Today’s Forecast:
A very unusual pattern has set up once again at the start of the week with areas of rain and snow expected over the next 24 hours.
We'll see a mix of rain and snow across the region during the day today with afternoon snow levels staying pretty higher, generally at or above 7,200 feet. We'll stay very cold all day with highs only in the 40s in the plains and 30s in the higher country.
Rain will turn to snow pretty quickly tonight with snow levels descending all the way down to 5,000 feet or even a bit lower by Tuesday morning. The heaviest snow will fall in northern El Paso and Teller counties, but we could see banding snow across the plains.
Snowstorms in May are often surprising, and weather models have a difficult time dealing with them. The warmer air temperatures usually hold more water which can lead to bigger snow... but it's a lot harder for snow to actually stick to the warm ground.
COLORADO SPRINGS: High: 40; Low: 30. Cloudy and cold today with rain during the day and a quick switch to snow overnight. Snow will continue through Tuesday morning with a general 1 to 3 inches across town. The best accumulations will occur over the higher elevations of town where the air and ground are colder.
PUEBLO: High: 44; Low: 34. Cloudy and cold with rain during the day and a switch to snow overnight through Tuesday morning. Most weather models support snow overnight in Pueblo, but warm ground temperatures and air above freezing tonight will limit snow accumulations. We could see a stray inch in some of the grass and metal surfaces, but most of the pavement won't get cold enough to hold snow.
CANON CITY: High: 43; Low: 35. Much like Pueblo, we'll be cloudy and cold during the day with rain that turns to snow overnight. We're not expecting much snow to actually stick to the ground in and around Canon City, just some grassy and elevated surfaces. Heavier snow is expected south in and around the Wet Mountain towns.
WOODLAND PARK: High: 39; Low: 25. Cold and cloudy with a mix of rain and snow during the day. Any rain will quickly switch to snow overnight and we could see several inches of accumulation through Tuesday morning. Most roadways in Teller county like Highway 24 and 67 will be cold enough to hold snow tonight, so be careful on the overnight and early Tuesday morning commute.
TRI-LAKES: High: 30s; Low: 20s. Cold and cloudy like Colorado Springs and Woodland Park with areas of rain and snow through the daytime. Snow is more likely today and tonight with the elevation of the Tri-Lakes and the overall cold nature of this system. We'll see our best snow accumulations this evening through Tuesday morning, and the pavement should get cold enough to hold snow and slush through the beginning of Tuesday.
PLAINS: High: 40s; Low: 30s. Cloudy and chilly today with areas of rain in the morning and a heavier push of rain through the afternoon and evening. We should get cold enough to support at least some snow tonight, but mostly in areas north of Highway 50. We shouldn't have any problems with the commute overnight since most of the pavement will likely stay at or above freezing.
WALSENBURG/TRINIDAD: High: 40s; Low: 30s. Cloudy and chilly with rain during the day and snow overnight. Warm pavement during the day and night should keep any snow accumulations on the low end from Walsenburg to Trinidad on I-25.
MOUNTAINS: High: 40s; Low: 20s. Areas of rain and snow across the mountains during the daytime but with a quick switch to snow overnight. The heaviest snow will fall over the summits of the Wet Mountains and up into the Front Range, but a few inches could accumulate over the Sangre De Cristos. Be very careful driving in Teller County and northern Fremont county overnight where the heaviest accumulations are expected.
Extended Outlook:
The heaviest snow overnight will subside through Tuesday morning with a bit of a break in the snow and rain by the afternoon. We'll see wrap around rain and snow in the late afternoon Tuesday through the evening but then dry by Wednesday morning.
A few more isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible Wednesday afternoon but mostly in the mountains and the Pikes Peak Region.
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