Recent snowfall has brought a fresh coating of snow to Colorado’s high country, but meteorologist Chris Tomer is already tracking the next storm system expected to bring more accumulation across the Western United States. The forecast calls for the biggest snow totals in the Sierra Nevada, southwestern Colorado and parts of Wyoming, although a changing storm track could limit snowfall in Utah and other parts of Colorado. The incoming system is expected to arrive between October 21st and October 24th.
Sierra Nevada Could See the Biggest Snow Totals
The Sierra Nevada is positioned to receive some of the highest snowfall totals in Tomer’s latest forecast. The incoming storm is expected to dig south into California, generating snowfall across the High Sierra.
Tomer forecasts three to seven inches at mid-mountain elevations, with the highest peaks potentially receiving around a foot of snow by October 24th. These totals could change as the storm develops, but the Sierra currently stands out as one of the strongest areas for accumulating snowfall.
Wyoming and Utah Snowfall Forecast
Wyoming is another region favored by the storm’s projected track. Tomer expects approximately four to eight inches at mid-mountain elevations between Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee, with higher elevations potentially receiving more.
Utah’s Wasatch Mountains could also see meaningful accumulation, although forecast totals have decreased as the storm track has shifted north. Mid-mountain snowfall could reach six to eight inches, with three to six inches possible in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Areas around Alta and Snowbird will be worth watching as the forecast develops.
Southwestern Colorado Favored Over the I-70 Corridor
Within Colorado, the San Juan Mountains and western slope appear better positioned for snowfall than the central mountain corridor. Tomer forecasts around seven inches at mid-mountain at Silverton Mountain, with approximately 10 to 14 inches possible near the resort’s highest terrain.
Steamboat could receive around 10 inches, while parts of Grand Mesa and the West Elk Mountains could see four to six inches. Resorts along the I-70 corridor, including Breckenridge and Vail, are currently projected to receive only two to four inches.
The forecast remains subject to change, particularly because the storm’s track will determine where the heaviest precipitation develops. Warmer temperatures at the beginning of the system could also affect snow levels before colder air arrives.
