Snow for Colorado’s ski areas and backcountry zones is finally on the horizon as the latest system should bring a few inches to the northern mountains later this week.

After another multi-day dry spell heading into the middle of November, snow is back in the forecast, and this or these storm(s) should finally bring better accumulations as the second half of the month rolls over.

Plus, Colorado’s snowpack is still well below average, with less than 30% of median currently occurring statewide.

Recap:

Sunday was a very warm day in Colorado’s mountains. The recorded high temperature at Aspen Mountain was 47 degrees and at the Peak 9 summit at Breckenridge it was 39 degrees.

Warm and dry conditions continued on Monday as well, with high temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s at the resorts’ summits and some 50-degree readings at the base areas.

Colorado’s snowpack:

Colorado’s mountains received below average snow in October, and the snowpack numbers are showing it.

Currently the median average snowpack for the state on Nov. 3 is at 26% of average with only 0.3 inches of snow water equivalent locked up in what little snow is on mostly north-facing slopes.

The average median snow water equivalent rate for Nov. 3 is one inch.

Condition of the snow:

Because snowfall on Colorado’s slopes, especially pertaining to backcountry usage, has been below average throughout October.

The slopes have experienced several days of dry and cold conditions in between storms. According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, what snow that is left on the slopes has become angular or ‘sugary’, which helps to create dangerous conditions ahead of any larger snow events forecast in November and beyond.

Good news, however, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center has started daily avalanche forecasting for winter 2025-26, and launched Avalanche Aware, an online program to educate people about backcountry travel and usage.

Forecast:

Tuesday and Wednesday will offer similar conditions, with highs in the upper 40s to low 50s at the base areas and upper 30s to low 40s at the summits.

Night time lows will still dip below freezing and allow for continued snowmaking for several hours each night.

Beginning early Thursday morning, the ECMWF and GFS models forecast a disturbance wave brushing northern Colorado, which should bring some snow north of Interstate 70, through Friday late morning.

A second wave of energy from Friday late afternoon through late Saturday morning will bring a bit more snow to the approximately the same areas.

Forecasted snowfall totals in the northern mountains are between 2-8 inches with the highest amounts in the Park Range near Steamboat, in the central mountains between a trace – 1 inch and in the southern mountains little to no snow.

Long-term forecast:

From Saturday to Wednesday, Nov. 12, the state looks to be back into a calm, sunny and dry period as high pressure reestablishes itself over the southwestern U.S.

After Wednesday, Nov. 12, storminess is probable to return to Colorado, and for a few days with a few waves of snow.

Currently, weather models have snow potentially coming into Colorado somewhere between Thursday, Nov. 13 and Friday, Nov. 14 and to all three mountain zones.

This event is forecast to be a preview of the incoming second storm.

The weekend of Saturday, Nov. 15 and Sunday, Nov. 16 could be quiet, but another wave of energy pushes through the state starting Monday, Nov. 17.

The GFS model has the majority of snow falling in the southern mountains while the ECMWF model has more snow in the northern mountains.

GFS:

ECMWF:

More details about these mid-November snow events will emerge clearer as more model runs render over the next week, including changes to duration, potential snowfall totals and timing of the storm(s).

Colorado ski resorts’ planned opening dates and 24-hour totals:

Arapahoe Basin – 0″

Aspen Highlands – Dec. 13

Aspen Mountain – Nov. 27

Beaver Creek – Nov. 26

Breckenridge – Nov. 7

Buttermilk – Dec. 13

Cooper – Dec. 10

Copper Mountain – Nov. 7

Crested Butte – Nov. 26

Echo Mountain – TBD

Eldora Mountain – Nov. 14

Granby Ranch – Nov. 26

Hesperus – Closed for the season

Howelsen Hill – Nov. 29

Kendall Mountain – December

Keystone – 0″

Loveland – Open as soon as conditions allow

Monarch – Nov. 21

Powderhorn – Nov. 22

Purgatory – Nov. 22

Silverton – Private mountain after Dec. 1, Guided and Heli season Dec. 27

Snowmass – Nov. 27

Steamboat – Nov. 22

Sunlight – Dec. 12

Telluride – Nov. 27

Vail – Nov. 14

Winter Park – 0″

Wolf Creek – Open as soon as conditions allow