Winter storm watch issued for Vail, Eagle County with snow expected to fall through Presidents Day

More snow is on the way to Vail, Beaver Creek and greater Eagle County.

The National Weather Service in Grand Junction issued a winter storm watch Saturday that will last until 5 a.m. Tuesday, the day after Presidents Day. “Total snow accumulations between 9 and 15 inches possible,” the message reads, adding that “travel could be very difficult to impossible.”

Holiday travelers already experienced some of those difficulties this weekend, with a three-hour Vail Pass closure Friday evening and five-hour closure Saturday afternoon, as well as numerous delays and other road incidents across the county. An EC Alert sent at approximately 10:09 a.m. Saturday cited ‘multiple accidents’ and announced a temporary suspension of minor road incident alerts.

Those who made it out onto the mountain were rewarded with deep conditions, as Vail Mountain reported 20″ in the last 48 hours, and Beaver Creek reported 14″ on the MyEpic app. In addition to the on-mountain fun, DJ John Summit surprised skiers with a pop-up at the new Avanti Food and Beverage in Golden Peak Saturday afternoon.

Beyond the storm

Consistent precipitation is expected to outlast the winter storm watch, offering fresh snow for skiers and snowboarders every day throughout the week. Starting Sunday afternoon, “there could be a dusting to an inch or two of new snow accumulation by the last chair,” according to Joel Gratz, founding meteorologist of OpenSnow.com, which at the time of report calls for both Vail and Beaver Creek to receive 18″ of new snow in the five-day forecast. The site predicts Monday and Tuesday will have the larger accumulations this week, followed by some ‘low-end powder’ days Friday and Saturday.

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