A surprise awaits Grand County skiers heading up Thursday for skiing and riding; 5″ of fresh powder snow as reported by Winter Park Resort.

Snow develops in the northern and central mountains Thursday, however, the eastern mountains along the Front Range could pick up the most snow by Friday morning. Snowfall totals for Friday’s first chairs in the northern mountains are between 6-12 inches, in the central mountains between 2-8 inches and in the northern San Juan Mountains in the southern mountains between 2-4 inches.

Snow will continue to fall on Friday, ending in the afternoon.

Temperatures will push into the 40s at some base areas Saturday, Sunday and Monday as the atmospheric rive finally dries up after nearly a week of regular snows.

Today’s 24-hour snow totals for Colorado ski resorts:

Arapahoe Basin – 0″

Aspen Highlands – 0″

Aspen Mountain – 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 the season

Howelsen Hill – 0″

Kendall Mountain – 0″

Keystone – 2″

Loveland – 4″

Monarch – 0″

Powderhorn – 0″

Purgatory – 0″

Silverton – 0″

Snowmass – 0″

Steamboat – 0″

Sunlight – 0″

Telluride – 0″

Vail – 0″

Winter Park – 5″

Wolf Creek – 0″