Arapahoe Basin officially kicked off the 2017-18 season on Friday under crystal clear skies. Photos below courtesy of Jack Dempsey and Colorado Ski Country USA:

Loveland will also be opening very soon (this week?) so stay tuned to the OpenSnow Facebook and @findOpenSnow Twitter account for the announcement. 

Outside of the opening day fun, we've stayed relatively quiet on the weather front. Saturday featured cool temperatures, gusty winds, and a few snow showers for northern Colorado but that's been it since early last week.

The next few days will also be much of the same, with warm temperatures and sunny skies remaining in place through Thursday. 

Our next storm will then begin to make its presence felt on Friday. Gusty winds and increasing cloud cover will lead to chances for snow on Friday night and into early Saturday morning. This storm keeps going back-and-forth in regards to its strength and potential snow totals but temperatures will be on the warmer side. 

Here's a look at the latest ensemble snow forecast for Vail Pass, courtesy of the University of Utah. 

We'll go with an initial forecast of 2-6 inches from Friday night through Saturday above 8,000 feet. This would turn all road surfaces from Georgetown through Eagle-Vail over to an icy and slushy mix, with snow-packed spots possible along Berthoud, Loveland, and Vail Pass.

The Night King and CDOT will be on the lookout for vehicles not prepared for winter driving conditions!

Following the storm on Saturday, dry but cool conditions will prevail on Sunday. Looking further ahead, there really isn't much to discuss but this can quickly change. 

Have a great start to your week and look for my next update on Thursday!

SAM COLLENTINE

I-70 Forecast Page → https://opensnow.com/region/denveri70

Snow Tires

Make sure your vehicle is prepared for winter driving conditions. I highly recommend snow tires if you're driving along the mountain corridor from now through May. This is not only for your own safety and peace of mind but for the safety of others. Find all CDOT passenger vehicle traction and chain laws here: http://opsw.co/2fdJDM1