Date: 12/30/2016

We will have a near carbon copy to yesterdays weather.  Temperatures nearing 32º, strong solar radiation, and generally light winds.  Look for a slight uptick in westerly winds this afternoon, and then high clouds move in ahead of series of storms next week. Details are emerging on this next stormy pattern, and it looks to be a long, windy, and cold event. Soak up that vitamin D now!

Date: 12/29/2016

One of those classic Colorado bluebird days will be on tap today, decreasing westerly winds at ridge top, and although a cold start to the morning, should warm up nicely into the mid to upper 20s at 11,000ft. We can expect clear skies into Saturday morning, before high clouds stream into our area in the afternoon. An active pattern of snow and cold gets 2017 off on the right foot for the weekend into early next week.

Date: 12/28/2016

The Elk Mountains are under strong zonal flow today, with the jet stream just to our north. This morning, alpine winds are blowing steadily in the mid-20 mph range, gusting into the 60’s. We will see a few orographic snow flurries today and continued winds, before a high pressure ridge develops tomorrow into Friday. This brings a warming trend and a reprieve from the wind. The next system arrives Friday night and we should see multiple days of snowfall into next week.

Date: 12/27/2016

Some of the season’s coldest temperatures will greet you as you step out the door this morning after a clear and calm night is pushing double digit below zero readings in the valleys (-26º in Taylor Park), while up on Scarp Ridge (12,000ft) we’re seeing a balmy 16ºF above zero. Strong solar will bounce temperatures into the mid teens today.  Looking ahead, winds increase tomorrow, along with a chance of flurries on Wednesday as the northern jetstream dips south. We’ll see quiet weather until the weekend, when it looks like another active pattern sets up to kick in 2017.

Date: 12/26/2016

Yesterday’s arrival of a cold front and westerly orographics really kicked off high snow accumulations in favored areas like the Ruby Range. While Crested Butte still did well, this was the first storm this season that delivered a large difference in snow accumulation like this as many of the previous storms have been on the southern track. This morning we remain in westerly flow with enough moisture upstream and a weak disturbance to our north, to continue seeing some light snow showers and clouds mostly in the mountains west of Crested Butte. Clouds should start decreasing by mid-day as we head into clear and dry weather for Tuesday. Winds will also ease today. The next storm will just brush northern Colorado starting Tuesday night. We’ll see increased winds and clouds and now snow accumulations this far south.

Date: 12/25/2016

There will be no reason to blow dry your hair after a shower this morning, as those strong winds will slick things back, dry you out and give you a nice Albert Einstein hairdo. A cold front is moving through our area early this morning bringing snow and strong winds. The surface cold front will move through our area today with cooler temperatures, as winds become westerly and fuel orographic snow showers in the mountains to our west today. A low pressure to our northeast will wrap moister back into Colorado and bring us continued snow showers this evening and into early Monday. Wind speeds will also stay elevated during this period. Skys will begin clearing Monday as drier air moves in on westerly flow. For the most part we’ll see relatively dry conditions next week, other than a disturbance that looks to impact Northern Colorado mid-week.

Date: 12/24/2016

A white Christmas is in store for Crested Butte! Today, winds and clouds increase ahead of a low-pressure trough that is currently deepening over the California coast. Good dynamics on the front end of the trough will spark relatively warm snowfall beginning around sunset today. A clatter will arise late tonight, but you’ll have decide for yourself whether that is the cold front and associated powerful winds slamming into your house or something else… Snowfall continues through Christmas Day, with cold air filling in behind the front. We should see 6-8″ in town and twice that in the favored western parts of the zone by Sunday evening.

Date: 12/23/2016

Last nights storm system will quickly get a kick in the pants and exit stage right midday. This potent weather system will clear out and spotty sun and increased visibility should return by afternoon, along with light to moderate west winds above treeline. Shovel out the driveway quick, because there is another storm hot on its heels for Santa, and Rudolph better have upgraded that nose for the flight tomorrow. Expect a warm and windy prefrontal day tomorrow, before snow develops after sunset with a racing cold front. The storm moves quickly, but accumulations look significant.

Date: 12/22/2016

Clouds will increase and snow will develop today, as another warm southwestern system spins out of Southern California throughout the day. Like our last storm, temperatures will be balmy, with a rain/snow line flirting with 8,000ft. This storm could be a sleeper, with not too many headlines preceding it. A safe bet looks like 4-8” by tomorrow, with some areas seeing the potential to pick up a bit more.

Date: 12/21/2016

It’s a mild morning in the mountains, with temperatures in the 20’s over valley inversions below zero. A cold front is sagging into south into Colorado today under zonal flow, but it never really organizes across the Elk Mountains. A weak, closed low digging over Baja will start streaming moisture our way by tomorrow, and we should see a few inches of snow or more by Thursday evening.