in areas where fresh snow has fallen.

By Tuesday afternoon, things should begin to calm down, with upper ridge moving into the Great Basin, so mild temps and dry conditions statewide into next weekend. No snow projected on long range models until after Jan 25 at this time.

_________________
"Climatology is what you expect, Weather is what you get".

"It is better to be roughly right than precisely wrong".

Bump for 1/12 Update