Colorado's northern mountains to see first big snow of the season

Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan
Updated ·3 min read

Colorado's northern mountain leaf peeping show came to an abrupt end Wednesday with a storm bringing strong wind followed by up to a foot of snow.

Here's a look at:

  • The timing of Colorado's first major snowstorm of the season.

  • Highways impacted by the storm.

  • Forecast snowfall totals.

  • The Fort Collins forecast, which doesn't include snow but does include a low temperature Friday night that would damage plants and sprinkler systems.

Fort Collins under freeze watch

The National Weather Service has issued a freeze watch for Fort Collins to Castle Rock and much of the Eastern Plains late Friday to early Saturday with temperatures plummeting to 25 degrees.

Winter weather advisory issued for northern mountains, including Larimer County

The National Weather Service has issued the advisory for 6 p.m. Wednesday through 6 a.m. Friday. This includes the higher elevation of western Larimer County, Rocky Mountain National Park, Medicine Bow Range and Park Range mountains.

Rocky Mountain National Park closed Trail Ridge Road around 3 p.m. Wednesday at Rainbow Curve on the east and Miler Pass on the west due to the incoming storm.

The heaviest snow is expected above 9,000 feet Thursday afternoon and evening.

Expect travel impacts due to blowing snow on these highways

  • U.S. Highway 14, especially near Cameron Pass.

  • U.S. Highway 34 (Trail Ridge Road) through Rocky Mountain National Park.

  • U.S. Highway 40, especially in the Rabbit Ears Pass area.

  • Interstate 70, especially in the Vail Pass area.

Some of these forecast snowfall totals are impressive for October

  • Cameron Pass: 8-16 inches

  • Upper Trail Ridge Road: 6-11 inches

  • Rabbit Ears Pass: 5-12 inches

  • Eisenhower Tunnel: 5-10 inches

  • Berthoud Pass: 5-10 inches

  • Gould: 5-9 inches

  • Grand Lake: 2-5 inches

  • Steamboat Springs: 1-4 inches

  • Rustic: 1-3 inches

Fort Collins weather forecast threatens tender annual flowers and vegetables Friday

Wednesday: 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 72 degrees. Breezy with wind west-southwest 11 to 16 mph in the morning, gusting to as high as 26 mph in the afternoon. Low around 44 degrees

Thursday: 50% chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53 degrees and windy with west-northwest wind 9 to 19 mph increasing to 21 to 31 mph and gusting to as high as 47 mph. Low around 38 degrees.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55 degrees and windy with a north-northwest wind 15 to 25 mph, gusting to 38 mph. Low around 28 degrees.

Saturday (CSU homecoming): Mostly sunny, with a high near 58 degrees and low around 34 degrees.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 67 degrees and low around 37 degrees.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado's northern mountains to see first big snow of the season