Snowpack across the southwest US looks good! We’re at 110%. – end of day 24 Mar 2024
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Monday – 25 Mar 2024 – 10:30am
The past…
At Stevens Field the high temperature yesterday afternoon was 35 and the low this morning was 29.
The peak wind at the airfield yesterday was 21mph.
| Average High | Record High / Year | Average Low | Record Low / Year |
| 51 | 73/ 1940 | 18 | -3 / 1929 |
Precipitation summary… Bands of occasionally heavy snow moved through parts of the area yesterday, especially near Chromo and Chama. Most of the snow was done by sunset.
Wolf Creek reported 9” of new snow this morning and a storm total of 15”.
THANKS to everyone for your reports and pictures on Facebook!
Forecast discussion…
Forecast highlights…
*** A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is out for the eastern San Juan Mountains above 10,000ft for up to an additional 6” of snow valid until 6pm Monday. ***
*** Travel conditions are sketchy in the mountains and the southern I-25 corridor. ***
Monday and Tuesday… Unsettled conditions will persist with residual moisture and instability leading to mostly cloudy skies, scattered afternoon showers, and maybe even a thunderstorm. Precip amounts will be light and spotty.
Snow amounts sunrise Monday to Tuesday evening…
Valley: up to 1” in the lucky spots each afternoon
Chromo and Chama areas: up to 2” but it will be spotty
Mountains near Wolf Creek Pass: 2-4” Monday and 1-3” Tuesday but it will be spotty
Winds… Afternoon gusts will be 15-20mph.
Temps… Highs will be in the mid-30s to low 40s and lows will be in the low teens to low 20s.
Wednesday through Saturday evening… Wednesday will be dry with partly cloudy skies as an upper-level ridge moves through.
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday there will be a few more clouds and a slight chance for spotty afternoon showers over the mountains as upper-level flow increases out of the southwest ahead of the next system. Precip amounts will be minimal and very spotty.
Temps and winds will gradually increase through the period.
Winds… Afternoon gusts Wednesday and Thursday will be 15-20mph. Afternoon gusts Friday and Saturday will be 20-25mph.
Temps… Highs Wednesday will be in the low to high 40s and lows will be in the mid-teens to mid-20s. Highs Thursday will be in the mid-40s to mid-50s and lows will be in the low 20s to low 30s. Highs Friday and Saturday will be in the high 40s to high 50s. Lows Friday night will be in the low 20s to low 30s. Lows Saturday night will be in the low to high 30s.
Sunday through Monday… The next system will move through. Precip amounts look similar to the system that just moved through. However, this system will be warmer resulting in more rain than snow for the valley. I’ll tackle specifics in tomorrow’s post.
My next post will be tomorrow.
– Shawn
