Showers today and Monday followed by dry weather
Sunday, May 3, 2020
Some weak showers have passed over the Steamboat Springs area this Sunday afternoon, with partly sunny skies reappearing after the showers passed. After another couple of rounds of showers tonight and Monday, we’ll see dry weather through the work week despite several surges of cool air.
A wave of Pacific energy and moisture currently to our west will pass over our area tonight, quickly followed by a trailing wave Monday morning. While we may be done with the showers during today’s daylight hours, we should see them pick up again tonight as the small storm moves through. Our best chance of showers look to occur between midnight and early Monday afternoon before the disturbance passes. And contrary to the normal daily rhythm of morning sun and afternoon showers, Monday looks to have morning showers and mid to late-afternoon sun.
A ridge of high pressure tries to build over the northern Rockies behind the storm, though a piece of the departing storm that was hung up well to our north is forecast to slide down the east side of the nascent ridge and drag a weak and dry cool front through our area Monday night. So we should see daytime highs on Tuesday around our 60 F average with plenty of sun.
Wednesday and Thursday should see some bluebird skies as very dry air moves overhead and temperatures warm to around the mid-sixties.
Another incoming Pacific storm is forecast to plow through the ridge of high pressure over the Rockies, forcing it to reform further west along the West Coast for the end of the work week and Mother’s Day weekend. This storm, as well as several disturbances behind it, will graze our area on Friday and Saturday as they move southeastward along the eastern side of the ridge.
While the current forecast looks dry as these waves bring the coldest air and best precipitation to our east, there is always the possibility of a westward shift in the storm track which would would bring showery and cool weather to our area for those days.
Fortunately, Mother’s Day is currently forecast to be beautiful with dry skies and warming temperatures. The nice weather looks to persist into Monday before we may see a pattern change around Tuesday as incoming Pacific energy and moisture undercut the West Coast ridge and bring the storm track back over our area.
