Summit County Citizens Voice

Weather change coming, details uncertain

A Gulf of Alaska low will start to move toward western Colorado later this week.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — All those snow dances and sacrificial bonfires could pay off late this week as the weather pattern across North America looks to flip-flop, with high pressure in the West giving way to a broad Pacific trough that promises to bring widespread precipitation to the region.

But it’s too early to tell exactly where the snow will fall. For now, the forecast models are predicting that a vigorous cold front will cross Colorado Friday night into Saturday, bringing the best chance for snow.

Until then, seasonable to warmer-than-average temperatures will prevail across the high country, with Tuesday and Wednesday likely to be the warmest days, with highs in the mid-50s, potentially flirting with record territory mid-week.

Nighttime lows will hover in the upper teens to mid-20s. High clouds the past few nights have prevented dramatic radiational cooling, so morning temps have been running above average.

The pattern change will begin Wednesday as a Gulf of Alaska low pressure starts to move into the Great Basin. Ahead of the system, the flow will be from the Southwest, bringing the warm temperatures mid-week.

Beyond that, the forecast models are showing some subtle differences that could be important for Summit County. If the trough splits, as sometimes happens during El Niños, it’s possible that the bulk of the energy could pass to the north and south of the I-70 corridor.

Stay tuned …

Filed under: climate and weather, Snow and weather, Summit County snow and weather Tagged: | Breckenridge snow, Colorado, Colorado snow, Colorado weather, El Nino, Gulf of Alaska, Keystone snow, winter storms