Today’s Forecast:
Clouds increase through the day in Southern Colorado as moisture approaches with upper level energy from the west, and a surface low develops to the east. Mountain snow today will be heavy at times - but mainly west of the continental divide in the Sawatch, Elk, Gore, and San Juan ranges. If you do plan to head that direction today, or are coming from a location in instability and mountain forcing will lead to very heavy snow rates of 1-2" per hour with gusty breezes - making for significantly reduced visibility. That energy and moisture reach the Front Range and Southern Colorado later this afternoon around 5:00PM. A spot rain or snow shower is possible in Woodland Park and Rye by around 2PM but we'll mainly see clouds through the afternoon. Additional rain and snow showers will affect Teller County, Freemont County, and areas along US 24 from Woodland Park and west through the evening. The I-25 corridor remains mainly dry outside of a spotty rain shower with wet flakes mixed on the Palmer Divide.
A cold front crosses the area between 7:00PM-10:00PM this evening, which will bring in gusty northerly winds overnight and into Monday.
Colorado Springs forecast: High: 50; Low: 25.
Clouds increase through the day with a slight chance for a spot shower between 4PM-8PM. A more significant chunk of rain and snow will approach late today around 11PM, but this energy will be more impactful to the northern slopes of the hills than for the Springs itself. Winds turn northeasterly this afternoon as low pressure develops to the east leading to wrap around flow. Winds remain weak today though at around 10 mph.
Pueblo forecast: High: 60; Low: 30.
Partly sunny turning mostly cloudy late this afternoon. Winds shift to the east during the afternoon with flow turning upslope due to circulation around low pressure to the east, at 10 mph. A spot stray shower or two, but mainly dry conditions. Overnight, skies clear out for a time as winds become gusty.
Canon City forecast: High: 50; Low: 30.
Mostly sunny during the morning with clouds increasing through the day. Rain showers arrive between 6-7PM, and should be light and short lived. Northwest winds at 10-15 mph.
Woodland Park forecast: High: 50; Low: 20.
Mostly cloudy for much of the day, with some breaks of sun at times. A few snow showers this afternoon, a couple of which will be briefly heavy, without any lasting accumulations. A more significant batch of snow showers move through this evening between 6PM-10PM, while winds begin to increase following a cold front. Blowing snow is possible after midnight.
Tri-Lakes forecast: High: 40s; Low: 20s.
Partly sunny skies through early afternoon then mostly cloudy. Rain showers should hold off until around sunset, with better chances between 5-8 PM tonight. A transition to snow will occur around 10PM but the overnight hours will be more windy than snowy. Snow showers will be ongoing Monday morning.
Plains forecast: High: 60s; Low: 20s.
Mainly sunny this morning - you'll see all the clouds our neighbors in all of the above communities off to your west - with a generally nice day through the mid afternoon. By 6:00PM, moisture and the clouds make it to you, but showers do not.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: High: 60s; Low: 20s.
Skies turn mostly cloudy by 2:00PM as winds turn upslope. With close proximity to a developing surface low, rain and snow showers are possible this afternoon although accumulations are unlikely outside of the mountains during the day.
Mountains forecast: High: 40s; Low: 20s.
Snow today, heavy at times, in short bursts - similar to the duration of a garden variety summer thunderstorm. A couple rumbles of thunder are possible with this snow due to instability in the mid-levels of the atmosphere. Heavy rates of 1-2"/hr are possible at times.
Extended outlook forecast:
Snow and wind impact areas along and north of Highway 24 Monday morning. The heaviest snow will be over the Palmer divide and the north facing slopes and adjacent communities of the Front Range including Woodland Park. Areas to the south - Pueblo, Canon City and Westcliffe, will get the wind but not the snow. This will lead to Monday morning commute impacts across our area. Winds gust 35-45 mph + during the day along the Front Range Corridor, and higher in the Plains (>50 mph) as air races around strengthening low pressure to the east and favorable energy and conditions to our west. The entire system exits Monday night, but winds remain gusty until Tuesday morning. Dry and calm weather then persists Tuesday - Thursday ahead of a snowmaker arriving Friday into the weekend.
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Curious about the First Alert 5 Weather Storm Impact Scale? Check out our cheatsheet explainer.
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