After a week of sunny and warm autumn weather, meteorologists are forecasting a series of weekend storms expected to bring a mix of rain and potentially snow to Colorado’s mountains. For most Western Slope towns, the stormy weather is forecast to arrive on Saturday, Oct. 10, with a moderate chance of rain and thunderstorms beginning in the afternoon despite partly sunny skies.
The showers are forecast to last through Saturday night and into Sunday, with thunderstorms possible after noon on Sunday. Weekend temperatures across the region could drop by approximately 10 degrees compared to earlier this week, with highs projected to range from the low- to mid-60s. Some mountain towns, including Rifle, could experience winds reaching as high as 25 miles per hour, according to forecasts from OpenSnow.
OpenSnow indicates that the slow-moving storm is expected to be strongest in the southwest corner of the state, though northern and central mountains can still expect some light snow over the weekend and into the week of Oct. 12. National Weather Service Meteorologist Kris Sanders stated that some high-elevation Western Slope mountains could see snow on Saturday and Sunday, though it likely won’t be more than a light dusting on the mountain peaks.
Looking ahead, the storm could bring more winter-like temperatures to the Western Slope during the week of Oct. 12. However, Sanders also mentioned that chances of warmer-than-normal temperatures could return during the second half of October. Joel Gratz, OpenSnow Founding Meteorologist, added that because the storm will be anchored in southwest Colorado, the highest chances of colder temperatures and precipitation to other mountains — and therefore, snow — will likely arrive during the second half of next week.
The region’s snow level, which is the elevation where precipitation changes from snow to rain, is forecast to dip from around 12,000 feet to 10,000 feet on Wednesday, Oct. 14. By Wednesday night, Sanders said snow could come to elevations as low as 8,500 feet. As a result of these cooling temperatures and consistent precipitation, mountain towns including Aspen, Breckenridge, and Vail could see some higher-elevation snow showers on Wednesday, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service.
While several higher-elevation mountains could see around 1 inch of snow in the days after Oct. 15, some southwestern and central mountains could see closer to 6 inches, OpenSnow forecasts suggest.
This early season weather is relevant to Colorado’s ski industry. Several Colorado ski resorts, including Arapahoe Basin, Winter Park Resort, and Keystone Resort, have announced plans for October openings, with actual dates dependent on weather and snowmaking conditions. Commenting on the potential impact of the storm, Kris Sanders remarked that “it could get the races going.”
