Snow is finally back in the forecast for Colorado as a trio of storms could bring snow to the state from the middle of this week through the Christmas weekend; maybe fresh snow on Christmas Day too.

Current forecast models show the possibility of between 10-20 inches of snow for the northern and central mountains over the next 10-12 days, with a bit lower totals in the southern mountains.

Good news for southern Colorado skiers and riders too.

Cuchara Mountain Park in Huerfano County could be spinning Chair 4 by New Year’s, the ski area announced Friday.

Cuchara said in a post online, “Panadero Ski Corporation says it is still working through a few minor maintenance items and tracking down some records from years past, but if all goes according to plan — and the weather gods cooperate — Cuchara Mountain Park’s Chair 4 will be open to the public by New Year’s.”

Recap:

Saturday and Sunday saw dry and warm (for December) conditions across the state. The high temperature at Copper Mountain on Saturday was 38 degrees and on Sunday was 44 degrees. The high temperature at Cascade near Purgatory on Saturday was 57 degrees and on Sunday was 52 degrees.

Forecast:

Monday and Tuesday are forecast to be dry and sunny across all three mountain zones.

During those days, a developing low pressure system in the Pacific Northwest will push eastward into Montana, dropping an arm of moisture southward into northern Colorado on Wednesday, bringing some snow showers with it.

Snow is forecast to last from Wednesday morning to Thursday morning.

Snowfall totals from Storm 1 in the northern mountains is forecast to be between 2-8 inches with the highest amounts in the Park Range around Steamboat.

In the central mountains, expected snowfall totals are between 2-8 inches with the highest amounts on the Grand Mesa and Flattops, and in the southern mountains between 1-2 inches with the northern San Juan Mountains receiving the snow.

Storm 2 arrives in two waves, Thursday night through Friday morning and Friday night through Saturday night, although the Thursday night storm should be limited in snowfall.

This storm favors the northern and central mountains similar to the first storm, with additional snow accumulations in the northern mountains of between 4-6 inches with the highest totals in the Park Range again, but the Front Range could see decent amounts.

For the central mountains, additional snowfall of between 2-4 inches is possible with the highest amounts in the Sawatch Mountains, and in the southern mountains between 1-2 inches with the northern San Juan Mountains benefiting once again.

Long-term forecast:

Sunday through Christmas Day Thursday, is forecasting toward being dry before Storm 3 arrives either late Christmas night or Friday, Dec. 26.

Current weather models have Storm 3 tracking northeastward across Colorado from the desert southwest, suggesting the southern mountains should benefit the most from this storm.

Assuming the weather models stay true, this storm will be mostly a mountains snow event, not an upslope event, bringing snow to all three mountain zones. The southwestern mountains would see snow late Thursday, Dec. 25 night/early Friday, Dec. 26 morning first before the storm spreads snow into the central and northern mountains on Friday through Saturday, Dec. 27.

When all is said and done with these three storms, the northern mountains could receive between 10-20 inches, the central mountains between 10-20 inches and the southern mountains between 6-12 inches.

Colorado ski resorts 24-hour totals:

Arapahoe Basin – 0″

Aspen Highlands – 0″

Aspen Mountain – 0″

Beaver Creek – 0″

Breckenridge – 0″

Buttermilk – 0″

Cooper – 0″

Copper Mountain – 0″

Crested Butte – 0″

Cuchara – 0″

Echo Mountain – 0″

Eldora Mountain – 0″

Granby Ranch – 0″

Hesperus – Closed for the season

Howelsen Hill – 0″

Kendall Mountain – 0″

Keystone – 0″

Loveland – 0″

Monarch – 0″

Powderhorn – 0″

Purgatory – 0″

Silverton – Guided & Heli season Dec. 27

Snowmass – 0″

Steamboat – 0″

Sunlight – 0″

Telluride – 0″

Vail – 0″

Winter Park – 0″

Wolf Creek – 0″