As meteorological winter starts, Colorado’s snowpack enters December in above average territory, with statewide snowpack 25-30 percentage points higher than average.

With the prolonged drying and warming conditions to persist for the next six or seven days, some snow will rot out, especially on south facing slopes.

Next chance for snow looks like between Dec. 8-10.

Recap:

Meteorological winter started Sunday, but no new snow has fallen since Thanksgiving, nor will any for several more days.

High temperatures have slowly been rising one or two degrees each day since Thanksgiving. According to the National Weather Service in Boulder, the high temperature in Copper Mountain was 27, and the NWS in Grand Junction recorded a high temperature in Aspen of 37.

The snowpack around the state has been slowly dwindling since Thanksgiving, dropping from 139% to 128% in four days. Snowpack will inch downward to near 100% of average in the meantime.

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As disheartening as this sounds, it’s not too much of concern for a couple of reasons.

One, the sun’s angle is still getting a touch lower each day as the winter solstice is still 19 days away. Two, the air temperature doesn’t rise above freezing more than a few hours each day and the snow is cold enough to keep minimal melting from happening, especially on east through northwest facing slopes.

Forecast:

From Monday to Sunday, skies in Colorado’s high country are going to be sunny, dry, and beautiful. High pressure will dominate the Four Corners region for the week.

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The National Weather Service in Boulder forecasts clear skies and temperatures in the upper 30s for places like Copper Mountain, Winter Park and Breckenridge, and in the mid 40s in Aspen, and mid 30s in Crested Butte.

Looking down the path, the ECMWF forecast model has no snow accumulation forecast until approximately Sunday morning.

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The Dec. 1 afternoon ECMWF Total snowfall 10:1 (in) forecast model has snow showers entering northwestern and northern Colorado Sunday morning, staying mostly north of Interstate 70 through early Tuesday morning.

The ‘way-to-early’ forecast calls for between 3-7 inches in the northern mountains, 2-5 inches in the central mountains and 1-3 inches in the northern areas on the southern mountains. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are also forecast for 3-7 inches from this potential storm.

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The first chance for first-chair powder in December would be Monday, Dec. 9, but this storm’s tracking will need to be modeled more over the next few days to ensure more precise potential snow accumulations, duration of storm and impacts.

Long range:

A short lull between the Sunday to Tuesday storm occurs Wednesday, Dec. 11 and Thursday, Dec. 12 before another wave of energy enters Colorado on Friday, Dec. 13.

This storm is forecasting out to be a bit more energetic, with better chances of snow through Monday, Dec. 16.

Today’s 24-hour snow totals from Colorado resorts:

Arapahoe Basin – 0″

Aspen Highlands – Opens Dec. 14

Aspen Mountain – 0″

Beaver Creek – 0″

Breckenridge – 0″

Buttermilk – Opens Dec. 14

Cooper – Opens Dec. 11

Copper Mountain – 0″

Crested Butte – 0″

Echo Mountain – Opens in December

Eldora Mountain – 0″

Granby Ranch – 0″

Hesperus – Closed for the season

Howelsen Hill – Opens Nov. 30

Kendall Mountain – Opens Dec. 20

Keystone – 0″

Loveland – 0″

Monarch – 0″

Powderhorn – 0″

Purgatory – 0″

Silverton – Opens Dec. 28

Snowmass – 0″

Steamboat – 0″

Sunlight – Opens Dec. 13

Telluride – 0″

Vail – 0″

Winter Park – 0″

Wolf Creek – 0″