Date: 03/25/2017

Our intrepid Aspen-bound racers are being greeted by a cloudless sunrise this morning in the heart of the Elks. Mountaintop temperatures hover near 20 degrees under calm winds. Fantastic weather is on tap for the rest of the day, with temperatures forecasted to climb into the mid 30’s. High-level clouds will lower and thicken this afternoon ahead of weak Pacific trough making landfall today. We will see light snow showers develop overnight and wind down tomorrow morning as this fast-mover crosses over Colorado. High pressure redevelops into Monday.

Date: 03/24/2017

Just like tired spring breakers after a big night in town, the closed low pressure system responsible for unsettled weather last night is spinning itself out of the Colorado Rockies and onto the eastern plains. Area accumulations were generally light, 2-4” on Kebler Pass and CBMR, with 9” new snow at Schofield Pass with unusually well behaved NW winds gusting into the 40mph range.

Today, skies will gradually clear throughout the day, and northerly winds will decrease. Temperatures will rebound, with highs in the mid to upper 30s. Our next weather maker looks on track for Saturday night into early Sunday with light snow accumulations expected.

SPECIAL GRAND TRAVERSE WEATHER: The racers from Crested Butte to Aspen dodged a bullet, and got exactly what most had hoped for overnight. A light refresh of snow, and merciful wind. The Upper Taylor River SNOTEL is showing 6” of new snow, a perfect refresh to improve course conditions, but not change avalanche concerns. Look for partly cloudy skies overnight, with low temperatures at Star Pass in the mid teens during the early morning hours. Should be a perfect night of racing, good luck to all, watch those sneaky creek crossings, and keep those feet dry!

Date: 03/23/2017

We will kick that high pressure and above normal temperatures to the curb today, as a strong Pacific storm churns its way across the Great Basin this morning, leaving us with very different weather by sunset. A strong cold front currently located around Vernal, Utah (4am) will march into Colorado by midday, and we should see gusty winds, an intense period of precipitation, and possible thunderstorms this afternoon. Snow levels will initially ride high (9-10,000ft) this morning, falling during the afternoon to valley bottom by midnight. The changeover to snow will determine the amount of snow accumulation our mountains will see. Strong southerly winds will usher in the cold front today, with strong northwesterly winds behind the front, slowly decreasing by Friday midday.

SPECIAL GRAND TRAVERSE WEATHER: This potent storm system will be short-lived and move quickly out of the race corridor by Friday midday. 8-12” of new snow looks possible, but will hinge on how quickly any rain changes over to snow and how much northerly flow robs or enhances the race course of moisture. Northwest winds look to peak Friday morning around 6am, with nearly calm conditions and temperatures in the teens at Star Pass race night. The CBAC will issue an updated race forecast tomorrow morning.

Date: 03/22/2017

Warm, moist southwest flow will bring a mix of sun and clouds today ahead of a Pacific trough digging towards the California/Baja coast. Snow showers will kick off mid-day on Thursday as good upper-level support combine with deep Pacific moisture. The trough closes off Thursday night as it approaches southern Colorado, complicating the forecast. A disorganized cold front looks to accompany this closing trough on Thursday evening, fueling additional snowfall and shifting flow to the northwest. The movement of the low becomes harder to pin down on Friday, and models continue to waffle over the finer details of the storm. Our latest high-resolution WRF point forecasts show about 5-6″ of snow by Friday for Taylor and Star Pass, with strong northerly winds easing through the day on Friday.