10+ inches of snow to hit Colorado starting Saturday night
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The autumn leaves are falling right now in Colorado, and so is the snow.
It’s going to be a snowy and windy weekend for Colorado. According to the National Weather Service, a strong storm system arriving Saturday evening into Sunday will likely bring heavy snow, blowing snow, and hazardous driving conditions along the northern and central mountains.
Snow is expected to continue through the weekend and into Monday with accumulations ranging from 5 to 10+ inches, according to OpenSnow meteorologist Joel Gratz.
Wind gusts could reach up to 60 miles per hour across the Front Range Foothills, with light rain and snowfall packing winds up to 50 miles per hour on adjacent plains.
Today’s topic for Colorado #WinterWx Preparedness Week: #Avalanche #Safety. https://t.co/sdpjep1lCI #WWPW #cowx #utwx #WRN https://t.co/gIhWXJhL9b pic.twitter.com/01uuAZ8HsX — NWS Grand Junction (@NWSGJT) October 18, 2019
Snow fell over Colorado’s high country Thursday evening into Friday morning, impacting travel conditions on Rabbit Ears and Vail Pass. Be prepared for winter driving conditions and drive safely.
10/18/19 10:15 AM: Some moderate to heavy ❄ has been falling over Wolf Creek Pass this morning. Here’s an image from CDOT at 10 AM. #cowx pic.twitter.com/CuMFBh0ueI — NWS Pueblo (@NWSPueblo) October 18, 2019
Snow moving into the high country this morning with the passage of a cold front. Roadways will be impacted this morning…drive careful. Rabbit Ears (left) and Vail Pass (right). #cowx #utwx pic.twitter.com/kyQGdpRRK0 — NWS Grand Junction (@NWSGJT) October 18, 2019
A closure for Trail Ridge Road above 9,700 feet will extend into the weekend following the continued forecast of winter weather.
Due to current conditions on Trail Ridge Road above 9,700 feet and continued winter weather conditions forecast throughout the weekend for higher elevations, Trail Ridge Road will remain closed throughout the weekend. Road closures are at Rainbow Curve and Co River Trailhead — RockyNPS (@RockyNPS) October 18, 2019
The first official measurable snow of the season landed in Colorado earlier this month. Despite all the chaos, ski resorts were quick to respond with a powdery celebration on the slopes. Arapahoe Basin was the first ski resort to open on Friday, October 11 shortly after Keystone announced their opening date of Saturday, October 12, making Arapahoe Basin the first ski resort to open once again.
Please note that all weather statements are subject to change or extend. We recommend visiting OpenSnow for a full in-depth forecast throughout the winter season.