Date: 03/29/2017

The closed low pressure system that brought yesterday’s spring squalls has moved eastward, putting us under a mild North flow today. We can expect another greenhouse cooker of a day under high thin clouds. Tonight we’ll see a good freeze, before the temps climb back into the forties tomorrow on the leading edge of another storm on tap for Friday.

Date: 03/28/2017

Last night we picked up 3-4″ of new snow around the area, with totals a little higher to the west. Today, the snow will taper off by midday. Overnight winds were light out of the southwest but look for the North winds to pick up a little bit this afternoon and into tonight as this storm passes.  Looks like another one on tap for later this week.

Date: 03/27/2017

Temperatures dipped into the low 20s last night, under clear skies and generally light to moderate west winds at ridge top. Clear skies this morning will allow temperatures to rebound, before high clouds work into the area from the southwest this afternoon. Tomorrow looks stormy with snow (4-8″) and increasing northwest winds. Looking ahead, we get a breather on Wednesday and Thursday before another low pressure system and snow arrives Friday.

Date: 03/26/2017

Snow showers associated with the fast moving trough of low pressure will exit Colorado today, with clearing skies and decreasing northwesterly winds throughout the afternoon. High temperatures will climb into the low 30s at 11,000ft and drop into the upper teens tonight. Our next storm system looks to arrive Monday afternoon and produce another round of light to moderate snowfall through Wednesday night.

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.

Date: 03/21/2017

Another unseasonably warm and beautiful day in the Elk Mountains: today looks like the culmination of our 2-week corn harvest. Clouds begin streaming in this afternoon ahead of a moisture-laden Pacific trough. The trough moves onshore near Baja and is forecasted to close off over the 4-corners region towards the end of the week. Grand Traversers keep your fingers crossed: This pattern doesn’t typically produce big snow numbers or post storm winds in the Elk Mountains. My early prediction for storm totals on Thursday through Friday are in the 4-8″ range, although our first look at some high resolution models are calling for 12″ at Star Pass.

Date: 03/20/2017

Monday will start off warm and dry again. Winds will remain gusty at times at upper elevations as we sit on the edge of stronger winds aloft that are driving the main weather flow. A little shortwave disturbance is going to bounce through the flow this afternoon/evening with a similar setup again on Tuesday afternoon/evening. We’ll see some increasing clouds during these two events with a very small chance of isolated sprinkles. Temperatures will decrease by a few degrees but nothing two significant over the next few days. A potentially large storm looks to arrive Wednesday night or Thursday morning.