Heavy snow to follow above-normal warmth in the Colorado Rockies
While only a handful of ski resorts have opened in the Colorado high country so far, many will receive a hearty helping of snow from Mother Nature this week.
"A developing storm system will continue to bring accumulating snow to parts of the southern Rockies through most of Wednesday," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Isaac Longley.
Following unseasonable warmth on Monday, temperatures plummeted across the region on Tuesday. This cooler air allowed precipitation to fall as mainly snow.
Precipitation started as rain across some lower elevations, including Denver and Colorado Springs during Tuesday afternoon, before changing to snow.
Snow remained light enough in Denver and Colorado Springs to prevent any accumulation or travel troubles during Tuesday night. However, several inches of snow has already accumulated over the higher terrain.
"Although the system is moving relatively quickly, some locations will receive snowfall accumulations of 6-12 inches by the time the snow comes to an end on Wednesday," Longley said.
"This is good news for skiers and snowboarders as this snowfall will be ideal for building up the base on the ski slopes before winter ramps up."
Skiers will be glad to know that resorts such as Arapahoe Basin and Loveland, both of which are already open for the season, are set to receive fresh snow this week. While Breckenridge, Keystone and Copper resorts can expect snow, they are not scheduled to open until early- to mid-November according to OnTheSnow.com.
Snow will not be as plentiful at resorts farther north and west such as Steamboat Springs and Telluride, so their late-November opening dates are unlikely to budge.
Other adventure areas such as Rocky Mountain and Great Sand Dunes National Parks are forecast to receive several inches of fresh snow through Wednesday morning as well.
Anyone heading into snowy areas should make sure their vehicle is prepared for the snowy conditions. Slick roads, low visibility and chain restrictions at passes could make travel through the mountains slow and difficult.
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