Winter has returned to Colorado’s high country and a good amount of snow is coming with it; upwards of 18 inches by week’s end.

The November drought is over after 15 days of little to no snow, plus recharging the snowpack once again from an abysmal 14% of median average.

More snow is forecast heading into the weekend, plus another series of storms for the entire state could bring snow throughout the Thanksgiving week into the holiday weekend.

Recap:

An area of low pressure above Los Angeles began working its way eastward Sunday morning, with light snow showers starting in western Colorado ahead of the main storm.

Snow showers picked up throughout the day spreading into the central and northern mountains. There was approximately 2 inches of accumulation around 9 p.m. at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area.

Snowfall totals Monday morning for first chair for the resorts open (northern mountains only) are between 1-3 inches, with totals in the central mountains between 2-3 inches and in the southern mountains between 3-5 inches.

Colorado Snowpack:

For Sunday, Nov. 16 Colorado’s median average snowpack was at an abysmal 14% of average, with 0.3 inches of snow water equivalent locked away in the snow. This mark ties for the worst season-to-date on record (winter 2016-17).

With winter conditions returning, the snowpack on Monday, Nov. 17 finally began an upward trend after very little to no snow fell in Colorado’s high country over the last 15 days.

The NRCS reported statewide snowpack is at 25% of median average with 0.6 inches of snow water equivalent in the snow.

Forecast:

Snow showers are forecast to continue throughout Monday with an additional 3-6 inches for all three mountain zones.

Snow showers are forecast to begin again on Tuesday afternoon, however, only light snow showers should fill in spots in the southern mountains and western central mountains. Snowfall totals should be between 1-2 inches.

Light snow showers reemerge on Wednesday for the southern and western central mountains again, with another 1-3 inches.

One more wave of snow, this time a bit stronger, starting Wednesday evening brings more snow to the state, but this time to all three mountain zones.

Snow will continue on Thursday across all three mountain zones and is forecast to end Friday evening.

Forecasted snowfall totals by Friday night in the northern mountains are between 5-12 inches, in the central mountains between 6-19 inches with the highest amounts in the West Elks Range and on the Grand Mesa and Uncompahgre Plateau and in the southern mountains between 5-14 inches with the highest amounts near Silverton and on Wolf Creek Pass.

Long-term forecast:

Snow is forecast to continue on Saturday, but mostly in the northern mountains, through Sunday night, targeting the Park Range (Steamboat and Howelsen) and the Medicine Bow Range.

Snow for Grand, Summit, Clear Creek, Eagle and western Boulder counties could go higher if this forecasted northwest flow system has enough moisture in it. Places like Winter Park, Loveland, Granby Ranch, Copper Mountain and Keystone can do well with northwestern flows.

More accurate details regarding the weekend storm will emerge as more model runs render, including snowfall totals, timing and duration.

Even more snow beginning Tuesday, Nov. 25 and lasting through Friday, Nov. 28 is also forecast, just in time for several more ski areas and resorts to open during the Thanksgiving week and weekend holiday.

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

Arapahoe Basin – 2″

Aspen Highlands – Dec. 13

Aspen Mountain – Nov. 27

Beaver Creek – Nov. 26

Breckenridge – 2″

Buttermilk – Dec. 13

Cooper – Dec. 10

Copper Mountain – 3″

Crested Butte – Nov. 26

Echo Mountain – TBD

Eldora Mountain – 1″

Granby Ranch – Nov. 26

Hesperus – Closed for the season

Howelsen Hill – Nov. 29

Kendall Mountain – December

Keystone – 2″

Loveland – 2″

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 – 3″

Winter Park – 3″

Wolf Creek – Nov. 22