A couple of chances of precipitation next week after a nice weekend
Friday, October 7, 2016
Temperatures are rebounding nicely in Steamboat Springs today after a chilly start under clear skies behind the departing storm system. After another chilly start Saturday morning, temperatures will continue to warm through the weekend as a flat ridge moves over the area.
A weak wave moving south of us from the southwestern U.S. may bring some clouds to the area on Sunday, but any precipitation should be confined to southern Colorado.
By Monday, a wave from western Canada will move southward along a sharp and unstable ridge along the Canadian coast and phase with some Pacific energy undercutting the ridge and moving across the desert southwest. Though the cool air from Canada looks to affect mainly the Front Range on Tuesday, increasing moisture and instability ahead of these disturbances brings a chance of precipitation to Steamboat Springs later Monday and especially through Tuesday with likely high snow levels.
At this point, Wednesday is forecast to be dry before more substantial Pacific energy undercuts the rapidly disappearing ridge off the Canadian coast. Though models have trended weaker with the undercutting energy traveling over our area by Thursday, there may still be a chance of showers with high snow levels.
Interestingly, the breakdown of that unstable ridge also allows cool air from western Canada to move westward into the Gulf of Alaska by late in the work week, pumping up a temporary ridge over the Intermountain West and advertising another beautiful weekend. The storm that develops in the Gulf of Alaska over that weekend my affect our weather the following work week.
