Winter Still Won’t Commit as Colorado Stays Unseasonably Warm

If you’re waiting for winter to fully commit, don’t hold your breath.

Unseasonably warm and dry conditions stick around through much of the week, with temperatures continuing to run 15 to 20 degrees above normal for mid-December. Yes, that’s still a thing.

The National Weather Service says high pressure will keep control early this week, bringing warm afternoons, cool nights, and mostly dry weather. Some high clouds drift through today, but sunshine takes over by afternoon. Just in time to push temperatures well above where they should be on the calendar.  Looks like a great time for some winter golf.

A Little More “Active”… But Not by Much

As we head into the latter part of the week, the weather pattern gets technically more active.

A series of atmospheric rivers will roll into the Pacific Northwest and sweep east across the Northern Rockies, but western Colorado stays on the southern fringe of all that moisture.

There will be some light mountain rain or snow possible Wednesday through Sunday, mainly north of Interstate 70.

Even then, the best chances are confined to the higher peaks of the Park Range. Snow levels stay high, snow ratios stay low, and meaningful accumulation remains unlikely.

Why This Isn’t a Big Snow Setup

Temperatures remain warm, and cold air is in short supply. That means higher snow levels, lighter snowfall totals, and rain mixing in at lower elevations.

Any winter impacts appear minor and localized, mostly in the spine of the Park Range.

Confidence in timing and amounts is low, since small shifts in these systems could change who sees light snow and who just sees clouds. But at this point, nothing is pointing to widespread travel issues or a classic Colorado snowstorm.

Read More: 15 Must-Visit Colorado Spots to Take Your Holiday Guests So They Don’t Say We’re Boring

Winter keeps flirting, but it still won’t commit. Expect warm afternoons, dry valleys, and occasional light mountain precipitation north of I-70 with no major impacts in sight.

If nothing else, it’s a great stretch of weather for December… unless you’re really hoping to hit the slopes.