Tuesday started dry and warm, then clouds moved in and the cold front arrived in the early evening with a burst of very intense snow. This was followed by snow showers that continued overnight. Total snowfall through Wednesday morning is about 3 inches at mid-mountain.

On Wednesday, the main story is cold temperatures that are near 0°F across the mountain and these readings will not change much during the day. Clouds will cover the sky throughout the afternoon and there will be snow showers, though accumulations should be very light as the cold temperatures signal very limited moisture in the air.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday will be dry and sunny days with warmer temperatures reaching the 20s on Thursday and the 30s on Friday and Saturday. These temperatures will feel like a heatwave following the very cold readings on Wednesday.

Our next chance or snow will arrive on Saturday night into Sunday. I am expecting just light snow amounts. There is some upside to the forecast since the jet stream will be nearby and can bring narrow bands of intense snow, and there is some downside to the forecast as well if the storm tracks farther to the north and misses Colorado.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, December 29-30, a strong storm should bring snow to all of Colorado. It’s still a little early to dial in potential accumulations, though I am watching both Tuesday and Wednesday as possible days with soft turns and fresh snow.

Looking further into the future, additional storms are possible around January 1st and also around January 6-7th.

Thanks for reading and check back each morning for daily updates!

JOEL GRATZ
Meteorologist at OpenSnow.com

Snow conditions as of Wednesday morning

New snow mid-mountain:
* 3” (24 hours Tuesday 500am to Wednesday 500am)
* 3” (Overnight Tuesday 400pm to Wednesday 500am)

Last snowfall:
* 3” Tuesday Night (Dec 22-23)

Terrain
* 17 of 23 lifts
* 70 of 152 trails
* Latest update

Snowpack compared to the 30-year average:
* 75%