Last week’s storm finally delivered the kind of soaking rain we’ve been waiting months to see, but don’t get used to it. The atmosphere is shifting back into a familiar pattern this week, with summer-like warmth, abundant sunshine, and another surge of tropical moisture headed toward the Southwest. The catch? Most of that moisture will never make it to the Front Range. In this week’s update, we look at the drought-improving impacts of last week’s storm, why the San Juans are poised to cash in yet again, and whether a late-week cold front can squeeze out a little bit of rain for us before temperatures finally start feeling a bit more like October.
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Category: Winter Weather (Page 1 of 141)
These posts contain some discussion of the white stuff, whether it be mountain snow pack or a Front Range snowstorm.
12th Annual BoulderCAST First Snowfall Contest
Ready or not, snow season is lurking out there somewhere. Maybe you’ve already dusted off the skis, mounted the winter tires, or convinced yourself that buying an Epic Pass counts as meteorological preparedness. Now comes the big question: when will we see our first measurable snowfall of the season? If recent years have taught us anything, it’s that Mother Nature doesn’t always follow the script. We’ve experienced both the earliest and latest first snows on record within the last six years, proving that just about anything is on the table.
That’s why it’s time once again for the BoulderCAST First Snowfall Contest. Take a look at Boulder’s snowfall history within, then submit your prediction for the date of Boulder’s first measurable snow (0.1″ or greater) and how much will fall. The closest forecasts will earn prizes, bragging rights, and the satisfaction of being more accurate than your friends.
*This contest has closed to entries.*
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After months of drought, the Front Range is finally cashing in on a meaningful storm, with Boulder already topping an inch of rain and more moisture still to come. But are the best rains already behind us? A closer look at the storm’s evolving track suggests the answer may be yes, while a hard freeze waits on the other side of this long-overdue autumn gloom.
After months of watching drought deepen across the Front Range, Colorado is finally getting a storm that could turn the tide. A slow-moving upper low will tap into an unusually rich plume of subtropical moisture and bring widespread rain to much of northern Colorado, along with the season’s first meaningful Mountain snowfall. How much rain can Boulder and Denver expect, who stands the best chance of topping an inch, how low will snow levels drop during the event and which night will bring the season’s first freeze? We break down the latest forecast, timing, rainfall totals, and snow prospects.
After one final taste of summer warmth on Monday, the weather pattern across Colorado is about to undergo a dramatic shift. A much colder and wetter setup is taking aim at the Front Range this week, with rain returning to the forecast, accumulating snow in the Mountains, and perhaps our first real frost threat of the season by week’s end. While we’ve seen promising storm systems fizzle already this fall, the data continues to suggest this one has a better chance of delivering. We break down the timing of the cooldown, what the latest ensemble guidance says about rainfall totals, and why Friday and Saturday mornings will bear watching for frost.
September 2026 will be remembered as the month that put an exclamation point on an extraordinary water year of heat and dryness in Boulder, with less than 20% of normal precipitation falling during the month and temperatures more than five degrees above average. Despite a strong late-season monsoon, moisture largely avoided the Front Range, and especially Boulder County, culminating with a great modeling collapse of a significant rain event in the final days of the month tied to the remnants of Hurricane Polo.
Here’s a graphical look at how September 2026 unfolded across Boulder, Denver, and the Front Range — and how it compared to climatology.
Boulder just endured its driest water year on record, closing out twelve months with only 10.65 inches of precipitation — barely half of normal and nearly at desert-level. From a failed snow season to record spring warmth and a monsoon that largely bypassed the city, every season conspired to keep Boulder locked in a warm‑and‑dry feedback loop. Reservoirs and upstream snow storage will cushion the blow for now, but the bigger question looms: what happens if we start stringing years like this together?
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BoulderCAST Daily – Tue 10/20/26 | 70s Return as Colorado’s Next Soaking Storm Targets the San Juans (Again)
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