Southern Colorado is settling into a quieter stretch after the weekend system, with calm to mostly calm conditions, milder afternoons, and a little more sunshine ahead. It was a nice early-season boost for the mountains, even if snow totals were not especially big at most resorts. Many popular ski areas picked up around 2 to 3 inches from the weekend system. Wolf Creek Ski Area was the standout, with roughly 7 to 8 inches from October 24 through 25, after snow began there the evening of the 23rd. That fresh snow is a welcome sight as ski season gets underway.The system responsible for that snow is lifting toward the Upper Midwest, leaving Southern Colorado with fair weather overnight. Winds stay generally light for most locations, though higher terrain near the Sangre de Cristos and other high-country areas can see west-southwest gusts around 30 to 40 mph Tuesday afternoon. The southeastern plains should see only occasional breezes. The main concern Tuesday morning will be patchy fog. Clearing skies and overnight cooling may allow fog to form in lower-lying areas of the Arkansas River Valley, parts of El Paso County, Pueblo County, and the eastern plains. Visibility could briefly fall to around one-quarter mile, and locally lower in spots. Give yourself extra travel time, use low-beam headlights, and be prepared for quick changes in visibility around daybreak.
Overnight lows will fall into the upper 30s and lower 40s along and east of Interstate 25, while high valleys west of I-25 cool into the 20s and 30s. Tuesday afternoon temperatures rebound nicely, reaching the 60s for many lower-elevation communities once morning fog gives way to partly sunny skies. High valleys will remain cooler, generally in the 50s to lower 60s. Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Canon City, Trinidad, La Junta, Lamar, and much of the I-25 corridor should enjoy a pleasant Tuesday afternoon after the fog lifts. It will be a good window for errands, outdoor work, or simply getting outside, with no widespread precipitation expected. Wednesday stays dry and mild, with temperatures running comfortably for late October. A weak cold front arrives Wednesday night into Thursday, trimming daytime temperatures by roughly 2 to 5 degrees. That means more low 60s around parts of El Paso County Thursday, but this front does not appear to bring meaningful moisture to Southern Colorado. For Halloween Saturday, the current forecast trend remains mostly dry for much of the region. Temperatures will be a little cooler than midweek, but there is no clear signal at this point for widespread rain or snow to disrupt evening plans across the lower terrain. As always, keep an eye on the forecast if you will be out after sunset, when temperatures can drop quickly. The more active weather window begins to take shape late Friday and through the weekend. A broad trough over the western United States may pull Pacific moisture into Colorado. The first effects are most likely to show up in the San Juans, where higher-elevation snow could develop Friday night into Saturday morning. Valley rain showers are also possible nearby. At this point, the weekend setup does not look like a repeat of the widespread heavy rainfall recently seen in parts of the region. Still, mountain travelers, hunters, campers, and anyone with plans near Wolf Creek Pass or the San Juans should be ready for changing conditions and check the latest road and mountain forecasts before heading out. Attention then turns to Sunday into Monday, when a separate piece of the larger system could become more important for Colorado. Some model guidance suggests a low-pressure center may dive southeast from the northern Rockies. If that track develops, northern and central Colorado could be favored for more substantial precipitation, including a possible first measurable snow for the Denver metro and portions of northern Colorado. For Southern Colorado, the Palmer Divide is one area worth watching closely Sunday into Monday. There could be a chance for some moisture and wind-driven snow if the storm track lines up favorably. Right now, however, this remains an early, lower-confidence part of the forecast. The lower terrain farther south may stay mostly dry, while the exact storm path will make a big difference. By Tuesday, a low-pressure center potentially lingering over the Midwest could create a windier setup on its western side. That could keep wind-driven snow in play near the Palmer Divide and bring colder air into Southern Colorado. Even so, there is not a strong signal yet for widespread snow across the entire region. The important message is that there is still plenty of uncertainty beyond the next several days. Forecast details more than five days out can change substantially, especially with a broad, evolving western trough. Confidence should improve as weather models come into better agreement through the middle of the week. Our Weather. Together. [P2P:HD]
