Weekend storms could bring snow showers to Western Slope mountains 

After a week of sunny and warm autumn weather, meteorologists are forecasting a series of weekend storms that could bring a mix of rain and snow to Colorado’s mountains.

The slow-moving storm is expected to be strongest in the southwest corner of the state, according to forecasts from OpenSnow, though northern and central mountains can still expect some light snow over the weekend and into the week of Oct. 12.

The stormy weather is forecast to arrive on Saturday, Oct. 10, for most Western Slope towns, with a moderate chance of rain and thunderstorms beginning in the afternoon despite partly sunny skies. Winds could get as high as 25 miles per hour for some mountain towns, including Vail, Steamboat Springs and Rifle.

Showers are forecast to last through the night and into Sunday, with thunderstorms possible after noon. Weekend temperatures could drop by 10 degrees compared to earlier this week, with highs ranging from the low- to mid-60s.

Although the storm could bring more winter-like temperatures to the Western Slope during the week of Oct. 12, chances of warmer-than-normal temperatures could return during the second half of October, according to National Weather Service Meteorologist Kris Sanders. 

When will Western Slope mountains see snow?

Sanders said some Western Slope mountains could see high-elevation snow on Saturday and Sunday, though it likely won’t be more than a light dusting on the mountain peaks.

Because the storm will be anchored in southwest Colorado, the highest chances of colder temperatures and precipitation to the other mountains — and therefore, snow — will likely arrive during the second half of next week, according to OpenSnow Founding Meteorologist Joel Gratz.

The region’s snow level — the elevation where precipitation transitions from snow to rain — is forecast to dip from around 12,000 feet to 10,000 feet on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Wednesday night could bring snow to elevations as low as 8,500 feet, Sanders said.

Mountain towns including Aspen, Breckenridge and Vail could see some higher-elevation snow showers on Wednesday as a result of the cooling temperatures and consistent precipitation, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service.

While several higher-elevation mountains could see around 1 inch of snow in the days after Oct. 15, some southwestern and central mountains could see closer to 6 inches, according to OpenSnow.

Several Colorado ski resorts — including Arapahoe Basin, Winter Park Resort and Keystone Resort — have announced openings in October, with actual dates dependent on weather and snowmaking conditions.

“Some want to do the end of the month. Good luck,” Sanders said. “We’ll see what we get out of this (storm); it could get the races going.”