Tonight's Forecast:
A powerful cold front for early September standards will blow into Southern Colorado late tonight. At the onset, this front will bring significant winds to the area. High Wind Warnings have been issued for El Paso, Pueblo, Crowley and Otero counties. Gusts in these areas could reach 55-65 mph.
Moisture will start to increase through the overnight hours as rain moves in from the north into northern parts of the Pikes Peak Region by daybreak Tuesday. As the cold air settles in, snow will begin to mix in across Teller County and the Palmer Divide by very early Tuesday morning.
COLORADO SPRINGS: Low: 34; High: 37. Temperatures will hold steady in the middle 30s on Tuesday, and then drop down to the 20s by Tuesday night. A rain/snow mix will develop throughout the day, but should change to all snow by Tuesday afternoon. The heaviest bands of snow will be possible from Tuesday evening through early Wednesday morning.
PUEBLO: Low: 40; High: 45. Temperatures will take a big nose dive on Tuesday behind a cold front that rolls into Pueblo County just after midnight. This will set the stage for a cold and windy day, with rain showers early giving way to snow by late Tuesday afternoon and evening.
CANON CITY: Low: 43; High: 46. A much colder day for our Tuesday as a taste of winter arrives a little prematurely. Our weather on Tuesday will be windy, with a rain/snow mix. The best chances for accumulating snowfall will take place Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning.
WOODLAND PARK: Low: 27; High: 32. Windy during the overnight hours before turning cold and snowy on Tuesday. Heaviest bursts of snow are expected from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning. Some parts of Teller County could see more than a foot of snow.
TRI-LAKES: Low: 20s/30s; High: 30s. The cold front is expected to push into the Palmer Divide around 10 pm, and the winds associated with this front will be strong and gusty. A High Wind Warning will remain in effect here until 7 am. A rain/snow mix will start to develop after midnight, and should turn to all snow by Tuesday morning.
PLAINS: Low: 30s/40s; High: 40s. If you haven't been paying close attention to the forecast, Tuesday's weather will come as a big shock to the system. We'll see periods of rain on Tuesday, with a mix or rain and snow by Tuesday night.
WALSENBURG/TRINIDAD: Low: 30s; High: 40s. Cold and windy on Tuesday, with rain showers early turning to a rain/snow mix and eventually changing over to all snow by Tuesday afternoon and evening. The heaviest snow is likely from late Tuesday into very early Wednesday.
Extended Outlook:
Snow showers will linger into Wednesday, with most of the heavier snow wrapping up by Wednesday morning. Snow totals will be the highest over the mountains, Raton Mesa, Palmer Divide and Pikes Peak Region. Some mountain areas could see more than a foot of snow. Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories will cover a large part of the News 5 viewing area from Tuesday morning through noon Wednesday.
Snow may have a hard time sticking below 7,000 feet, at least initially. As snowfall rates increase and the ground cools, we should see snow sticking to at least trees and grassy surfaces as low as 5,000 feet. Since it will be a heavy wet snow, broken tree branches and downed power lines will be a potential impact both during and after the storm.
The other big story will be the cold, with sub-freezing temperatures anticipated both Wednesday and Thursday morning. As the system pulls away from our area on Thursday, a few isolated rain showers will be possible. Eventually, a warmer forecast returns by the weekend as highs return to the 70s and 80s.
