Aspen area in winter weather advisory calling for up to 8 inches of snow by Sunday evening

A blast of winter is expected to hit the Aspen area and drop up to nearly a foot of snow in the Colorado mountains starting early Sunday morning and going into evening, according to a winter weather advisory issued Saturday afternoon.

The National Weather Service is calling for up to 8 inches of snow above 9,000 feet in the northern and central mountains, according to the advisory, which runs from midnight to 6 p.m. Sunday. Along with wind gusts up to 35 mph, travel is expected to be difficult in parts of the state with icy and snowpacked roads.

“Isolated thunderstorm development will be possible this afternoon and early evening ahead of an approaching cold front,” Saturday’s update states. “This strong front will drop through the region overnight and lead to snow accumulations over the many of the western Colorado mountain ranges and some of the valleys. The most significant amounts of 4 to 8 inches are expected in the central and northern mountains ranges above 9,000 feet.”

The cold is expected to last through the week, and daytime highs are predicted to be 10 to 20 degree below normal. Highs in Aspen area predicted in the 30s through Tuesday, with overnight lows in the teens.

“Occasional passing storms will keep a threat of mountain snow and valley rain in the forecast through the week,” according to the NWS’s outlook. “Early growing season freezes in the lower fruit bearing valleys are highly probable with temperatures dropping into the upper 20s.”