Possible summer snow for the Colorado mountains?

[Rocky Rascovich]

I was checking out the latest GFS and marveled over the amount of cold air expected to drain down the western high plains into Colorado for around the middle of next week (July 28-29). 500mb. temps expected to be near -10C and 700mb. temps possibly down to freezing.

My guess, plenty of upslope moisture along with unseasonably cool temps aloft may yield a sloppy mix of rain/snow down to elevations of 11,500ft. Berthoud Pass and especially Trail Ridge Rd. and maybe the summits of Pikes Peak and Mount Evans, may get a little bit of snow toward the evenings and into the overnight hours of the days mentioned.

I may just get a whim to take a cruise up there to get a break from this Oklahoma heat!

Rocky&family

 

[Rocky Rascovich]

Possible snow update

The last several runs of the WRF and GFS indicates the bulk of the unseasonably cool air expected to arrive later today thru tomorrow will mostly be from the front range on east. The depth of this air mass will only be about a kilometre deep and probable effects in the high country will be negligible.

So, my prediction of a little snow in the high country .... will bomb

 

[Pat Darrow]

no snow...but cooler

Been watching the models as well (since I live next to the mountains) and noticed the cold pool heading east out of the front range like it has all summer. Though depth not that great, some cooler air will filter in which will be of some relief

 

[Donald Giuliano]

Rocky,

My wife and I took the train to the top of Pike's Peak Saturday. For what it's worth, we couldn't have driven up even if we'd wanted to because the road was closed due to snow and ice accumulations from thunderstorms earlier that afternoon. While on top we had rain mixing with sleet at times, and there was a pretty decent coating of snow on all the higher peaks in the area--even down past the treeline in spots.

--Don

The last several runs of the WRF and GFS indicates the bulk of the unseasonably cool air expected to arrive later today thru tomorrow will mostly be from the front range on east. The depth of this air mass will only be about a kilometre deep and probable effects in the high country will be negligible.

So, my prediction of a little snow in the high country .... will bomb

 

[Jerry Prsha]

Rocky,

My wife and I took the train to the top of Pike's Peak Saturday. For what it's worth, we couldn't have driven up even if we'd wanted to because the road was closed due to snow and ice accumulations from thunderstorms earlier that afternoon. While on top we had rain mixing with sleet at times, and there was a pretty decent coating of snow on all the higher peaks in the area--even down past the treeline in spots.

--Don

Still amazing to get snow in the middle of Summer up there. We visited Pike's Peak a few years back and it was near blizzard conditions in early September. And of course, we all had the obligatory not enough oxygen kind of headache as well...

 

[Rocky Rascovich]

ha ha! I don't feel like it was a totally blown forecast after all. Interesting about Saturday's event on Pikes Peak, must have been a little bubble of colder air aloft around the area. Sure can't wait until summer is done here in Okla.!

 

[Eian Greene]

There was snow on Mount Evans today from a thunderstorm. Crazy stuff for the end of July!

 

[Patrick Martin]

Dusting of snow across a lot of the 14'ers in Summit county this morning. Serves as a good reminder that the summer hiking season for the higher peaks starts to wane by late August/early September.

I recall hiking the lower slopes of Long's Peak a few years back in early September. There was a sign at the trailhead warning those intending to summit that crampons and ice axes would be necessary. Couple years ago hiked Quandary Peak in Sept and trudged through a few inches of snow and needed cold weather gear.