As another round of wintery weather approaches Colorado, the forecast has solidified to show several feet on the way.
The National Weather Service (NWS) is calling for up to four feet of snow in some select areas (southwest, northwest, and central peaks) through Saturday morning, with big totals likely on most Colorado’s peaks. One small spot outside of Pagosa Springs may even get snow in the range of 48 to 60 inches should the most likely snowfall forecast provided by the NWS occur.
While most snow has missed the Front Range thus far this winter, this round of snow, from Wednesday through Saturday, should hit this part of the state. Snow is expected to fall along the I-25 corridor on Friday afternoon into Saturday morning in the range of a few inches.
See a full forecast map below of the most likely snowfall scenario and keep scrolling for a look at the high-end snow forecast:
This snow forecast map shows the most likely snowfall scenario over the next several days. Map Credit: The National Weather Service.
The high-end forecast shows deeper snow totals accumulating over a much more widespread area, with nearly all of the western half of Colorado getting at least six inches of snow. In addition to the small spot outside of Pagosa Springs that is expected to get snow in the range of 48 to 60 inches in the ‘most likely’ forecast, the high-end forecast also shows snow in the same depth range landing to the southwest of Aspen.
This map shows the high-end snow forecast, which has a 10 percent chance of taking place. Map Credit: National Weather Service.
Strong winds and rapid snowfall are likely to limit visibility in both scenarios, especially over high-elevation mountain passes.
This snowfall comes after some parts of the state got hit with several feet of snow over the past week, causing a big spike in backcountry avalanche risk. The Wolf Creek area got 67 inches of snow over seven days, expected to get at least two additional feet in this wave – maybe significantly more.
Those traveling Colorado should be prepared to encounter dangerous conditions on roadways around the state. A lot of snow will be falling along the I-70 corridor during a busy travel week.
Having these 16 items in your trunk will prove helpful in the event of delays, stranding, or other travel issues.
Stay up-to-date with the latest forecasts and alerts on the National Weather Service website.
This content was originally published here.