Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

**jgoldsmith729** · 12-07-2009, 12:34 PM

anything new from up in the i70 corridor? I am planning on driving up tonight to vail/beav at around 9pm for tmrw.

**Rontele** · 12-07-2009, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by jgoldsmith729

anything new from up in the i70 corridor? I am planning on driving up tonight to vail/beav at around 9pm for tmrw.

radar returns are non-existant. don't think its snowing there.

**jon turner** · 12-07-2009, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by Rontele

radar returns are non-existant. don't think its snowing there.

I drove Boulder-Leadville this morning. It was not snowing. Road was damp but not really snowy or icy except over Fremont and in Leadville. Boulder has more snow on the ground than Leadville at the moment.

**montanaskier** · 12-07-2009, 01:13 PM

snowing in Eagle and Gypsum, probably 3 or 4" on the ground. Was not snowing at the house up valley this morning. Maybe up on the hills but not on the valley floor. The best snow for Vail will be tonight and tomorrow. 6-8" is my guess. They did report 3 this morn and 4 at the Beav.

**goldenboy** · 12-07-2009, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by raymonster

Its fizzling pretty hard in CB right now. Small flakes but coming down at a good clip. Supposed to ramp up around mid-day, heaviest snow tonight.

I wouldn't call it fizzling at all. Getting a donut hole would be fizzling, the moderate consistent snow so far is decent, and hopefully it cranks up soon. Liking the lack of wind so far.

**FLskibum** · 12-07-2009, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by jgoldsmith729

anything new from up in the i70 corridor? I am planning on driving up tonight to vail/beav at around 9pm for tmrw.

A quick look at this http://www.cotrip.org/device.htmshows somewhat snowy roads for your whole drive except through summit county... and no it will not snow in summit county EVER so you WILL be fine for those 15 minutes of the drive... but Vail Pass could get sketchy real quick later tonight.

**gratzo** · 12-07-2009, 02:04 PM

Yeah...looks like the 3-4 at BC/Vail was yesterday's storm. It's snowing on the mtn at Vail, but not very hard. I usually look at the Wildwood webcam to determine snow intensity. If you can see across the bowl, it's not snowing hard at all. If you can see to the bottom of the bowl, maybe it's snowing 1/4"-1/3" per hour. When you can only see the closest tree, then it's nuking (1"+/hr).

**Crampedon** · 12-07-2009, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by gratzo

Yeah...looks like the 3-4 at BC/Vail was yesterday's storm. It's snowing on the mtn at Vail, but not very hard. I usually look at the Wildwood webcam to determine snow intensity. If you can see across the bowl, it's not snowing hard at all. If you can see to the bottom of the bowl, maybe it's snowing 1/4"-1/3" per hour. When you can only see the closest tree, then it's nuking (1"+/hr).

Good call, what I don't like to see is the grass still sticking up!

**fastfroggy** · 12-07-2009, 03:02 PM

monarch has taken a turn for the better ....

**gratzo** · 12-07-2009, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by fastfroggy

monarch has taken a turn for the better ....

I think Zappa's image is old...if the lack of snow cover doesn't give it away, the flakes do...don't think they are that big yet, only down at Wolf Creek. Btw, the WC webcam just made me [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pXfHLUlZf4"]YouTube- Jizz In My Pants[/ame].

**gratzo** · 12-07-2009, 03:48 PM

2pm update at Wolf Creek shows 23" in about 15 hours (started snowing around midnight-ish). Snow should only get heavier through Tuesday AM.

Not easy to sit here in my cube...

**gratzo** · 12-07-2009, 03:56 PM

Ok, sorry for all the posts - just getting excited. This storm is dumping at about a 10:1 (maybe 11:1) ratio, according to Schofield Pass and according to the Middle Creek SNOTEL.

Also, Eagle (according to the airport webcam) and the Douglas Pass webcam are showing good snow. I think this points out the major influence of orographics, since these two areas are not terribly "shadowed" by upstream mountain ranges with a SW or WSW wind direction.

Who's going to Wolf Creek? I've never been... Is it steep enough to play in 40-60"?

**jong_luc_picard** · 12-07-2009, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by gratzo

Not easy to sit here in my cube...

even more painful to be sitting at home with not much work to do and even less chance of getting down to the san juans.

maybe if jeffco gets slammed overnight theyll close county offices and schools and i can convince the wife that we need to drive 5 hours in sketchy conditions to slay our first pow turns of the season.

is wolf creek the only place claiming 100% open right now? i havent looked at telluride / durango / silverton but i dont think any of them were claiming 100% last week...

**JoeStrummer** · 12-07-2009, 04:05 PM

Besides gambling and pornography (and of course my family) I am also thankful for weather geeks! Bless you all for working to distill those masses of squiggles and waves into something my addled brain may appreciate.

Headed up tomorrow if someone wants to rideshare from Morrison. We can talk about the weather, just so nobody yells at me for not posting this in Hook-Up.

**goldenboy** · 12-07-2009, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by gratzo

Who's going to Wolf Creek? I've never been... Is it steep enough to play in 40-60"?

No. Still fun to be in a place that's getting hammered like that, though.

**montanaskier** · 12-07-2009, 05:41 PM

forecasts for teh vail zone are now like 5-10. That sounds about right to me. Been snowing in Eagle/Gypsum all day but VERY small light snow. Maybe got an ince additional all day. The Mrs. says it is snowing at home in Vail now but the same kind of little stuff. That webcam shot of WC is ridiculous. At least we're getting something up here, not WC kinda snow but something. A foot would make everyone feel a little better. The rest of the week looks unsettled but next week looks like a ridge builds in again. Get after it San Juan boys and girls.

**Rontele** · 12-07-2009, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by montanaskier

forecasts for teh vail zone are now like 5-10. That sounds about right to me.

where did you see that?

**montanaskier** · 12-07-2009, 05:48 PM

Tonight: Snow. Low around 12. Southwest wind between 5 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Tuesday: Snow. High near 20. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west southwest between 20 and 25 mph. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Tuesday Night: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 4. Wind chill values as low as -15. West wind between 10 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

**MakersTeleMark** · 12-07-2009, 05:49 PM

I'm getting excited, not montanaskier excited, but a little happy in the pants to ski some real pow. Looking forward to trading the sploaders for lhasas.

Looks like it's going to get real cold again:

**Rontele** · 12-07-2009, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by montanaskier

Tonight: Snow. Low around 12. Southwest wind between 5 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Tuesday: Snow. High near 20. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west southwest between 20 and 25 mph. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Tuesday Night: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 4. Wind chill values as low as -15. West wind between 10 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

That is at 8250. Do a real point forecast

Late Afternoon: Snow. High near 18. Breezy, with a southwest wind around 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.

Tonight: Snow. Low around 7. Wind chill values as low as -10. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 15 and 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 5 to 9 inches possible.

Tuesday: Snow. High near 12. Wind chill values as low as -15. Windy, with a southwest wind 20 to 25 mph increasing to between 30 and 35 mph. Winds could gust as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible.

Tuesday Night: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around -2. Wind chill values as low as -25. Breezy, with a west wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

**Name Redacted** · 12-07-2009, 05:51 PM

This has got to be good for somebody

http://www.goes.noaa.gov/GIFS/WCI8.JPG

**PowTron** · 12-07-2009, 06:03 PM

^^^^ that is what I am talking about...let's hope for the heavy side up around 25+" to cover up some of the crap at Vail and the Beav.

I am seriously considering a road trip in the middle of the night to get to Wolf Creek.

**Name Redacted** · 12-07-2009, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by PowTron

I am seriously considering a road trip in the middle of the night to get to Wolf Creek.

So is every other skier in Colorado. That place is gonna be packed tomorrow. Up to 5 feet!!!! Here that the road might close soon, better hurry.

I'll be at loveland......

**Cross** · 12-07-2009, 06:13 PM

When I got to Sunlight at 4am there was about 1.5" on the ground with light snow falling. It started coming down heavy with nice big flakes around 5:30 and continued to fall on and off all day. When I left the mountain around 3pm there was 6-7" of new snow.