Snowflakes to Fly Across Parts of Interior West and Beyond

The odds of snow are increasing in some parts of the western U.S. with significant accumulation possible. Here is a look at this chilly and snowy forecast.

Arrival of Cool Air and Moisture Will Support Development of Snow in High Country

An influx of chilly air is going to raise the threat of heavy snow for the higher terrains of the interior West. The snow is expected to begin to fall late Thursday and into the weekend, erasing the heat that has been lingering over the region.

The coldest temperatures of the season will move across the West through Friday and send the mercury plummeting across the Rockies and the Great Basin. Locally heavy snow is possible in higher terrains, giving the ski resorts a possible early season start.

The onset of the chill is welcome news for residents that have grown weary of the extended hot summer for this part of the country. Temperatures between June and August hovered between 3 and 8 degrees over the historical average. The mercury increased even more during the month of September and into October with readings coming in between 5 and 10 degrees above the norm for this time period.

Everything will move the opposite direction this week with temperatures falling to levels that are 5 to 10 degrees below the average for the middle of October. Most communities in the interior West will see the temperatures bounce around at levels more reminiscent of the middle of November.

The cold air circulating in the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere will pair with a slow-moving storm system bringing in moisture from the Pacific Ocean. This moisture is forecast to move inland and result in rain showers for the lower elevations of the West and snow for the higher terrains. Some of the intermediate elevations will see a mix of rain and snow.

The Cascades are likely to see temperatures that are cold enough to support the development of snow over some of its passes. For example, Snoqualmie Pass along Interstate 90 could see a light coating of snow out of this storm. The rain will continue even after the temperatures push well over the freezing mark.

The northerly track of the weather maker will mean that the bulk of the Sierra Nevada will dodge the precipitation. However, the higher terrains in the Intermountain West are expected to pick up snow out of this system. The snow line will dip as far south as Arizona and New Mexico.

Places such as Flagstaff, Arizona are expecting the first flakes of the year. The mountain resort town will see the highest chance of snow on Friday and into Saturday. Snowfall of about an inch is in the forecast Friday night with white stuff switching to rain on Saturday afternoon as the temperatures climb into the mid 40s for a high.

Several inches of snow is possible in elevations between 8,500 and 9,500 feet across Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The intensity will pick up throughout the weekend, giving the area ski resorts a good amount of accumulation.

Forecasters are not predicting that the snow level will fall low enough to give Denver any significant accumulation. Any snow that does fall will be limited to the foothills of the Mile High City on Friday night and into early Saturday. The passes across the Rocky Mountains may see issues in the form of slushy conditions at times throughout the weekend.

As far as Denver proper, the metro area will see highs slip from the mid 70s on Thursday to mid 50s on Friday. By Saturday, the mercury will struggle to break past the 50-degree barrier. The greatest chance of moisture will happen Friday afternoon and through Saturday. Friday will see the strongest winds, coming out of the north at 10 to 20 mph.

Moving to the north along Interstate 25, Cheyenne, Wyoming is predicted to fall from highs in the upper 60s on Thursday to readings that top out in the low 40s on Friday. Rain showers will develop in the afternoon hours along with winds out of the north-northeast at 15 to 25 mph. Higher gusts are possible throughout the day. Temperatures are expected to fall to about the 30-degree mark overnight, creating about an inch of snow accumulation.