Friday Afternoon Update–Winter Storm Watches Issued

10/21/22 Friday 3:45 pm

Before I begin, I updated the prize list for the 2022 Contest. If you have not had a chance to check it out click here: 2022 Contest The Largest Ever–Updated 10/21/22

The NWS ended up going the Winter Storm Watch route today. We will see how they handle the wording tomorrow. It is apparent that the NWS favors the European model for this storm.

Grand Junction

URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
310 PM MDT FRI OCT 21 2022

COZ004-009-010-012-013-018-019-UTZ023-221015-
/O.NEW.KGJT.WS.A.0008.221023T0300Z-221024T1200Z/
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, ASPEN,
VAIL, SNOWMASS, CRESTED BUTTE, TAYLOR PARK, MARBLE, BUFORD, TRAPPERS LAKE, TELLURIDE, OURAY, LAKE CITY, SILVERTON, RICO, HESPERUS (MAYDAY) , MANILA, AND DUTCH JOHN
310 PM MDT FRI OCT 21 2022

…WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT…

* WHAT…HEAVY SNOW IS POSSIBLE. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 7 TO 14 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. WINDS COULD GUST
AS HIGH AS 55 MPH.

* WHERE…PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST, SOUTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL COLORADO AND NORTHEAST UTAH.

* WHEN…FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT.

* IMPACTS…TRAVEL COULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE. PATCHY BLOWING SNOW COULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE VISIBILITY, ESPECIALLY ON RIDGE TOPS. STRONG WINDS COULD CAUSE TREE DAMAGE.

Pueblo (Wolf Creek)

URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
307 PM MDT FRI OCT 21 2022

COZ060-066-068-220515-
/O.NEW.KPUB.WS.A.0009.221023T0300Z-221024T1200Z/
EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET-
LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FEET-
EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FEET-
307 PM MDT FRI OCT 21 2022

…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT…

* WHAT…HEAVY SNOW POSSIBLE. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS 8 TO 14 INCHES MOUNTAINS. WINDS COULD GUST AS HIGH AS 60 MPH.

* WHERE…EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET, LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FEET AND EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FEET.

* WHEN…FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT.

* IMPACTS…TRAVEL COULD BE VERY DIFFICULT. SNOW AND BLOWING BLOWING SNOW COULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE VISIBILITY.

Not a lot of model changes since the overnight runs. That is good news. We don’t want to see big model moves the day before the storm arrives.

NBM liquid