Marty’s Saturday Morning Forecast – Warmer – 12/31/2022

Overview:  We're tracking a warmer start to our holiday weekend with heavy snow over the Continental Divide...

Today:  We'll have some mountain wave clouds over eastern Colorado and be warmer with a gusty Chinook wind at times over the eastern mountains and typically wind-prone areas near them. We expect high temperatures in the 50s and 60s for the plains along and south of the Arkansas River with 40s for our local mountain communities and the high mountain valleys. Temperatures for the plains north of the Arkansas River (including most of the Pikes Peak Region) will reach the 40s to lower 50s. Snow along the Continental Divide will cause widespread winter driving conditions today.

Tonight:  Partly to mostly cloudy with areas of wind over and near the mountains and low temperatures in the 20s and 30s for the plains with teens over the high mountain valleys. The snow should be less intense over the Continental Divide during the night, be we still expect occasional light snow.

New Year's Day (Sunday):  Partly to mostly cloudy and not as warm with high temperatures in the 40s to 50s for most areas in eastern Colorado. We still expect some gusty wind over the mountains and a breezy afternoon over the plains. Snow will increase in coverage and intensity over the mountains of southwestern Colorado during the afternoon, and many other high-country areas will have occasional, lighter snow.

Extended:  The next storm will move over the state Sunday night into Monday bringing heavy snow to the mountains along the Continental Divide and much colder air and wind to eastern Colorado where high temperatures will fall into the 30s and 40s for most areas. Snow is also possible over eastern Colorado with areas north of the Arkansas River and near the mountains currently looking most likely to receive snow late Sunday night into Monday. Although the storm will move away from the area on Tuesday, we'll remain chilly with enough instability for isolated snow showers and/or flurries over and very near the mountains during the afternoon under an otherwise partly cloudy sky. The rest of the week looks dry with some more significant warming likely by the end of the week.