There's snow in Fort Collins forecast this weekend: Will this be last of the season?

Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·3 min read

Snow is in the forecast for Fort Collins for the weekend, possibly the last time flakes will fly until next fall, while the foothills and mountains could see 6 inches and 12 inches, respectively.

Here's a look at the timing of the storm, travel impacts, forecast snowfall totals, Fort Collins' weekend forecast and where Fort Collins stands with snow.

Timing of the snowstorm will impact mountains first, then I-25 corridor

  • There is a winter weather advisory from noon Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday for the central and northern mountains, including western Larimer County and Rocky Mountain National Park, where 5 to 12 inches of snow and up to 50 mph wind gusts are expected with higher snowfall totals and wind at higher elevations.

  • The mountains start to pick up snow Friday afternoon.

  • The Interstate 25 corridor sees rain turning to snow in the evening to overnight.

  • The Eastern Plains to receive rain/snow mix overnight.

Where travel impacts will likely be felt most

  • Interstate 70

  • U.S. Highway 40 from I-70 north to Winter Park

  • Colorado Highway 14 through the upper Poudre Canyon

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Here is a look at forecast snowfall totals

  • Fort Collins: Trace to 3 inches

  • Red Feather Lakes: 4-9 inches

  • Estes Park: 3-6 inches

  • Greeley: Trace to 2 inches

  • Boulder: 1-4 inches

  • DIA: 1-2 inches

  • Denver: Trace to 2 inches

  • Vail Pass: 4 to 11 inches

  • Winter Park: 5 to 10 inches

  • Walden: 2 to 5 inches

Fort Collins weekend forecast

  • Friday: 40% chance of precipitation with little to no snow accumulation. Slight chance of snow before 2 p.m., then a chance of rain from 2 to 5 p.m., then a chance of rain and snow after 5 p.m. High of 52 with west-northwest wind 9 to 14 mph increasing to 16 to 21 mph and gusting to near 30 mph.

  • Friday night: 70% chance of precipitation with an inch of snow possible. Rain and snow likely, becoming all snow after 8 p.m., with northwest wind 12 to 17 mph becoming east-northeast 5 to 10 mph after midnight and gusting to 24 mph. Low of 26.

  • Saturday: 30% chance of snow showers during the day with new snow accumulation less than an inch. Cloudy, with a high near 43 and wind southeast 5 to 8 mph. 20% chance of snow showers after 7 p.m.

  • Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon, gusting to 15 mph.

Where Fort Collins stands with snowfall on the season

  • Fort Collins has received 47.6 inches of snow on the season.

  • The average is 51.4 inches.

  • The city has received 3.6 inches of snow in April, which has a high variance of snow but averages 6.2 inches.

  • Snow is not uncommon in May.

Seven of Fort Collins' 10 largest snowfalls have come March through May

  1. March 18-19, 2003: 32.2 inches

  2. May 5-7, 1978: 27.8 inches

  3. April 15-17, 2013: 22.4 inches

  4. Nov. 2021, 1979: 22.1 inches

  5. Oct. 28-29, 2009: 21.7 inches

  6. April 3-5, 1983: 21.4 inches

  7. March 29-31, 1970: 21.4 inches

  8. April 2-3, 1957: 20.8 inches

  9. April 13-17, 1945: 20.2 inches

  10. Dec. 20-21, 2006: 19.9 inches

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Snow in Fort Collins forecast: How much should you expect?