Whiteout daily snow report, Jan. 3

By Jonathan Ingraham January 3, 2024 | updated 2 years ago

A Weather.us forecast model shows the potential accumulation levels of water-equivalent precipitation as of 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 4 for Colorado. Depending on the density of the snow, one inch of water is equivalent to 10 inches of snow based on a common rule of thumb ratio of 10:1. (Weather.us)

The countdown to 2024’s first snow for Colorado is at ONE…

• Wednesday remains mostly sunny, with highs in the 20s and continued low sun angle, but beginning Thursday that will all change. Colorado enters a 10- to 12-day storminess pattern through about Jan. 16.

• Thursday morning clouds and snow will track into southwestern Colorado, bringing some snow accumulations to the San Juan Mountains with the heaviest amounts of snow focused north of Durango but south of Silverton.

A Weather.us forecast model shows the potential accumulation levels of water-equivalent precipitation as of 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 4 for Colorado. Depending on the density of the snow, one inch of water is equivalent to 10 inches of snow based on a common rule of thumb ratio of 10:1. (Weather.us)

The ECMWF forecast model from Wednesday morning shows slightly lower amounts falling in the southern San Juans than from Tuesday’s forecast, but expect 4-8 inches around Purgatory for first chair Friday.

• Overnight Friday through Saturday, a quick moving storm enters the state from the west- and west-northwest, brining a small shot of snow to the central and northern mountains in the range of 1-3 inches.

• The third storm arrives Sunday, lingering around into Monday, and is forecast to bring the largest accumulation totals of the three.

The ECMWF forecast model for 9 a.m. Monday has snow accumulations from the Sunday/Monday morning storm ranging from 2-4 inches in the northern mountains, 4-8 inches in the central mountains, and to 8-20 inches in the southern mountains.

A Weather.us forecast model shows the potential accumulation levels of water-equivalent precipitation as of 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 8 for Colorado. Depending on the density of the snow, one inch of water is equivalent to 10 inches of snow based on a common rule of thumb ratio of 10:1. (Weather.us)

• Between late Wednesday, Jan. 10 and early Thursday, Jan. 11, yet another chance of snow trucks toward Colorado. Snow from this storm is forecast to cover most of the state.

The state’s snow pack as of Wednesday measures in at only 67% of average, and still following 2001-02’s winter average, a winter that only had a 53% of average snowpack on April 1, 2002.

The snow water equivalent map for Colorado on Jan. 3, 2024 shows the state's median snow pack at 67% of average. The black line represents winter 2023-24, which has been trending along with winter 2001-02's line, a winter that was only 53% snow pack average on April 1, 2002. (Natural Resources Conservation Service) — The snow water equivalent map for Colorado on Jan. 3, 2024 shows the state’s median snow pack at 67% of average. The black line represents winter 2023-24, which has been trending along with winter 2001-02’s line, a winter that was only 53% snow pack average on April 1, 2002. (Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Today’s 24 hour snow total from Colorado resorts:

Arapahoe Basin – 0″

Aspen Mountain – 0″

Aspen Highlands – 0″

Beaver Creek – 0″

Breckenridge – 0″

Buttermilk – 0″

Cooper – 0″

Copper Mountain – 0″

Crested Butte – 0″

Echo Mountain – 0″

Eldora Mountain – 0″

Granby Ranch – 0″

Hesperus – Closed for season

Howelsen Hill – 0″

Kendall Mountain – 0″, open weekends

Keystone – 0″

Loveland – 0″

Monarch – 0″

Powderhorn – 0″

Purgatory – 0

Silverton – 0″

Snowmass – 0″

Steamboat – 0″

Sunlight – 0″

Telluride – 0″

Vail – 0″

Winter Park – 0″

Wolf Creek – 0″

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Jonathan Ingraham

Reporter