Special Weather Statement

10/20/22 Thursday 3 pm
Well, it is not a Winter Storm Watch, not yet anyway. NWS did just issue an SPS (Special Weather Statement). Based on the wording, it means that the issuance of a Winter Storm Watch or a Winter Weather Advisory is imminent. I am still thinking it will be tomorrow.

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT…CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
245 PM MDT THU OCT 20 2022

…FIRST SIGNIFICANT SNOW OF THE SEASON LIKELY FOR THE MOUNTAINS THIS WEEKEND…

COZ004-009-010-012-013-018-019-UTZ023-211300-
ELKHEAD AND PARK MOUNTAINS-GRAND AND BATTLEMENT MESAS- GORE AND ELK MOUNTAINS/CENTRAL MOUNTAIN VALLEYS- WEST ELK AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS-FLAT TOPS-
NORTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS- EASTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF COLUMBINE, HAHNS PEAK, TOPONAS, SKYWAY, ASPEN, VAIL, SNOWMASS, CRESTED BUTTE, TAYLOR PARK, MARBLE, BUFORD, TRAPPERS LAKE, TELLURIDE, OURAY, LAKE CITY, SILVERTON, RICO, HESPERUS, MANILA, AND DUTCH JOHN 


245 PM MDT THU OCT 20 2022

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ARE ON THE WAY FOR THE MUCH OF THE WESTERN COLORADO MOUNTAINS AS WELL AS THE EASTERN UINTAS AS A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. MOISTURE ACROSS THE REGION WILL INCREASE TO NEAR 200% OF NORMAL FOR LATE OCTOBER. THE FRONT WILL BEGIN TO PUSH ACROSS THE AREA ON SATURDAY RESULTING IN WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION INTO SUNDAY. SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS MOISTURE LINGERS ACROSS THE AREA.

THE GREATEST SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR SATURDAY NIGHT AND INTO MIDDAY SUNDAY. THE MOST SNOW WILL FALL AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 9000 FEET, THOUGH SNOW LEVELS MAY DROP TO ELEVATIONS AS LOW AS 6000 FEET ONCE COLDER AIR FILTERS INTO THE AREA. ON AVERAGE THE EASTERN UINTAS AND THE MOUNTAINS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE WILL SEE 5 TO 10 INCHES ABOVE 9000 FEET. LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF A FOOT WILL BE POSSIBLE. ADDITIONALLY, WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 50 MPH IN THE MOUNTAINS COULD LEAD TO REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY IN BLOWING SNOW.

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL FOR THE MOUNTAINS THIS SEASON. SNOW MAY LEAD TO PERIODS OF DIFFICULT TRAVEL IN THE MOUNTAINS. CONDITIONS COULD BECOME TREACHEROUS IN THE BACKCOUNTRY AND SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION FOR HIKERS, HUNTERS AND
OTHER RECREATORS.

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