Storm(s) Update: The Cold Has Arrived, Snow Coverage and Intensity Increase Through the Afternoon, Overnight

Everything appears on schedule this morning. Some light snow around the region this morning will likely give way to a brief lull before coverage and intensity begins to increase through the afternoon and and evening. Widespread snow will develop first to the north, then gradually work its way south overnight into Monday morning. For areas like Colorado Springs, the heaviest snow from round one may not arrive until the morning rush.

This morning's key takeaways:

  • Not much change to overall forecast.
  • Heaviest snow comes later today/night for round one.
  • For COS heaviest looks like it may come during morning rush on Monday.
  • Biggest concern at the moment is Fort Collins, models indicating downsloping off Cheyenne Ridge may limit snowfall, especially eastern extents.
  • A big part of the story this week is the cold.
  • Secondary snow on Tuesday may be heavier than round one for many locations should current modeling hold true.
  • Gamblers as high as we've seen them in a long time, they now include both storms.

With that said, our latest forecast map below is more or less in line with our previous update. We've pulled back the 6 - 12" line just west of Fort Collins to hedge a bit with the downsloping concerns we outlined with the initial forecast, and continue to be concerned about. The 5 - 10" eastern extent has also been hedged west a bit. Otherwise, sticking with our general idea, despite some models insisting otherwise.

Latest snowfall forecast through Monday PM:

Timing and impacts
Between today's snow, the cold, and a secondary surge of snow Tuesday this will a high impact event across the region. Monday morning's commute will be tough up and down the Front Range. Give yourself extra time and space on the roadways, and if possible avoid travel.

We're thinking the following for timing:

Fort Collins sees its best chance of snow this afternoon and evening, with probabilities dropping off after midnight:

For Denver, a similar timeline, though note the chance probabilities drag a bit longer into Monday morning as compared to Fort Collins:

For Colorado Springs those chances increase through the day today, with peak probabilities coming Monday morning:

Round two will get going Tuesday morning, and will cary into Tuesday night. Again, some models are indicating more snow potential with round two than round one... so that's interesting to say the last. If nothing else it means if round one busts, we don't have to wait long for a redo!

More updates to come, stay tuned!