Update to the Wednesday storm
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
A quick update this Tuesday morning to increase my expected snowfall for the storm tomorrow. Soon after publishing my Sunday forecast, weather forecast models trended stronger and wetter with the storm. Clouds have already overspread the Steamboat Springs area, and light snow should get started around midnight tonight.
I still expect 1-4” by the Wednesday morning report, but the stronger storm means a stronger push of cool air around noon as the cold front passes, and better northwest flow behind the front that will continue snows through the evening.
Though I hate changing a forecast, mainly because I am exposed to being wrong twice, I now expect 3-6” during the day Wednesday with an additional 1-4” after the lifts close. Even after the front passes, temperatures will not be that cold and the snow will be fairly dense, which should provide a nice cushion for some good skiing by the afternoon.
The next quickly-following storm for later Thursday through Saturday morning is still on track to deliver significant snowfall, along with difficult travel conditions, and I plan to write about that more in my usual Thursday weather narrative.
