Colorado major ski resorts could get a foot or more of snow this week

Spectacular snow totals have been reported at many ski resorts in recent days, especially in southern Colorado, and more deep snow will pile up Tuesday and Wednesday.

Wolf Creek received 36 inches the past five days and is forecast to receive an additional 26 inches over the next five, according to the OpenSnow forecasting and reporting service. The tiny Hesperus ski area, 11 miles west of Durango, received 31 inches and can expect another 19, while Purgatory, which has received 78 inches so far this month, could get another 17. Telluride has received 13 inches and will get an additional 16.

Snow totals in the northern and central mountains over the past few days haven’t been as eye-popping, but they were substantial, with many resorts receiving 6-8 inches. But over the next five days, Beaver Creek, Vail, Winter Park, Echo Mountain and Loveland could all get 12-14 inches. The Aspen areas are expected to receive 10 inches, as is Copper Mountain.

“On Tuesday, we’ll see waves of snowfall move across Colorado,” OpenSnow founding meteorologist Joel Gratz wrote on Tuesday. “The southern mountains will see 5 to 10-plus inches. The central and northern mountains could see anything from nearly no snow to a quick couple of inches, if a cell of intense precipitation happens to move over the mountains.

“From Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, snowfall in the southern mountains will ease up, but snowfall in the northern part of the southern mountains (Telluride, Silverton) may continue, and snowfall in the central and northern mountains will ramp up. It’s likely that Wednesday will be a powder day for most non-southern mountains, with snow getting deeper throughout the day.”

Gratz foresees additional mountain storms on Friday and Monday.

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