Author: BoulderCAST Team (Page 3 of 39)

This post had major contributions from at least two members of our team. The more meteorologists the better, right?

April 2024 Graphical Weather Review: A warm, windy and wet month that continued the historically soggy start to 2024

Despite having a two-week-long dry stretch thrown into the mix, the month of April concluded wetter than normal for most of the Front Range. However, much of this moisture came from a soaking rainstorm (with a little snow) near the end of the month. Nonetheless, 2024 has begun as one of the all-time wettest in Boulder. We also endured an intense downslope windstorm near the beginning of April, but who could forget that? Xcel Energy customers sure wouldn’t! Here’s a quick and colorful graphical recap of our weather during April and how it relates to climatology.

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March 2024 Graphical Weather Review: A chilly month headlined by one massive, sloppy snowstorm!

The month of March was fairly dry and chilly most of the time, but we can’t forget the historic El Niño snowstorm which slammed the entire Front Range around the middle of the month. Snow totals of 1 to 2 feet occurred in Boulder and Denver with up to 5 feet fell in the nearby Foothills. Here’s a quick and colorful graphical recap of our weather during March and how it relates to climatology.

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Forecast Update: Weekend storm offers little in the way of precipitation, but could produce winds up to 100 MPH around Boulder

An exceptionally strong spring storm is approaching Colorado which will develop into a big ol’ blizzard in the coming days. However, unlike the last few storms which have been direct hits on the Front Range, this one will track further north leading to more wind than precipitation in our area. After a warm and gusty Friday with high fire danger, the incoming storm will bring colder temperatures and a brief chance of rain/snow showers on Saturday. The biggest impacts from this system, though, will come in the form of prolonged damaging downslope winds. We take a look at the large-scale atmospheric setup and discuss the potential snowfall amounts and which unlucky areas have a chance at wind gusts up to 100 MPH this weekend.

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Winter Weather Update: Our first official spring snow is on the way Sunday with afternoon thunderstorms changing over to snow by evening (Updated)

After a lengthy stretch of relatively quiet weather this past week as we officially transitioned from winter to spring, things are set to change on Sunday as a quick-moving storm system races into Colorado from the west with rain, hail, and thunder Sunday afternoon transitioning to heavy snow by Sunday evening. Several inches of accumulation will be possible with this storm, favoring the Palmer Divide and southern Foothills, but for the most part it’s moving too quickly to generate significant snow in our area. Winds will gust upwards of 45 MPH at times Sunday evening and night creating brief near-blizzard conditions in some locations. Read on as we discuss the latest forecast details, timing, and our projected snowfall amounts.

UPDATE (Sun 3/24/2024 8AM): Snowfall amounts were adjusted upwards an inch or two in some areas. Check our updated snowfall forecast map near the end of the post. Otherwise, the going forecast looks fine with afternoon thunderstorms quickly changing to snow after 6PM. Snow could be very heavy at times Sunday evening with 2″/hr snowfall rates. Gusty winds will create blowing snow and reduced visibility as well. Snow is still expected to end late Sunday night after midnight.

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Winter Storm Recap: More than 4 feet of snow buried the Foothills while just shy of a 2 feet dumped on Boulder!

As promised, a well-advertised spring-like snowstorm delivered the goods to (almost) the entire Front Range this week with over four feet of snow falling in the Foothills and up to 2 feet across the lower elevations. We take a look back at this odd, moisture-infused winter storm, discussing how the difficult forecast evolved during the lead up and ultimately how much rain and snow pummeled the area.

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Wednesday PM Update: Brace for extremely heavy snowfall beginning Wednesday evening with snow totals measured by the foot in many areas!

A high-impact, major El Niño snowstorm is about to unfold across the entire Front Range from late Wednesday into Friday. While we were a bit cautious of the eccentric model output over the last several days, all systems appear to be go for a significant, long-lasting dumping of heavy wet snow in the Denver Metro and nearby terrain. While there is still quite a range in the potential outcomes, we’ve seen enough to increase expected snowfall amounts across the board (again!). Read on as we sift through the latest model data and discuss the updated storm timeline and expected snowfall amounts. This one’s going to be a doozy!

Premium Storm Update (3/13/2024 8:00AM): The overarching forecast remains on-track as of Wednesday morning as a significant and highly impactful snowstorm bears down on the Front Range. Travel will become extremely difficult (and in some areas of the Foothills, impossible) Wednesday night into Thursday night, with some power outages expected. We wade through a wide gamut of the most recent model data, with trends suggesting a boom scenario is more likely than a bust. We also give our final thoughts on the impressive winter storm about to slam the Denver Metro area. READ HERE

Update (3/13/2024 3:00PM): The BOOM scenario has grown more favor with our team! As models continuing to trend upward on snow amounts, we’ve bumped up our official forecast totals a bit more. We’ve adjusted this entire post to be up to date with the latest information, including all graphics and discussion. BIG snow inbound! Be safe!

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Tuesday AM Update: A first look at our preliminary snowfall forecast as a major winter storm heads towards the Front Range!

One last beautiful day will unfold across the area today before winter weather arrives to the Front Range Wednesday and sticks around into Friday. We provide the latest forecast details on the approaching winter storm, one which will have widespread significant travel impacts for the entire area. We also provide our preliminary snowfall forecast map. Spoiler alert: some areas could receive up to 30 inches of snow!

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