Heavy Snow and Cold Temperatures for the Rockies:

A powerful storm moved across the Cascades into the Northern Rockies on Wednesday and Thursday with snow piling up at ski resorts from Oregon to Montana. Cold air is also working its way into the Interior West with well-below-average temperatures expected through the weekend.

While early season reports are limited, some of the deepest snow totals so far have been measured in the Tetons where Grand Targhee reported 18 inches of snow on Thursday morning and Jackson Hole 17 inches. 

Central and Southwest Montana were also hit hard by this system, including 18 inches at Great Divide as of Thursday morning.

The next storm will take aim at Colorado with heavy snow expected for many areas in the Friday night to Sunday timeframe. Central and northern parts of the state are expected to be most favored, including Snowmass, Vail, Winter Park, and Arapahoe Basin. 

For more details, check out these Daily Snows from our local forecasters:

• Colorado Daily Snow
• I-70 Daily Snow
• Aspen Snowmass Daily Snow

Forecast for Fri (Oct 27) to Sat (Oct 28):

An initially weak storm will move from NW to SE across the Intermountain West on Friday, bringing light snow showers to the Northern Rockies. The storm will slow down and intensify as it reaches Colorado, with moderate to heavy snow developing on Friday night and Saturday.

The strong storm from earlier in the week will swing into the Upper Midwest and Canadian Prairies, producing a swath of snow from North Dakota and NW Minnesota into Ontario. Further south, some light snow is also possible in Southern Minnesota and Wisconsin on Saturday.

Forecast for Sun (Oct 29) to Mon (Oct 30):

Snow will continue across Colorado on Sunday and will gradually work its way southward with New Mexico getting in on the action later Sunday and into Monday.

A strong cold front will work its way eastward with snow showers developing across the Northern Great Lakes, while the higher elevations of New England and Quebec will see a changeover from rain to snow by late Monday. Significant rain is also expected for portions of the Mid-Atlantic into Southern New England. 

Forecast for Tue (Oct 31) to Wed (Nov 1):

A dry pattern will take hold in the West, while the East will see a colder and more unsettled pattern with rain and snow showers expected. The best chance of snow will be across the Great Lakes and for the higher terrain of the Appalachians from New England to West Virginia. 

Outlook for Thu (Nov 2) to Mon (Nov 6):

The storm track will favor the Northwest during this period with heavy precipitation possible, though above-average temperatures will likely result in higher snow levels compared to the last storm. The East is expected to remain colder than average, with snow showers possible at times from the Great Lakes to New England. 

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Monday (October 30).

Alan Smith