Colorado Weather: Winter storm watch still underway, plus bad news for skiers and snowboarders

Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
A winter scene seen from a car heading eastbound on I-70 through the Rocky Mountains. Dec. 27, 2023.

A winter storm watch is still underway for central and north-central Colorado, though forecasters say snowfall may be slightly less impactful than originally expected.

If you’re a skier or snowboarder, the forecast may be a disappointing one. Models predict heavy snow and difficult road conditions on the I-70 corridor, but little snow in the mountains.

Last Map Update: Fri, Feb. 9, 2024 at 6:47:11 am MST (National Weather Service of Boulder)

“Things have kind of trended downwards,” said Zach Hiris of the National Weather Service in Boulder. “Right now it's looking like a light to moderate snow for most people” across the state.

However, Metro Denver and much of the Plains will see between two and six inches of snow. Some spots – like the southern foothills of Jefferson and Douglas Counties, the I-70 corridor, and northern Weld County – may still see eight to 10 inches of snow. “As you get closer to the Colorado-New Mexico border,” Hiris added, “they could be looking at some good totals as well.”

Though these conditions aren’t ideal for winter sports enthusiasts, “We'll always take the water when we can get it here in the lower elevations during the winter,” Hiris said.

Looking ahead, the National Weather Service predicts a “quiet weather pattern for next week, with no significant systems on the horizon.”