Could upcoming storms push some of Colorado’s mountains to above-average snowpack levels? There’s a chance.
Curtis DeVore/Copper Mountain Resort
Colorado’s statewide snowpack is currently at 96% of the 30-year average, and storms in the forecast could push it closer to 100%.
While a majority of the snow is slated to arrive early next week, experts are predicting snowfall varying from 1 to 3 inches for many of Colorado’s ski resorts over the course of the next couple days.
The National Weather Service’s Jim Kalina said that Summit, Eagle and Grand counties could get a dusting of snow — around 1 inch — before the weekend hits. Since there is a predicted snow-water ratio of 18:1, he anticipates this will be pretty dry snow.
According to Kalina, the weekend could get a bit cooler, dropping to around the mid- to upper-20s, yet it will remain fairly sunny until Monday. He said higher elevation areas could get 25-35 mph winds, noting “This is going to make it a bit cooler up there for skiers.”
Meteorologist-run blog OpenSnow is predicting that the ski resorts in Summit, Eagle and Grand Counties could get 2-3 inches before the weekend hits.
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Kalina said a storm system moving in early next week is expected to bring favorable conditions to those looking to hit the ski slopes.
The Colorado Headwaters Basin — including the northern and central mountain regions as well as parts of the Western Slope — is currently at 97% of the 30-year median. In terms of whether or not it will push the Colorado Headwaters Basin up to 100% snowpack, Kalina said “It looks like a pretty good storm, so it could bump it up a little bit to be in that kind in of range.”
He said the Summit County area could get anywhere from 6-12 inches of snow by Wednesday night.
OpenSnow is reporting that Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, Vail Mountain Resort and Loveland Ski Area could each get around 9 inches by Wednesday night. Winter Park Resort, Copper Mountain Resort and Breckenridge Ski Resort are all slated to get around 8 inches. Beaver Creek is anticipated to claim the most snow in Summit, Eagle and Grand counties by Wednesday night with an expected 12 inches heading its way.
Steamboat Ski Resort — an outlier that isn’t in the Colorado Headwaters Basin — is in the Yampa-White-Little Snake River Basin, which is currently at 105% of the 30-year median for snowpack. The resort is slated to get 13 inches of snow by Wednesday night.
According to OpenSnow, some of Colorado’s most western ski resorts are going to benefit the most from this upcoming storm. Crested Butte Mountain Resort is slated to receive 19 inches, Aspen Mountain Ski Resort is expected to receive 18 inches, and Purgatory Ski Resort is predicted to receive 21 inches.
The USDA National Resources Conservation Service reported that The Colorado Headwaters Basin generally reaches its snowpack peak around April 12, and the Yampa-White-Little Snake River Basin generally reaches its snowpack peak around April 7.
This story is from SummitDaily.com
Kit Geary can be reached at kgeary@SummitDaily.com.
