Several chances for snow this week
Thursday, March 29, 2018
The active spring weather in Steamboat Springs will continue this week, with chances for snow on Saturday, later Monday and possibly around midweek. These storms will first travel across the Gulf of Alaska and then mix, to varying degrees, with cold air from western Canada that is rotating around a persistent vortex of very cold air over Hudson Bay.
The amount of cold western Canadian air that mixes with the storms will eventually determine the strength of the storms as they travel near or over northern Colorado in generally northwest flow. And, as is usually the case, the weather forecast models disagree on the amount of mixing. More mixing yields stronger storms and a storm track that will be more over our area, similar to today’s storm, which ended up further west, colder and snowier than I forecast last Sunday.
So after the snow showers end this afternoon with minimal additional accumulations, a seasonably warm and pleasant Friday will be followed by our first chance of snow on Saturday. A cool front is dragged through our area early Saturday by the first passing storm, and 1-4” of snow is possible during the day.
Snow showers will end Saturday evening ahead of what is now looking like a nice Easter Sunday.
Monday will start dry, but a second storm again drags a cool front through our area later in the day. The strength and timing of the storm will likely vary with the amount of cold air eventually incorporated from western Canada, so stay tuned to my Sunday forecast for the amount of new snow expected for the Tuesday morning report.
Though Tuesday may start chilly, we should see warming and some sun that will extend into part of Wednesday.
Another storm is possible for around Thursday that may begin snow showers later Wednesday if the current timing is to be believed. But the amount of moisture associated with this storm, as well as the extent of mixing with the cold western Canadian air is very uncertain, so a forecast for that storm will have to wait.
Stop battling cold feet! I’ve used the awesome Hotronic foot warmers from their beginnings, and can honestly say that each iteration of the product is better than the last. I have the S4 custom, attached to my powerstrap so they never fall off, and my toes stay warm for my entire ski day.
