Tonight's Forecast:
Snow that's been falling in the mountains most of the day will begin to push east into the mountain valleys, Teller County and the upper Arkansas River Valley early this evening. As the night progresses, a cold front will drop in from the north, setting the stage for a colder and wintry day on Thursday.
Changes will become more widespread after midnight, as a rain/snow mix pushes into the I-25 corridor. Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings are already in effect across the mountains and mountain valleys, and will go into effect after midnight for Teller County as well as western Fremont County. All winter weather related storm alerts will remain in effect for at least the next 12-24 hours.
Colorado Springs forecast: Low: 32; High: 34; Windy and cold on Thursday, with near steady temperatures expected throughout the day behind tonight's potent cold front. It looks to be a heavy, wet spring storm, with a trace to 2" for the Pikes Peak Region.
Pueblo forecast: Low: 36; High: 39; Windy, with a rain/snow mix throughout the day, with snow winding down by mid-afternoon. Temperatures will hold steady in the 30s during the day, with peak wind gusts to 45 mph. Due to melting and above freezing temps, snow totals should stay under 1", and stay confined to grassy surfaces.
Canon City forecast: Low: 33; High: 36; Heavier snow is likely for Canon City compared to Pueblo and Colorado Springs on Thursday as most of the energy stays focused west of I-25 this time around. Snow totals in and around town are expected to range between 2-4".
Woodland Park forecast: Low: 25; High: 28; After a gorgeous and mild Wednesday, brace yourselves Teller County for a rude reminder that winter is still hanging on! Thursday will be windy, cold and snowy, with storm totals between 3-5".
Tri-Lakes forecast: Low: 10s/20s; High: 20s/30s; Old Man Winter will return on Thursday following the passage of a powerful cold front late Wednesday night. Behind the front, snow will begin to fall, with more on the way through at least midday Thursday. On top of 2-3" of new snow, wind gusts could top 40-50 mph across the Palmer Divide.
Plains forecast: Low: 20s/30s; High: 30s; Windy and much colder for the Plains on Thursday, and while snow accumulations shouldn't be much of a problem for our state's eastern counties, a few spots could collect up to 1" on grassy surfaces.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: Low: 20s/30s; High: 30s; After the warmest day of the year on Wednesday, we're looking at around 30-40 degrees of cooling and a return to snow on Thursday. An early morning mix of rain and snow will give way to all snow by mid morning, with snow continuing into Thursday evening. Snow totals from 2-6".
Mountains forecast: Low: 10s/20s; High: 10s/20s; Out state's southeastern mountains will all be under Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories through late Thursday night. With up to 12-18" of new snow in some areas on Thursday, mountain travel is not recommended for the next 24-36 hours unless absolutely necessary.
Extended outlook forecast:
As the storm clears out by late Thursday night, your St. Patrick's Day forecast this year looks dry, but cold. Daytime highs in the Plains will only warm into the 30s and low 40s. Another disturbance Saturday night could bring a few light rain and snow showers to the Plains, and more snow to the mountains. On Sunday, the best coverage looks to push back west into the high country.
A warming and drying trend is expected by early next week in the Plains, with more mountain snow. That's great news for Spring Break skiers and snowboarders visiting our state!
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Curious about the First Alert 5 Weather Storm Impact Scale? Check out our cheatsheet explainer.
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