Multiple snow storms to march across the state ahead of Halloween, possible help to open slopes

Multiple snow storms are back in the forecast for Colorado’s mountains and ski areas, helping snowmaking efforts lace the slopes with more base snow as skiing and riding season 2025-26 nears opening day.

Southwesterly flows are keeping snow levels high on the slopes, but an early storm Monday should drop snow to lower elevations at ski areas.

Multiple chances for snow close out October and snow should fall in all three mountain zones during these events.

Recap:

Snow showers returned the Colorado’s mountains on Wednesday, first in the southwestern mountains around Silverton, Telluride and Wolf Creek, however snow levels were rather high (above 11,000 feet) throughout the day.

Forecast:

A line of upper-elevation snow showers will push across Colorado most of Thursday, delivering snow to the central and northern mountains. Snow ends late Thursday night.

Forecast snowfall totals, mostly above 10,000 feet, in the central mountains ranging from between 3-7 inches with the highest totals in the Elk Mountains near Aspen, and in the northern mountains ranging from between 2-5 inches, with the highest totals in the Gore and Park ranges.

From Friday to Sunday night, overall conditions are forecast to be calm minus a short-wave burst of snow possibly on Saturday morning.

The next chance for better snowfall is on Monday as a cold front brushes northern Colorado, brining additional snows to the northern mountains, and the central mountains.

Additional snow accumulations in the northern mountains and at nearly all of the northern ski areas, of between 2-4 inches is possible, and in the central mountains between 2-4 inches, with the highest accumulations in the Elk and West Elk mountains, however, the Sawatch Mountains should see some snow too.

The southern mountains shouldn’t see but between a trace-2 inches from this storm.

Long-term forecast:

Tuesday through the morning of Friday, Oct. 24 the state is forecast to be between storms with seasonal temperatures both during the day and at night, but snow making should commence late night if conditions are favorable.

Starting Friday, Oct. 24 afternoon, snow develops in the southern mountains, spreading into the central mountains into Saturday, Oct. 25. Snow is forecast to continue through Saturday and end overnight Sunday.

The next storm is right behind this one, this time forecast to come in from the northwest and bring snows to the central and northern mountains mostly, but the southern mountains should see some accumulations with the highest amounts in the northern San Juan Mountains.

More details will emerge about these storms as the dates near, including more accurate snowfall totals, timing and duration.

It is also possible that a couple of ski areas could be open by the end of October, and the additions from these storms could help solidify opening dates for those areas with some man-made snow on its slopes.