Anyone hoping for good late-season ski conditions or worried about the severe drought that a sliver of Southwest Colorado is in should be happy with this week’s forecast.
A chance of scattered rain is expected through next weekend, with the moisture likely to come as snow at higher elevations in the San Juan Mountains.
Erin Walter, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, said the first of two storm systems expected to bring isolated showers to the Four Corners arrived late Saturday, with the best chance for precipitation coming Sunday afternoon.
“The chance for showers tapers off (Sunday night), but a chance for lingering scattered showers exists into Monday,” Walter said.
Wind between 10 to 15 mph is likely to accompany the storm, with gusts up to 20 mph expected Sunday afternoon into Sunday evening.
The snow level on Sunday is expected to be above 9,000 feet, with 2 to 4 inches expected at higher elevations and 1-2 inches expected around 9,000 feet.
Tuesday evening or Tuesday night should bring in a second storm that might produce scattered rain and snow, with the heaviest precipitation likely to come Wednesday night, with a chance of scattered rain continuing into Friday and into next weekend, Walter said.
The week’s second storm will move in from the Southern California coast and the bulk of the rain and snow is likely to fall in Arizona and New Mexico.
“It depends on the track the system takes; there is a chance it misses Southwest Colorado if it moves further south than we expect, but it should clip Southern Colorado and the Four Corners,” Walter said.
The snow level for the second storm is expected around 8,500 feet, but Walter said it was too early to estimate snowfall from the system.
The rainy week should help regional drought conditions.
The U.S. Drought Monitor listed most of Southwest Colorado in a moderate drought, with a sliver of the region in a severe drought as of Tuesday.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center on Sunday listed the risk for avalanches in the San Juan Mountains as low.
On Sunday, Purgatory Resort listed a base depth of 46 inches with 10 of 11 lifts in operation. Telluride Ski Area listed a base depth of 48 inches with all 17 lifts in operation. Wolf Creek Ski Area listed a base depth of 69 inches with all nine lifts in operation.
parmijo@durangoherald.com