Snowfall chances for most of Colorado are sharpening focus after several new model runs, with the next snow event to start in approximately five days.

Two snow storms are looking to be on the horizon after continued warm and dry conditions this week in Colorado’s ski country.

The first storm is forecast for between Dec. 9-10 and the second between Dec. 14-17.

Recap:

On Tuesday sunny skies and warm temperatures persisted, with the National Weather Service in Boulder reporting a high of 34 at Copper Mountain and the NWS in Grand Junction reporting a high of 41 in Aspen. 

Additionally, a high-pressure dome is parked over the Great Basin area, allowing only high-level clouds to wisp by and keeping any possible moisture to the far north of Wyoming.

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Satellite imagery over the northern Rockies from NOAA’s GOES-16 satellite shows the snow coverage across Colorado along with the clear skies and high-level clouds experienced Tuesday. 

Forecast:

The forecast from Wednesday through Sunday morning remains the same as previously forecasted.

High temperatures at most higher base areas like Winter Park, Loveland, and Wolf Creek will be in the lower 30s, with low to middle 40s at lower-elevation base areas like Steamboat, Aspen, and Purgatory.

Beginning Sunday night into Monday morning, the first storm arrives in Colorado. Winds will bring in moisture off the Pacific Ocean initially from the west and northwest, then change direction through Monday and Monday night from the southwest.

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Snow accumulation totals from several models are more in agreement than two and three days ago.

Snow will continue on Tuesday and end Wednesday morning early.

The ECMWF and GFS models have snow concentrating south of Interstate 70 in the central and southern mountains while the NWS Blend model forecasts more evenly distributed snow across the entire state.

The ECMWF model:

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The GFS model:

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The NWS Blend of Models model: 

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Forecasted snowfall totals in the northern mountains are between 3-7 inches, in the central mountains between 3-7 inches, and in the southern mountains 2-5 inches, with Tuesday being a light powder day for first chairs.

By Wednesday morning additional snow accumulations in the northern mountains of between 2-4 inches and in the central and southern mountains between 1-3 inches could fall, resulting in soft/refresher powder skiing and riding.

A brief break in snow from Wednesday to Friday, Dec. 13 happens before another wave of energy enters Colorado.

Long range:

The second storm arrives Saturday, Dec. 14, and is forecast to hang around for a few days into early the following week. This storm is trending toward a larger snow event than the first, with ‘way-to-early’ forecasts calling for 7-10 additional inches in the northern mountains, 7-10 inches in the central mountains, and 4-6 inches in the southern mountains.

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Both of these storms will bring snow to the Front Range foothills along the Front Range, with higher totals south of I-70 southwest of Denver and west of Castle Rock and Colorado Springs. Furthermore, the Wet and Sangre de Cristo mountains in south central Colorado should benefit from both storms too.

By Wednesday, Dec. 18, Colorado’s high country will have filled back in the slopes after the two storm waves. This will allow for more terrain to open at already open ski areas as well as give fresh snow to ski areas Buttermilk, Cooper, Aspen Highlands, Kendal, and Echo as they open for the season heading into the weekend before Christmas.

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 – 0″

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″