Winter Park, Abasin, and Loveland get hammered overnight...I wasn't expecting that!
One storm came in as expected, with 4-10″ for many mountains on Wednesday night through Thursday night.
And as Sunday rolled around, the storm that I though would deliver about a foot of snow to the southern San Juans and Sangre de Cristos moved further south than expected – which usually means less snow. However, maybe it was the lucky first day of March, or maybe it was March Madness, or maybe it was nature saying “You don’t even know me!”. Whatever it was, the skies opened up on Sunday afternoon and night and dumped 6-16″ on eastern Summit Co. and over into Winter Park.
Loveland Pass and Berthoud Pass are closed right now (early Monday AM), but once they open, I’ll go investigate some of the madness that could be a very surprising powder day along the continental divide. How does a forecast for 2-4″ or even 3-6″ turn in to 6-16″? Maybe it had something to do with the 4th torch being lit at Vancouver’s closing ceremonies:
Could the lighting of the 4th torch in Vancouver affect the butterfly, that flapped its wings and made it snow 16" at Winter Park?
Antique Forecast (Text)
I’ll provide an in-depth update and video forecast during the middle of the week. For now, here is a first look a a stormy forecast:
- Monday: snow showers persist for many mountains, though additional accumulation should be light.
- Tuesday: mostly sunny.
- Wednesday: partly sunny with a few light snow showers toward evening.
- Thursday: mostly cloudy with light snow showers during the day. Heavier snow comes in at night.
- Friday: powder in the morning with snow showers decreasing during the day.
- Saturday: partly sunny with more clouds and light snow at night.
- Sunday: snowing through the day and hopefully into Monday.
Where should we go on Friday??? My friends fly in at noon on Thurs to DIA, so we can make it pretty much anywhere in the state. I-70 resorts are ideal because of my pass and a place to stay, but these guys want the deepest powder possible.
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robert Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 2:16 PM
I think you should go to the Moose Lodge
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Tony Clapp Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 3:55 PM
Wrong Tony! That Tony is looking for some hot cocoa.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 4:07 PM
I-70 areas look good for Thurs. Further west likely means more pow (Breck, Copper, Cooper, Vail, Beav).
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Bob Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:39 AM
Deepest Pow will be in OOOtah…pick your buddies up from DIA and drive straight to the LCC!!!!
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:52 AM
Thurs/Friday will indeed be good days in the mountains of Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah.
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What your thoughts on the Silverton area for Wednesday though Saturday. I’m trying to pick 2 days w/o cloud cover for a couple days of filming down there.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Hmmm…today (Monday) looks good! Wed might work, but high, thin clouds coming in later. Thursday will be pretty cloudy with some snow overnight into Friday. Friday could actually be on-and-off snow and sun, then sunny Sat AM but more high, thin clouds building on Sat. Best two days are likely Fri/Sat, with some fresh Fri AM, in and out sun for the rest of the day, and more sun on Sat.
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When is Berthoud going to open?? Need to get to WP asap…
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 4:14 PM
When did Berthoud open? I just went up dry Gulch around 10am.
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“Friday: powder in the morning with snow showers decreasing during the day.”
What??? Where? Where is this?
Jacques must absorb, but where, Joel, WHERE???
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 4:14 PM
Most snow from Aspen and north…still working out the details.
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can you tell us if there will be clear skies tonight above Loveland Pass for some (almost) full moon skiing? Anyone else interested in going?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 4:16 PM
Yup…looks great tonight! The few clouds around today that are producing flurries will dissipate…should be bright tonight! FYI…the usual spots near the road on Loveland Pass are pretty beat up from morning riders…but I’m sure there’s plenty of snow left. Watch out for anything remotely south facing…the sun did a number on the snow today (VERY heavy).
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Prodigal Sun Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 5:28 PM
I know: a temp of 48 degrees tomorrow in TRide? Oh man, sunballs all over the state on the weather map with Kathy Sabine today. There goes the cold smoke. Bust out the spring wax and the rice paddy hats.
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Upslope! … Like the childhood obesity epidemic, I’m in firm denial Loveland actually received double digits today. They moved their snow-stick like Breck did. Anything for the numbers… Anyone see what Berthoud Pass was looking like? Rock sticks or pow skis?
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Steve-o Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 3:33 PM
Pow skis…it was deep early Sunday before the storm dumped 16.
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Troy Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 3:59 PM
Prodigal Sun,
If you don’t believe the numbers reported at Loveland just check the photos on their facebook fan page. You can link to it from the Loveland homepage.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 4:18 PM
I found maybe 8-10″ (max) of new snow near Dry Gulch just down the road. Their report of 11″ seems reasonable.
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Prodigal Sun Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 4:40 PM
Thanks on the Berthoud nod, I haven’t been north at all this year.
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Loveland was sweet today…report seemed ligit to me as it skied 8-12″ most places.
Meeting some friends in Aspen this weekend…what’s it look like for them?
Keep up the good work Joel!!
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 4:20 PM
Could be some good storm skiing on Sunday in Aspen…too early to forecast totals. Maybe a 5-10″ event if lucky. Adding a few inches from Thurs night could make the weekend skiing very nice.
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A group of friends and myself are headed down to Wolf Creek Friday–>Monday…How’s it looking down there?
Love your website, a coworker turned me onto it a couple weeks ago and I check it religiously now!
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 4:21 PM
Looks like some good snow falling on Sunday. Maybe up around low-end double digits. Sunday should be the storm day, Monday should be the sunnier pow day.
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snowfun Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 4:43 PM
MJ did not disapoint today, with the pass being closed til noon it was too good to believe (especially this year).
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No requests just saying “that a boy”. Your style is what weathermen-women need to conform to; address their mistakes of forecasting instead of hiding behind their computers that did the wrong forecasting. Keep up the great work. This is exactly what Colorado needed in terms of forecasting for us snow-addicts.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 8:48 PM
Thank you very much for the kind words! Looking forward to some accurate forecasts (i.e. more snow) this week:-)
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Loveland was skiing nice today (mon).Just got skiied out quick. A little walking will still get ya into some untracked snow though.Porcupine still had some untracked until the afternoon.
What will wind conditions be like this week Joel? Enough to move some of that new snow around and fill things in hopefully.
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Im heading to Winter Park from Omaha getting in around 5 or 6 Sunday night, how often does the snow close the road to get there? And if it does close how long does it usually take to open back up?
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Im talking about Berthhoud Pass just to clarify.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 2nd, 2010 at 11:27 AM
Should be snowing on Sunday night and Monday. Berthoud Pass doesn’t close often, and it took 2-4″/hr snowfall rates last Sunday night to increase avalanche danger and close the road. We rarely get 2-4″/hr snowfall rates, so Berthoud Pass will likely remain open on this upcoming Sunday night/Monday. Safe travels…and let us know how it skis!
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Joel, thanks for the site; it’s great.
I’ve got a day off to burn, either Friday or Monday, and will be up around Vail / BC. Any suggestions as to which day I’m likely to see more powder?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 2nd, 2010 at 8:00 PM
Still some uncertainty in the forecast, so I’d try to be flexible. Friday looks good…snowing from late Thurs night through most of Friday. Maybe 4-8″, up to 10″ if lucky. The downside to Friday is it’s always very crowded at Vail.
Monday could be less crowded and good snow. Storm should start late Sunday night and continue through Monday. HOWEVER, this storm is tough to forecast, which means I have less confidence in having you blow off Friday and hope that the Monday storm comes through.
Right now, I’d shoot for Friday…and I’ll have an update by Wed night/Thurs AM.
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I like the new addition to the website!
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This isn’t fair. I left summit right before the storm came in to go back home to Aspen/Snowmass and we only got 2″ out of this.
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Sunday seems the “in between day” for storms huh? More to follow on thursday it sounds like. Thanks man.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 7:10 PM
Sat/Sun will be tweener days…and pretty warm/sunny as well. Snow comes back Sun PM into Monday.
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Thanks for the answer about why Eldora has been getting missed so often while I still have to shovel my driveway. I don’t think I can make it Thurs to REI, but please keep us posted as to your other speaking engagements. Will Thurs/Fri storm stay north or might I be better off at Monarch than I70?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 7:17 PM
Thurs/Fri storm looks to stay further north. Everyone from Steamboat in the north to Durango in the south should see some heavy snow for a few hours later on Thursday night, but then most of the snow after Thursday night looks to be along and north of I-70. I-70 will likely have more snow during the day on Friday (a few inches vs. 0-2″ @ Monarch), but of course I-70 can be pretty crowded on a Friday.
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Joel, love this site. It is helpful and is very accurate. Anyways, how is Loveland looking for the thurs-fri storm? And if you know yet is the Sun- Mon storm going to be good for them as well?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 7:18 PM
Loveland look pretty good for Thurs/Fri … maybe 4-8″ by Friday afternoon. Sunday storm is still a little hard to call…it’s heading south then going to produce a good upslope event. What this means for Loveland is still up in the air as these types of storms are hard for the computer models to pin down.
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Joel, I have to been in Grand Junction for work on Monday and was thinking about heading there early and skiing Powderhorn on Sunday. Any forecast for that part of the state? Thanks, and great site!
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 7:21 PM
Fri/Sat are going to be warm and sunny out at Powderhorn. Sunday is likely to be cloudy with some light/moderate snow moving in by midday – maybe a few inches. It’s fun to check out the smaller resorts…just don’t expect a big pow day.
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What’s happening, Joel?! We’re headed to Telluride this weekend, so text me if you need an on-the-ground report. Thanks for keeping us informed!
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 7:22 PM
Enjoy the sun on Saturday! You might even get a nice tan…something like they have out California way!
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Joel,
Thanks for all the great reports…
Calling in sick on friday (Colorado snow fever). What is going to have more snow — Copper or Winter Park?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 9:43 PM
Good for you – Friday should be nice. It’s a toss up between Copper and Winter Park at this point. With 16″ of snow on Sunday night, I’d say Copper might have the better snow all around, and the inches that fall Thursday night will just add to the fun.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 9:44 PM
Oh, and you can keep an eye on the Copper snowfall overnight/first thing in the AM here: http://www.coppercolorado.com/winter/the_mountain/snow_stake_cams
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Hey Joel,
Do you automatically send out an email when you have a new post – I thought you did but did not get one for your latest post. I was at Berthoud on Tuesday and conditions were tremendous except for the occasional avalanche of course. Where is Dry Gulch exactly and where are the pics?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:50 PM
I don’t automatically send an email…I usually send two emails (at most) per week when I make big updates, but I don’t like to burden people’s inboxes with the small stuff. That said…an update is coming in 1-2 hours! Berthoud looked GREAT!
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Joel Gratz Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:51 PM
Oh….dry Gultch is directly north of the Loveland exit heading west on I-70. Park, skin up ~1,000ft, and enjoy the 24-28 degree pow.
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