Those of us who live along the Front Range urban corridor are used to periods of intense, gusty winds, usually associated with approaching or retreating Pacific storm systems. But these winds, descending from the Continental Divide, are dry; those from the southwest can produce a dramatic warmup while those from the northwest often bring a sudden chill to the region.
This afternoon, those winds are gusting from the northwest, reaching 40 mph in Metro Denver with higher speeds in the foothills. As is always the case, they are produced by atmospheric pressure gradients across the Rockies. Today, high pressure sits over the northern Great Basin while zones of low pressure have developed over the High Plains. Clockwise winds around the high pressure dome are raking the mountains and the Front Range cities, sweeping cold air into the region and setting the stage for our next snowstorm, scheduled to arrive tomorrow evening.
Due to the dynamics of this developing system, the mountains may get up to 2 feet of snow while only a few inches are expected to fall in Metro Denver. Of course, those dynamics could shift and the longer we are exposed to upsloping northeast winds, the more snow we will likely receive. Farther east, where Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic moisture come into play, the snowfall will be greater across the Midwest and Northeastern U.S.
This afternoon, those winds are gusting from the northwest, reaching 40 mph in Metro Denver with higher speeds in the foothills. As is always the case, they are produced by atmospheric pressure gradients across the Rockies. Today, high pressure sits over the northern Great Basin while zones of low pressure have developed over the High Plains. Clockwise winds around the high pressure dome are raking the mountains and the Front Range cities, sweeping cold air into the region and setting the stage for our next snowstorm, scheduled to arrive tomorrow evening.
Due to the dynamics of this developing system, the mountains may get up to 2 feet of snow while only a few inches are expected to fall in Metro Denver. Of course, those dynamics could shift and the longer we are exposed to upsloping northeast winds, the more snow we will likely receive. Farther east, where Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic moisture come into play, the snowfall will be greater across the Midwest and Northeastern U.S.
