Afternoon showers possible through midweek
Sunday, May 27, 2018
A large and weakening storm loitering in the Great Basin this weekend will finally move to the northeast and graze the Steamboat Springs area through the early week period. Lobes of energy and moisture will continue to rotate around the storm, and one has dragged a weak cool front through our area today, with another stronger one forecast for Memorial Day. The atmosphere should remain quite dry today even in the presence of some clouds, so more wind than rain should be associated with any storms this afternoon.
But a better chance of some wetting rains will exist for the Memorial Day afternoon and evening as the storm moves very near to our area and brings a cooler day with seasonable temperatures.
Showers will again be possible on Tuesday as still cool, moist and eventually unstable northwest flow sets up over northern Colorado behind the departing storm.
Ahead of another Pacific storm approaching the West Coast early in the work week, the flow turns from northwest to southwest on Wednesday and temperatures rise to above normal again. A subtropical wave will move over Colorado and increase the chances of some warm Wednesday afternoon and evening storms.
Meanwhile, the Pacific storm is forecast to cross the West Coast midweek, and breezy southwest flow ahead of the storm will bring very warm and dry conditions to Colorado on Thursday and Friday.
Unlike the previous three storms, this once is not expected to stall over the Great Basin, and is forecast to graze northern Colorado early next weekend. The strength of the storm by the time it passes near our area is in question, so there may or may not be some noticeably cool air and the possibility of afternoon showers for the weekend.
