Marty’s Sunday Morning Forecast – Snowy & Windy! – 1/21/18
Today: We’ll stay cold today with high temperatures in the teens and 20s over the mountains, only 20s to lower 30s for the plains. Expect waves of snow to move eastward across the area this morning. As we transition to the back side of the storm the wind will increase, and snow along I-25 will become localized on the higher terrain around Colorado Springs and Pueblo. Colder and very windy at times area wide this afternoon. The combination of snow and wind could cause periodic whiteout conditions over parts of eastern Colorado, with the worst driving conditions likely over the northern half of the state where a Blizzard Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service. Snowfall accumulations will be somewhat limited by the quick movement of the storm, but for several hours travel will probably be very difficult over some areas…
The National Weather Service has issued a host of winter weather advisories and warnings. The heaviest snow locally should fall this morning along the I-25 corridor, and this afternoon over the far eastern plains. The worst travel in our area will likely exist over the Palmer Divide where a combination of snow and strong wind gusts over 40 mph could cause periodic whiteout conditions. Snowfall accumulations in this area could reach as high as 3″- 6″, but measuring the snow will probably be difficult with the wind blowing it around so much. Snow will also accumulate over Teller County where communities to the north of Pikes Peak might see about 2″- 4″ of snow, while 1″- 2″ is more likely south of Pikes Peak. Travel over the mountains in the Pikes Peak Region will probably be slowed by snow packed roadways, but the wind should not result in as much blowing snow over this area as compared to exposed areas over the Palmer Divide.
Total snowfall accumulations should be generally light for Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Canon City, generally an inch or 2″ at most, but with a short bursts of snow, strong wind gusts, and quickly falling temperatures, even light snowfall accumulations will lead to slick travel conditions at times. We expect several inches of snow may also accumulate over the mountains southwest of Pueblo, and an inch or 2″ could fall over the southern I-25 corridor from Walsenburg to Trinidad as well. Accumulations of snow will probably remain pretty light over the far eastern plains with most areas receiving an inch or 2″, but a few areas under some heavier bands may pick up a bit more. Wind gusts over 40 mph will blow even light accumulations of snow around enough to make for hazardous travel conditions at times this afternoon into early tonight. Some pockets of heavier snow may fall just south of the Arkansas River, or right near the Kansas State line, in these pockets we could expect as much as 2″- 4″ of snow.
Tonight: Any light snow showers on the higher terrain, or the far eastern plains should end early, then decreasing clouds and wind overnight. Chilly with low temperatures falling into the single digits and teens for many areas along and west of I-25, probably 20s over the eastern plains where the wind may be slower to wind down.
Extended: Monday morning will be chilly, but sunny, and for some areas leftover slick roadways are possible very early in the morning. Monday will not be as windy as Sunday, but some areas will still be pretty breezy at times. Temperatures should hover near to slightly below seasonal averages through about Wednesday. Thursday should be warmer with more wind, and possibly some thick mountain wave clouds. Friday may start out mild, but the afternoon looks windy and colder. The late week storm looks to produce more wind than snow for our area, but the high country should pick up some decent snowfall, and we couldn’t entirely rule out spotty snow showers locally by late Friday or Friday night.
