Date: 02/13/2018

A closed low parked on the Pacific Coast has been funnelling Baja moisture straight towards Colorado on a southwest flow. The intensity of stream of moisture will diminish today as that low wobbles back to the west, though we can expect a few isolated showers over the high peaks. That closed low looks like it will stay in place for a couple days, before it advances back east to hit us with another potent storm on Thursday.

• Today

  High Temperature: 25
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, gusting to 30 Southwest
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 2″
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 2″
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1″

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 15
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, gusting to 30, Southwest
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 2″
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 2″
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1″

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 25
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, gusting to 30, Southwest
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 2″
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 2″
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1″

Date: 02/12/2018

Yesterday’s beautiful weather was short lived as our next winter storm is knocking at the door this morning. Crested Beauticians are eager to open that door and welcome some more snow to the area. A closed low is forming to our west and drawing moisture into the area on southwest flow. Models predict snowfall starting up around 6am, with southwest winds picking up this morning too. In the mountains west and north of Crested Butte, snowfall rates look to be an inch an hour for several hours before noon. Then snowfall rates look to taper in the afternoon and continue through the night. Drier weather will return for Tuesday before the next pulse of moister looks to bring snow back for the midweek.

• Today

  High Temperature: 27
  Winds/Direction: 15 to 25, SSW
  Sky Cover: Overcast
  Irwin Snow: 6 to 8
  Elkton Snow: 6 to 8
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 4 to 6

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 18
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, SSW
  Sky Cover: Overcast
  Irwin Snow: 4 to 6
  Elkton Snow: 4 to 6
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 2 to 4

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 30
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, SSW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

Date: 02/11/2018

Sub zero temperatures reign across our forecast area after yesterday’s storm quickly exited stage right. Look for brisk temperatures in the low to mid 20s, light northwest winds and strong sunshine before yet another storm swings through the Elk Mountains tomorrow. This storm looks to carry similar amounts of moisture as the last few storms but arrive with stronger southwest winds, and warmer temperatures. Snowfall amounts will become clearer by tonight, but first glance hints at another 6-12” for favored parts of the forecast area. Looking further ahead, unsettled weather remains through the first half of the week.

• Today

  High Temperature: 22
  Winds/Direction: 5-15/WNW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 0
  Winds/Direction: 5-15/W
  Sky Cover: Increasing clouds
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 27
  Winds/Direction: 10-20/SW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 6-10″
  Elkton Snow: 6-10″
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 3-6″

Date: 02/10/2018

A fast moving disturbance will bring a period of intense snowfall that will develop and intensify midday and snow will continue until about sunset, when drier air works into the atmosphere, and quickly brings snowfall to an end. Timing is uncertain with the exact arrival of snowfall this morning, but best bet is mid to late morning. A delayed onset will ultimately lower accumulations. Models have remained consistent over the last 48 hours with .5-.7” of snow water equivalent (6-10”) adding up quickly with high precipitation rates across the western and northern forecast area such as Kebler and Schofield passes, but the potential for warmer temperatures early in the storm may not create those perfect “cold smoke” densities right away. Tonight, skies clear, and will be a cold night as clouds dissipate and clear skies allow temperatures to plummet.

• Today

  High Temperature: 28
  Winds/Direction: 10-20/WNW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 6-10″
  Elkton Snow: 6-10″
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 3-6″

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 6
  Winds/Direction: 5-15/NW
  Sky Cover: Decreasing clouds
  Irwin Snow: 0-2″
  Elkton Snow: 0-2″
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0-1″

• Tomorrow

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

Date: 02/09/2018

A cold front in northern WY will march closer to Colorado today while we enjoy another unseasonably warm day with strong sunshine despite overcast skies. Westerly winds and cloud cover will increase ahead of this disturbance, especially near and above treeline today. Tomorrow shot at snowfall looks more and more certain, shaping up to be similar to our last hit of moisture, .5-.7” of water (6-10”) across much of our western forecast area, with lesser amounts east of Crested Butte.

• Today

  High Temperature: 35
  Winds/Direction: 10-20 G40/WSW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 20
  Winds/Direction: 10-20/WSW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0″
  Elkton Snow: 0″
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0″

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 24
  Winds/Direction: 10-20/WNW
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 5-10″
  Elkton Snow: 5-10″
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 3-6″

Date: 02/08/2018

Today is going to look a lot like yesterday, only a few degrees warmer and the winds will change direction slightly, blowing a little more out of the west. We’re still sitting on the south side of the jet stream, so the high thin clouds will still stream over the high peaks. Daytime highs will rise to 5 to 10 degrees warmer than yesterday, which will feel downright spring’ish here in town. Yesterday’s freezing level stayed around 10,500′. Today we should see above freezing temperatures over 11,000′.

• Today

  High Temperature: 32
  Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, West Northwest
  Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 20, colder in the valley
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, West Northwest
  Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 35
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, West
  Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

Date: 02/07/2018

A strong ridge of Pacific High pressure will keep all of Colorado under a Northwest flow. Locally that means a few high thin clouds riding over the high peaks, but overall a gorgeous breezy day with lots of sun.

• Today

  High Temperature: 25
  Winds/Direction: 15 to 25, West Northwest, with stronger gusts as you move east towards the Continental Divide
  Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 10, colder in the valley floor
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, Northwest
  Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 30
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, Northwest
  Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

Date: 02/07/2018

The big Pacific high pressure will keep the jet stream pouring over the top, holding us under a steady northwest flow. We can expect a cloud or two over the high peaks, but overall a gorgeous breezy day with a lot of sun.

• Today

  High Temperature: 25
  Winds/Direction: 15-25, West Northwest, gusting higher as you get closer to the Continental Divide
  Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 10, colder in the valley floor
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, Northwest, higher gusts to the east
  Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 30
  Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, West Northwest
  Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

Date: 02/06/2018

Amazing what a nice white blanket does for the soul of the mountain people! As of 6am this morning, the zone from Kebler through to Paradise divide has picked up 6-10″ of new snow, with 3-5″ closer to town and in the eastern part of the Elk mountains.
Today we can expect diminishing cloud cover, but with west northwest winds to fuel snow showers in the high country throughout the morning hours. By this afternoon, the precipitation will dry up and we’ll head into a chilly night. Bluebird tomorrow.

• Today

  High Temperature: 20
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, West Northwest
  Sky Cover: Decreasing cloud cover
  Irwin Snow: 1 to 3″
  Elkton Snow: 1 to 3″
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2″

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 5
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, Northwest
  Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 30
  Winds/Direction: 15 to 25, Northwest
  Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
  Irwin Snow: 0
  Elkton Snow: 0
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

Date: 02/05/2018

Westerly winds have ramped up early this morning creating some gusty conditions down in the valleys. The high-pressure ridge is sliding west as a low-pressure trough moves into the area for the Monday, Tuesday timeframe. We will definitely get some winds and clouds and should even see some snow out of this one! We may see an inch or two of new snow this morning, but things don’t look to pick up until this evening. Our forecast area is looking a bit far south of the main action, so I’m not to optimistic about seeing the larger end of forecasted snow totals. The Aspen end of the Elk Mountains and Northern Sawatch look to be the most favored for the Central Mountains. Available moisture starts drying out through Tuesday as we move back into northwest flow on the edge of the high presser ridge to the west. We’ll see some clouds and wind this week but nothing in the form of snow. Next weekend looks like the next chance for accumulating snow.

• Today

  High Temperature: 32
  Winds/Direction: 15 to 25/West
  Sky Cover: Overcast
  Irwin Snow: Tr to 2
  Elkton Snow: Tr to 2
  Friend’s Hut Snow: Tr to 2

• Tonight

  Low Temperature: 20
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20/West
  Sky Cover: Overcast
  Irwin Snow: 3 to 6
  Elkton Snow: 3 to 6
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 2 to 4

• Tomorrow

  High Temperature: 25
  Winds/Direction: 10 to 20/West
  Sky Cover: Overcast
  Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
  Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
  Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2