Snow and colder temperatures return to Colorado’s mountains this week. Forecasters say it will likely make for adverse travel conditions.

Meteorologists say last week’s “false” spring won’t stick around much longer as consistent snowfall approaches the region. 

National Weather Service meteorologist Russell Danielson said forecasts show this week’s snow is expected to start Sunday afternoon, but not much will stick given higher temperatures and the high water concentration the snow is anticipated to have.

He said Monday will be the calm before the storm, with no snow in the forecast before things pick back up that night. While temperatures Monday will remain at around 40 degrees during the day, temperatures are expected plummet once the sun goes down.

A cold front will be on its way Monday night, and just as that comes through there could be snowfall rates of up to three inches per hour. 

Danielson said people should expect some travel impacts Tuesday morning because conditions are sure to make for icy roads.

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“Especially up by Berthoud and Eisenhower Tunnel with those heavy snowfall rates occurring at night, the snow will accumulate on the roadways. It will make it snow-covered and slick, slowing down traffic for any travelers especially continuing into Tuesday morning, which would impact people trying to either get to work or go to skiing,” he said. 

With temperatures anticipated to remain in the high teens to low 20s most nights this week, travel risks due to icy roads will likely remain throughout the week during nights and early mornings, he said. 

Meteorologist-founded weather app OpenSnow is forecasting some significant accumulations for this time of year for the local ski resorts on Tuesday.

According to OpenSnow, Copper Mountain could get as much as 8 inches of snow on Tuesday. The app predicts that Arapahoe Basin Ski Area and Loveland Ski Area could receive up to 7 inches of snowfall Tuesday, Breckenridge Ski Resort could get as much as 6 inches and Keystone Ski Resort could get 5 inches. Arapahoe Basin is expected to get the strongest wind, with OpenSnow meteorologists predicting 30 miles per hour winds around 9 a.m. when the resort opens. 

While there’s less snow anticipated to accumulate on Wednesday, cold air coming into the weather system will make the snow more powdery than the snow coming earlier in the week, Danielson said.

OpenSnow forecasts Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain and Loveland Ski Area could get 3 inches on Wednesday, while Breckenridge Ski Resort could get 2 inches and Keystone Resort 1 inch. OpenSnow’s forecast shows ski resorts in Eagle County making out even better on Tuesday and Wednesday with Beaver Creek Resort getting as much as 8 inches on Tuesday and 4 inches on Wednesday. Vail Ski Resort is expected to get around 7 inches on Tuesday and 4 inches on Wednesday. 

Danielson said the National Weather Service “doesn’t anticipate anything major” from a storm Thursday which could bring around an inch of snow to most ski areas.

“Once we get into next weekend, potentially Saturday and Sunday, we’re looking at the potential for a much stronger system,” he said. 

According to OpenSnow, Keystone Resort could get as much as 3 inches on both Friday and Saturday to close out its 2024-2025 season, which ends April 6. Loveland Ski Area has a nearly identical forecast, while Arapahoe Basin is expected to get 3 inches on Friday and 4 on Saturday. Both Copper Mountain and Breckenridge Ski Resort are also slated to get 3 inches on Friday and Saturday. 

Steamboat Ski Resort is slated to get the second-most snow out of any resort in the High Country this week with an anticipated 17 inches total, around 9 of which will fall on Tuesday. Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort is also expected to get 9 inches on Tuesday, and the highest total accumulation at 18 inches.

This story is from SummitDaily.com

Kit Geary can be reached at kgeary@SummitDaily.com.