Tuesday was warm and mostly sunny for all of Colorado. A few high clouds hung over the northern divide.

Now on Wednesday morning, we still have some high-level moisture lingering over the northeastern mountains, but the ridge of high pressure (black area below) is trying to center itself over Colorado.

As the ridge moves overhead today, Wednesday, we should see sunny skies at all mountains, and temperatures should be a few degrees warmer than yesterday.

Here is a plot of the temperature at mid-mountain at Snowmass. On Monday the high was about 38F, on Tuesday the high was about 43F, and we will likely be at least a few degrees warmer today. It’s full on spring skiing with firm snow in the morning, softening by mid-morning and midday.

The weather from Thursday through next Tuesday should be mostly dry with times of high clouds. Temperatures should be warm enough to soften the snow each day, but if a batch of high clouds filters the sunshine for a few hours, that may delay the softening.

There is good news as the weather pattern will change by the middle of next week.

For reference, here is what the weather pattern looks like today, with high pressure over Colorado.

The ridge of high pressure will dissipate next week, allowing storms to move into the Rockies from the Pacific Ocean.

The first storm should bring snow between March 22-23.

And then the next storm should bring additional snow between March 27-28.

It’s still too early to talk details, but this longer-range forecast should allow you to fully enjoy this week’s sun, knowing that snow will return soon:-)

Thanks for reading!

JOEL GRATZ

Geography Key

Northern Mountains
Steamboat, Granby, Beaver Creek, Vail, Ski Cooper, Copper, Breckenridge, Keystone, Loveland, Abasin, Winter Park, Berthoud Pass, Eldora, Rocky Mountain National Park, Cameron Pass

Along the Divide
Loveland, Abasin, Winter Park, Berthoud Pass

East of the Divide
Eldora, Echo, Rocky Mountain National Park, Cameron Pass

Central Mountains
Aspen, Sunlight, Monarch, Crested Butte, Irwin, Powderhorn

Southern Mountains
Telluride, Silverton – north side of the southern mountains | Purgatory, Wolf Creek – south side of the southern mountains