It is not rare for an August cold front to drop snow on Colorado’s mountains and the incoming cold front serves as a reminder that Colorado’s weather is more clever than you think.
The cold front that is approaching from the north is a bit stronger of a storm than what is typically expected for this time of the year. That means that the cold that is associated with it is cooler than what normally occurs too. So when you combine moisture with the cooler than normal temperatures expected above 13,000-feet, you get the chance of seeing snow.
Above treeline, (which sits around 11,000 to 12,000-feet) is quite literally a different climate. That’s why no trees survive at that elevation. This is the area where the weather gets so extreme every year. It’s truly a fascinating part of Colorado and it’s no surprise that those dramatic peaks can see snow snowers when Denver has temperatures in the 80s.
Previewing the upcoming winter, snow fell in Alaska Tuesday morning. While this much snow is not expected on Colorado’s peaks. A few inches may fall on the high peaks of the Uintah mountains in Utah and the Bighorn, Teton and Wind River mountains of Wyoming. Most areas in Colorado should only see a dusting to an inch or two of accumulation if that and this will be confined to areas above 13,000-feet. The Wet Mountains and the southern front Range 14ers will likely miss out on this round of snow.
The snow that could fall will not be of any concern to travelers but any outdoorsy folk that has plans above the treeline between now and Friday should consider the incoming weather.
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