Date: 12/26/2018

The closed low is currently in Southern Arizona. This system has been streaming good moisture into Western Colorado overnight and that moisture stream is currently just west of our area. Snow is stacking up on the Grand Masa overnight, with light snow in Irwin at 5am. Of course, the snow is stacking up in the San Juans too. What about us you ask? Well, the band of snow is sooo close. Yet models don’t show it pushing east this morning before it dissipates. If that band of snow does push a little east than we should see some snow stack up on the west to northwest border of our forecast area. As the closed low moves east today, wind direction will flip a 180 and increase out of the north this afternoon. We have another small shot of snow later this afternoon. Then we’ll see a brief drying trend late Wednesday night or early Thursday ahead of the next low-pressure trough that will continue unsettled weather into the weekend.

With the current closed low. Our forecast area is kind of getting the donut hole treatment. If that makes you unhappy, go eat a donut.

• Today

  High Temperature: 25
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20. South AM, North Pm
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 2 to 4
  Elkton Snow: 2 to 4
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 1 to 3

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 10
  Winds/Direction: 5 to 15 NW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 20
  Winds/Direction: 5 to 15 W
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

Date: 12/25/2018

Well, support for the Santa Makes Winter Great Campaign turned out to be a little low over the last couple of days. So now, Santa’s closed low is dropping down the California coast for some beach time early this morning. Drier air on southwest flow is being pushed into the area which could bring some breaks in the clouds today. Otherwise, we are still looking at a partly to mostly cloudy kind of day. Eventually, Santa’s Closed Low is going to make a stop on the Baja Border for a taco, then eventually move south and east of Colorado on Wednesday. Later in the week, a large low-pressure trough will continue to bring us unsettled weather.

What does this all mean for snow? Well, the storm’s energy is mostly staying south of Colorado. So we’ll be looking more at winds and orographics to turn the available moisture into snowflakes. Unfortunately, we don’t check that box as the wind directions are not the best for our local area. So, not a big hit of snow over the next 24hr, but we’ll still get some snow showers helping keep it fresh.

• Today

  High Temperature: 27
  Winds/Direction: 5 to 15 South
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 1 to 2
  Elkton Snow: 1 to 2
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 1 to 2

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 15
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20 SSE
  Sky Cover:
  Irwin Snow: 1 to 3
  Elkton Snow: 1 to 3
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 2 to 4

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 27
  Winds/Direction: 5 to 15 WSW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 2 to 4
  Elkton Snow: 2 to 4
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 1 to 3

Date: 12/24/2018

The next low-pressure trough began to impact the area last night just after midnight. Irwin is showing almost 4 inches and CBMR shows nearly 2 inches as of 6 am. Expect 3 to 7 inches across the forecast area today. Areas to the west and north from Irwin to Schofield Pass will do best with the potential for these areas to exceed forecasted snowfall amounts. Winds will remain out of the west at moderate speeds blowing the new snow around. Snowfall will taper off this evening with only light snow expected overnight and Tuesday will be an in-between day as a strong low-pressure system spins towards the 4-corners area on Wednesday.

• Today

  High Temperature: 20 to 25
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, W
  Sky Cover: Overcast
  Irwin Snow: 5 to 7
  Elkton Snow: 5 to 7
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 4 to 6

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 7 to 12
  Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, SW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 23 to 28
  Winds/Direction: 7 to 17
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 1
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 1
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1

Date: 12/23/2018

After a cool and clear night, clouds will start to build again throughout the day. Moisture will be limited for daylight hours with the possibility of just a few flurries in the afternoon. Winds will be gusty out of the west in front of the next trough impacting the area on Sunday night and Monday. Expect 4 to 8 inches of accumulations by Monday evening coupled with moderate to strong westerly winds. Tuesday will be a transitional day as a significant low-pressure system makes its way toward western Colorado on Wednesday.

• Today

  High Temperature: 17 to 22
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, W
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 7 to 12
  Winds/Direction: 7 to 17, WSW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 1 to 3
  Elkton Snow: 1 to 3
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 1 to 3

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 18 to 23
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, W
  Sky Cover: Overcast
  Irwin Snow: 3 to 5
  Elkton Snow: 3 to 5
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 3 to 5

Date: 12/22/2018

Snow began to fall yesterday afternoon around Irwin at 2 pm and tapered off last night, but early this morning snowfall is picking back up. As of 5 am, areas to the west of Crested Butte have picked up around 5″ new but CBMR is sitting at a measly 1″. Areas to the west and north of town, per usual, will do best. Today you can expect snowfall for the first half of the day, around 2 to 5 additional inches, and diminish throughout the afternoon. Snowfall will stop by the evening. Immediately on the heels of today’s quick disturbance is a second shortwave trough slated to push through the area during midday tomorrow offering a few more inches of accumulation on Sunday. Looking ahead it looks like a significant Pacific system will begin to impact the region beginning on Christmas Day. Whoop Whoop! We are back in the snow!

• Today

  High Temperature: 20 to 25
  Winds/Direction: 12 to 22, W
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 2 to 5
  Elkton Snow: 2 to 5
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 2 to 5

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: -2 to 3
  Winds/Direction: 7 to 17, W
  Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 20 to 25
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, W
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

Date: 12/21/2018

Get out of here you lumpy dry ridge from yesterday, and come on in water vapor that wants to turn into snowflakes! Moisture is streaming into Colorado this morning and will bring high clouds for the day. We’ll see this moisture start to turn into snowflakes late this afternoon with a chance to pick up an inch or two before midnight. Next in line is a shortwave trough cutting across the northern half of Colorado on Saturday. This shortwave will bring 3 to 6″ of snow by Sunday Morning! Yea Baby. Saturday night into Sunday will dry out a bit. Then it all happens… CBAC has launched it’s Santa Makes Winter Great Again campaign and Santa has jumped on board! With no border walls to cross to the north, there is an open door for Santa to bringing a couple storms and one big closed low down with him next week. We are looking ahead to an unsettled and stormy holiday week. I’m so happy.

• Today

  High Temperature: 28
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20 W
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 1 PM
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 1 PM
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1 PM

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 18
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 2 W
  Sky Cover: Overcast
  Irwin Snow: 1 to 3
  Elkton Snow: 1 to 3
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 25
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20 West
  Sky Cover: Overcast
  Irwin Snow: 2 to 4
  Elkton Snow: 2 to 4
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 2 to 4

Date: 12/20/2018

The sky has cleared overnight while northwest winds are still cooking along at upper elevations. A high-pressure ridge has moved in and this will keep us dry on Thursday. Some high thin clouds are being pulled over the top of this ridge and it looks like they will be filtering later today. As we look further into the forecast, it is a lovely sight indeed. Friday will be a bit transitional with increasing clouds and maybe a few flakes late in the day. Then the chance of snow increases on Saturday with more storms staking up for next week. Come on Santa, make winter great again!

• Today

  High Temperature: 28
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20 WNW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 12
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20 West
  Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 27
  Winds/Direction: 12 to 22 W
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 1
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 1
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

Date: 12/19/2018

A shortwave trough is passing over far to our North today. There is not much moisture associated with the front we could see 1-3 inches possible today. The main event today will be the wind with moderate North West winds and strong gusts likely midday. The snowfall and winds peak at midday today and proceed to decrease this afternoon followed by the front clearing out this evening.

• Today

  High Temperature: 22
  Winds/Direction: 20-25, NW Gusts to 40
  Sky Cover: Overcast
  Irwin Snow: 1 to 3″
  Elkton Snow: 1-3″
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2″

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 0 to 5
  Winds/Direction: 15-25, NW
  Sky Cover: Decreasing clouds
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 15 to 20
  Winds/Direction: 10-15, W
  Sky Cover: Clear
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

Date: 12/18/2018

A low-pressure trough is crossing to the south of Colorado through New Mexico today. No snowfall is expected today, but cloudiness will linger throughout the day. A second fast moving system will impact the area tonight and into tomorrow. The upcoming system will be from the northwest but doesn’t look all that impressive. The jet stream will move overhead with this disturbance which may provide some help in producing snow tonight and tomorrow. Snow totals for tonight and tomorrow look to be a modest 3 to 5 inches. Let us cross our fingers and toes with the hope that the storm overproduces and we get a pow day tomorrow.

• Today

  High Temperature: 24 to 29
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, NW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 12 to 17
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, WNW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 24 to 29
  Winds/Direction: 15 to 25, NW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

Date: 12/17/2018

We are still under a southwestern flow ahead of a trough to our west. For today expect increasing clouds throughout the day with air temperatures a bit cooler than yesterday day because of clouds limiting daytime warming. As the trough to the west pushes towards us, expect the possibility of a few snowflakes falling but no real accumulations are expected. Tuesday evening and Wednesday offer the best chance of accumulating snowfall but will be limited to just a few inches at best. Looks like its going to be greybird for a few days.

• Today

  High Temperature: 28 to 32
  Winds/Direction: 2 to 12, W
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 10 to 15
  Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, NW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 1
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 1
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 25 to 30
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, NW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 1
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 1
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1