Colorado's high country is set to see its first meaningful snowfall of the season this week, with forecasters projecting anywhere from a few inches to over a foot on the state's highest peaks, depending on how the storm develops.
The Most Likely Scenario
Per National Weather Service reporting, a wet stretch running from Monday to Thursday morning is expected to bring snow to some of Colorado's highest peaks. In the most likely scenario, the state's tallest summits would see roughly three to six inches of snow during this window.
The High-End Possibility
There's also a smaller chance — about 10%, according to the forecast — that totals run considerably higher. If that higher-end scenario plays out, peaks in southwest Colorado could see roughly six to eight inches of snow, with a small portion of the southern Collegiate Peaks range near Salida having a shot at 12-plus inches.
Rain Is the Bigger Risk at Lower Elevations
While only the state's higher-elevation areas are expected to see snow, forecasters note that heavy rainfall is a genuine possibility elsewhere across Colorado. Depending on exactly how the weather system unfolds — and whether more active weather tracks into the state — some localized parts of Colorado could see up to six inches of rainfall.
Real Uncertainty in the Forecast
The National Weather Service has been clear that significant uncertainty still surrounds this storm system. The window most likely to bring the biggest weather impacts runs from Tuesday evening through Thursday morning, but exactly how much precipitation falls, and where, remains genuinely unsettled this far out.
Why This Matters After Last Year
The timing carries some added significance given how dry conditions were across Colorado last year — even a modest early-season snowfall on the state's peaks is being welcomed as a positive early sign heading into the coming winter, even though this week's system doesn't represent major, widespread snow.
A Flood Safety Warning
Given the potential for heavy, localized rainfall, officials are urging residents and visitors to avoid flood-prone areas, including land around burn scars and along moving bodies of water, where sudden heavy rain can trigger flash flooding and debris flows with little warning.
Part of a Broader Seasonal Pattern
This storm arrives amid a broader seasonal outlook shaped by a developing super El Niño event, which NOAA's Climate Prediction Center has flagged as a major driver of winter weather patterns for 2026-2027. Seasonal outlooks published this month point to an active southern storm track favoring above-normal precipitation across California, Arizona, New Mexico, and southern Colorado — though as with this week's storm specifically, forecasters caution that more precipitation doesn't automatically translate into more snow, particularly at lower elevations where warmer temperatures could mean rain rather than snowfall even during otherwise wet periods.
What's Next
With the heaviest weather impacts expected between Tuesday evening and Thursday morning, Colorado residents — particularly those in the high country and near burn-scarred or flood-prone terrain — should continue monitoring updated National Weather Service forecasts as the storm's track becomes clearer. For continuing updates, see the full OutThere Colorado report.