At this time of year we pay more attention than ever to the weather forecast. The perfect alignment of several reliable sources suggest something ominous is about to occur...
CAIC (Colorado Avalanche Information Center)
"Storm systems are going to race across the state until maybe next weekend. Here's the shorter term look.
Currently a 90 to 100 knot jet has nosed over the San Juans where it has been fairly windy today. A bit of a dry slot moved over during the Saturday morning hours, but satellite images show things filling in nicely. Near sunset Saturday we are looking at blizzard conditions favoring the San Juan, West Elks & Elks, Vail Pass to Beaver Creek area (not quite as much for Summit County), plus the Steamboat and Grand Mesa zones.
Onset of snowfall looks to be very rapid and powerful from around 4-7 tonight in favored areas. The jet stream will shift from a westerly flow to a stronger southwest flow, in the 150 knot range for Saturday night. Very strong winds are anticipated Saturday night across the state. With the progressive nature of the pattern look for some drying to begin in the San Juan mid-day Sunday, and this spreading north by mid-to-late-afternoon across the central and northern zones.
It's going to get cold too. Look for high temperatures Sunday to come early in the morning. The jet sags a little ways into NM Sunday and this will help us see an easing in windspeeds, at least temporarily. Next system is progged to move in Monday evening & exit Tuesday mid-day. Another on Wednesday, & another for next weekend."
Forecast: Sat Night 19" - 21", Sun 5" - 7"
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Issued by The National Weather Service
Grand Junction, CO
3:27 pm MST, Sat., Dec. 13, 2008
A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST SUNDAY.
PERIODS OF SNOW... HEAVY AT TIMES... WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL VARY FROM 6 TO 12 INCHES NEAR CRAIG... TO OVER A FOOT NEAR STEAMBOAT SPRINGS AND OAK CREEK. IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY SNOW... SOUTHWEST WINDS FROM 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. THE WINDS WILL SWITCH AROUND TO THE NORTHWEST THIS EVENING... AND DECREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT.
A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
More Information
... MAJOR WINTER STORM IMPACTS THE REGION THROUGH SUNDAY... ... ANOTHER STORM MOVES IN MONDAY AFTERNOON...
.A STRONG AND COLD PACIFIC STORM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN TONIGHT AND INTO WESTERN COLORADO. VERY MOIST AND COLD CONDITIONS WILL SPREAD ACROSS WESTERN COLORADO... WITH WIDESPREAD SNOW EXPECTED OVER THE REGION. IN ADDITION... STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS OUT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW... ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN PASSES.
ANOTHER STRONG PACIFIC STORM MOVES INTO THE REGION MONDAY AFTERNOON... BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY SNOW... WITH THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN COLORADO AND EASTERN UTAH FAVORED.
MOUNTAIN TRAVEL WILL BECOME DANGEROUS OR IMPOSSIBLE STARTING THIS AFTERNOON.
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