Tonight's Forecast:
High Wind Warnings will remain in effect overnight tonight and into Wednesday morning for the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The strongest gusts of 60-80 mph will occur above treeline, and winds in these areas will be screaming. Lower parts of the Sangres and the adjacent I-25 corridor in Huerfano County could see gusts as strong as 40-60 mph.
At the same time, snow will really start to ramp up over the Continental Divide and our state's western mountain ranges. Being that the origin of this system is from the Pacific Ocean, warmer air will mean a heavy, wet snow. Expect travel delays and possible closures in the high country over the next 24-48 hours.
Colorado Springs forecast: Low: 39; High: 54; A dry and mild day for the Pikes Peak Region will turn unsettled by around sunset as rain and snow begin to move into our forecast. Warm air at the onset of the storm will bring a few challenges to our forecast, with rain likely changing to snow after sunset. Warm pavement may melt a lot of the snow early on before we start to stick. Snow totals from 0.5 to 3".
Warm air at the onset of our Wednesday night-Thursday morning storm will bring about a few forecast challenges:⁰⁰- Rain before snow⁰- Warm pavement and snowmelt⁰⁰Totals may still change as more high res data becomes available. #cowx pic.twitter.com/Vc3msoKFeo
— Alan Rose (@AlanRoseWX) December 28, 2022
Pueblo forecast: Low: 37; High: 61; After nearly hitting a high of 70 degrees today, our forecast on Wednesday will only cool down slightly in the Steel City. A cold front late in the evening will bring some rain showers at first, before changing to snow during the overnight hours. Because of the warmth before the snow, accumulations are expected to remain under 1".
Canon City forecast: Low: 43; High: 57; A dry, breezy and unseasonably mild day will precede our next winter storm. As the storm arrives after sunset, we can expect a rain/snow mix before the cold air arrives, and light accumulations that should stay under 1".
Woodland Park forecast: Low: 32; High: 45; A breezy and overcast day will give way to snow over Teller County by as early as 3 pm. Snow will continue to fall at times into the overnight hours, and due to the warmer air associated with this storm, this will be a heavy, wet snowfall. Snow totals from 2-4".
Tri-Lakes forecast: Low: 30s; High: 40s/50s; Slightly cooler weather can be expected on Wednesday ahead of the last winter storm of 2022. The potential of a heavy, wet snow will increase between 3-5 pm, with snow possible at times into Thursday morning. Snow totals from 2-5" may disrupt travel along and near the Palmer Divide.
Plains forecast: Low: 30s/40s; High: 50s/60s; Not as warm as today, but still a mild one for the Plains on the final day of Wednesday. An approaching cold front will bring rain to the Plains Wednesday night before an eventual transition to snow. Any light accumulations of up to 1" will occur north of Highway 50.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: Low: 30s/40s; High: 50s/60s; A modest cool down on Wednesday will come ahead of some bigger weather changes Wednesday night and Thursday. Moisture for the southern I-25 corridor will be fairly limited, with a possible light dusting in Huerfano County, but no accumulations for the Trinidad area.
Mountains forecast: Low: 20s/30s; High: 30s/40s; A High Wind Warning will remain in effect for the Sangres until 8 am Wednesday, with the strongest gusts of 60-80 mph expected above treeline. Moisture from the storm will arrive later in the day, with only light accumulations in the Wets and Sangres. Much heavier snowfall can be expected for the San Juans and the Continental Divide.
Extended outlook forecast:
Light snow may linger into early Thursday morning, but just because the snow may be gone by the morning commute doesn't mean that it will be smooth sailing. With 2-5" of snow possible from the Palmer Divide to Teller County, the roads are likely to be a mess in some areas, with impacts to travel expected in these areas. Once the storm clears out, we should see a dry stretch of weather through New Year's Eve before another piece of energy arrives on New Year's Day. This one could bring heavier snow to parts of Southern Colorado, with the potential for bigger travel disruptions as we head into the first week of 2023.
____
Curious about the First Alert 5 Weather Storm Impact Scale? Check out our cheatsheet explainer.
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
