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3 feet of snow predicted over next 3 days in Steamboat Springs mountains

Mike Zwak shovels snow along Lincoln Avenue in Steamboat Springs on Wednesday evening as moist flakes fall. Steamboat could receive 3 feet of snow over the next three days. (Photo by Derek Maiolo)

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — A series of wet, Pacific storms could bring more than 3 feet of snow to the Steamboat Springs area over the next three days.

That will mean a lot of fresh, but dense powder for the mountains around Steamboat as well as potentially hazardous traveling conditions.

Steamboat could receive 6 to 12 inches of snow by Thursday morning, according to local meteorologist Mike Weissbluth, who runs snowalarm.com. He added that Steamboat Resort could get up to 16 inches at midmountain.



Weather

Keep up with the conditions:

• Find the latest forecast and recent weather stories here.
• View Steamboat webcams here.
• Find information from the National Weather Service, including storm warnings and advisories at wrh.noaa.gov
• The Colorado Department of Transportation provides road conditions, closures and traffic cameras at cotrip.org.
• For travel information by phone, call 511 (in Colorado) or dial 303-639-1111.
• Find information about avalanche danger and conditions from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
• For flight information, visit flightview.com/traveltools.

Weissbluth said wind gusts Thursday could reach 40 to 50 mph in the mountains, which could impact lift operations at the ski area.

Temperatures will be warmer on Thursday, with a high of 38 degrees in the afternoon cooling to a low of 27 by the evening, according to the National Weather Service. Weissbluth said those higher temperatures could bring wetter precipitation like sleet and rain.



The warmer weather should continue through Friday afternoon with a high of 41 degrees before temperatures drop in the evening.

Weissbluth predicts similar snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches for Friday and Saturday mornings with less wind and cooler temperatures over the weekend.

The weather service has issued a winter storm warning for Rabbit Ears Pass, effective until 11 a.m. on Thursday. A winter weather advisory for Rabbit Ears will be in effect from 8 p.m. on Thursday until 9 a.m. on Friday.

Traveling over Rabbit Ears could be very difficult to impossible during these times, according to the weather service. Drivers should expect snow-covered roads and reduced visibility.

Weissbluth said the storms should subside by Friday afternoon.

“That may be the best time for travel,” he said, before scattered snow storms arrive on Saturday.

The weather service advises anyone who is traveling over the next few days to carry a flashlight, food and water in the vehicle in case of an emergency.

To reach Derek Maiolo, call 970-871-4247, email dmaiolo@SteamboatPilot.com or follow him on Twitter @derek_maiolo.


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