San Juan Mountains Weather: Models Suggest More Snow

28 Jan San Juan Mountains Weather: Models Suggest More Snow

The familiar January dome of high pressure is breaking down with several Pacific storms entering the Rockies on NW flow.  Beginning tomorrow the northern and central Colorado mountains will see a change in weather with the first impulse of the trough, but the San Juans probably won’t see much action until sometime later Thursday and even then depending on which model you want to go with (because they are definitely not in agreement) the WNW San Juans should receive the most snow from these systems.

Early Friday through early Saturday morning looks to be the best chance for precip in the San Juans when the flow becomes more zonal (due West flow) with slight southwest flow.  Also the cold front timing will influence the snow production.   Most of the models have the front setting up in the central mountains, but several show the front further north and south in the San Juans.  Take your pick.  You can expect enhanced snow fall wherever it does set up so stay tuned for the developing story.  This is a warm storm so we will probably have sleet/rain and some snow in the lower valley’s. The favored higher locations above 11,000′ could see 12″ or more.

Early next week another storm system could organize in southern Colorado, N. Arizona & New Mexico.  Models show the San Juans benefiting from this southern storm.