Colorado Weather: After snow across most of the state this week, the next storm takes aim at southern Colorado
After more than 2 feet of snow for some ski area this week and the biggest January storm in decades in Denver, the next storm is taking aim at a different part of Colorado.
Most neighborhoods around Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins measured 4-8 inches of snow on Tuesday night and Wednesday while totals on the east side of the metro area like Bennett received more than foot of snow. Denver's official snowfall measured at the airport was 9.2 inches which was the most snow in the city in January since 1992.
Colorado's mountains have done even better with snow in the last week. Some ski areas have measured more than 2 feet of snow since last weekend including Purgatory Mountain Resort north of Durango. Some skiers were spotted with snorkels on Wednesday implying there was so much snow they had to swim through it.
The result of all the mountain snow is continually improving snowpack numbers. Seven of Colorado's eight major river basins are above normal and the below normal basin (the Arkansas River basin) has been showing improvement.
The Arkansas basin should see additional improvement in the coming days as the next storm heading for Colorado takes aim at the southeast quadrant of the state. The Pueblo, La Junta, Lamar, Trinidad, Burlington, and Springfield areas are under a Winter Storm Watch from Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon for 5-10 inches of snow. Most of the snow will fall Friday night and will help a region that has missed most of the recent snow.
At this time, the Denver metro area is expected to see nothing more than flurries or light snow showers without accumulation late Friday. Areas closer to Monument Hill could see minor accumulation.
Meanwhile, temperatures will remain colder than normal both during the day and a night through next week in the Denver metro area.
