National Weather Service
Winter wants to stick around a little longer this week as a winter storm watch has been issued starting Monday afternoon for Aspen, Snowmass and much of the Colorado mountains above 8,500 feet, according to the National Weather Service.
Two strong Pacific storms will roll through the western United States this week and drastically change the mountain forecast.
The watch calls for up to 14 inches of snow by Tuesday evening as the first of the storms hits Colorado, with the heaviest snow expected Monday night into Tuesday. The second storm will hit the area later Tuesday night and last into at least Thursday.
The weather service predicts strong wind gusts nearing 35-50 mph and temperatures all week to be “20 to 25 degrees below normal for this time of year.” Highs in Aspen are expected to be in the mid-40s to 50 degrees for the week.
“The snow levels will start out above 9,000 feet late (Sunday), but drop to around 7,500 feet by Monday morning,” the NWS’s Grand Junction office said Sunday afternoon in an update. “Thereafter, the snow level will fluctuate between 7,000 and 9,000 feet through Thursday. Snow accumulations will be greatest above 9,000 feet where 1 to 2 feet of fresh snow is possible through the week.”
That is good news for skiers and boarders who plan to head to Aspen Mountain for a bonus weekend. The Aspen Skiing Co. announced last week it would open 130 acres at the top of Ajax for the Memorial Day Weekend (Saturday through Monday).
At lower elevations this week the weather service is predicting up to an inch of rainfall.
The weather services also warned backcountry adventurers to be prepared for “winter conditions not normally seen this time of year.”