Today’s Forecast:
A powerful and water-rich Albuquerque low is continuing to move slowly through New Mexico. As it continues to mosey along, another strong impulse of energy spinning around it is flinging up into southern Colorado today. Snow will increase in intensity during the AM commute with snow bands producing rates of around 1" per hour at times in the Pikes Peak Region, and up to 2" per hour in the southern tier. I'm particularly focused on parts of the eastern plains and Raton Pass, where conditions will be extremely treacherous. Snow bands will continue to move south to north through all of southern Colorado for much of the day. Significant accumulating snow will pile up in Pueblo, which largely missed out on round 1 of this system. The general set up involves warm wet air riding up over cold air closer to the ground - this is helping lead to the heavy rates and banding.
These snow bands will continue through the day. Winds won't be a major factor today (see the extended forecast for how that changes...), cold temperatures will. Snow will generally stick to roads with temperatures remaining close to the freezing mark, and beware of black ice underneath the new snow as well, from re-freeze from our first round of snow.
Colorado Springs forecast: High: 32; Low: 23.
Pueblo forecast: High: 34; Low: 26.
Canon City forecast: High: 34; Low: 24.
Woodland Park forecast: High: 29; Low: 16.
Tri-Lakes forecast: High: Low 30s; Low: Teens.
Plains forecast: High: Mid 30s; Low: 20s/Low 30s.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: High: 30; Low: 26/25.
Mountains forecast: High: 20s; Low: Teens/20s.
Extended outlook forecast:
Our Albuquerque Low pivots into southeastern Colorado on Friday. This set up will provide excellent upslope flow to southern Colorado and favors good snow accumulations. Early on Friday morning, potent energy (sometimes called a mid level disturbance) will rotate into the state around this low triggering round 3 of snow. The tricky element to this part of the forecast is our temperatures, which could be a couple degrees warmer than today. This will do two things. First: rain to snow ratios will be lower making Friday's snow a wetter "heavier" snowball type snow that's hard to shovel (be careful). Second, it may be harder for snow to stick to roads during the daytime hours tomorrow - though I do not expect a changeover to rain in the Springs. It'll be a messier overall set up, but a powerful one. All around, it'll be challenging to measure snow totals between all three of this week's storm impulses because snow will compact and melt with each passing system.
Also, you should expect some gusty winds with the Friday storm impulse, leading to areas of blowing snow. Therefore I am concerned about visibility issues on Friday. By the time all is said and done, we'll have seen near record-breaking snow for early November in Colorado Springs. The record snow total for the entire month of November was in 1991, when we picked up 26.3 inches at the Colorado Springs Airport. With this week's action - and additional (weaker) storms in the medium term horizon, we'll be in the running. In Pueblo, your top 2 totals were:
| #1 | 29.3" | 1946 |
| #2 | 25.6" | 1991 |
All around, impressive values for this time of year. Curious about why? I wrote an article about it here.
On Saturday, high pressure over the eastern US that's been blocking this low from moving begins to break down, and the low will depart. Snow showers continue into early Saturday morning before ending with decreasing clouds Saturday afternoon. Conditions should be OK for the Veteran's Day Parade in Colorado Springs, but it'll still look like a winter wonderland with highs in the low 40s. More calm and comfortable conditions with highs into the 50s greet you on Sunday and Monday. I've got my eye on mid-week for a weak clipper type system...nothing like this week!
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