textproduct: Pueblo

KEY MESSAGES

- Above average temperatures and breezy winds across the area on Saturday. Snow will continue in the mountains.

- If you have been missing winter, a much anticipated cold front looks to come through Sunday morning, bringing in much colder temperatures, along with more widespread chances for light, but wind driven, snow.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/

Issued at 244 PM MST Fri Dec 26 2025

Tonight through Saturday...

A broad upper trough continues to amplify over the western CONUS, giving us a moist southwest fetch into the central CO mountains and the Continental Divide. Starting later tonight, snow will once again spread over the peaks of the mountains, assisted by the moist incoming air and orographic lift. Heaviest snow will be over the San Juans, but accumulations are also expected over portions of the Central Mountains and the peaks of the Sangres.

Looking at snow totals, the San Juans will see 6-12 inches by the end of the weekend. The central mountains will see up to 6 inches, and the peaks of the Sangres will get 5-8 inches. That being said, taking some of the more optimistic guidance into consideration, locally higher amounts will be possible across all these locations. To adjust for higher snow totals, have upgraded the San Juans to a Winter Storm Warning, and have hoisted a Winter Weather Advisory for the central and Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Wind driven snow could cause dangerous travel conditions, with slick roads and low visibility.

Snow will linger over the higher terrain throughout the day on Saturday, lightening a bit later in the afternoon. Ahead of the incoming trough, Saturday will see above average temperatures once again. The mountains will see 20s-30s, the high valleys 40s-50s, the I-25 corridor4 high-50s to low-60s, and the far southeast plains will climb into the 60s to low-70s. Meanwhile, breezy west-southwest flow will pick up across the CWA, particularly over southern I-25 and nearby gap flow areas.

LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/

Issued at 242 AM MST Fri Dec 26 2025

Saturday Night through Sunday..

Models continue to slow the timing of the incoming cold front. We still think that winter is coming.. but the front doesn't look to come through our plains until early Sunday morning now. Gusty north winds along and behind it pick up between midnight and 4 AM along and north of Highway 50, and snow chances look to begin along the Palmer generally anytime after midnight as well. Precipitation may start as rain or a mix for the lower elevations of the Highway 50 corridor, but with the front coming through in the coldest hours, a quick transition to snow is anticipated. All snow is expected for El Paso County, with blowing snow and degraded visibility possible through much of Sunday morning. This will be especially true for eastern El Paso, where gusts will be higher. Light but wind driven snow chances march south through the morning hours, with most of our plains seeing chances between 6 AM and noon. Winds begin to decrease through the afternoon hours, and snowfall looks to dissipate through the evening hours.

Totals with this system are fairly low given how long we have waited for decent moisture, but we will take what we can get at this point of course. Highest totals are will be over the San Juans, but the central mountains and Sangres should both see totals around 4 to 8 inches as well. Lesser amounts for other mountain zones are expected, with 2 to 3 inches likely over the Palmer Divide. Trace amounts to possibly 2 or so inches look to be the most likely outcomes on our plains, with those 2 inch amounts hugging closer to the terrain. Overall, our main travel impacts will more likely be due to blowing snow than to road conditions given the lower totals and the warmer temperatures.

Monday Onwards..

Provided the front does not slow down some more, we are in cool and dry northerly flow behind it by Monday, with slightly cooler than normal temperatures. Highs look to climb into the 40s for much of the plains, with 30s for the San Luis Valley. A warming trend begins on Tuesday, with dry conditions and weaker winds persisting through at least Wednesday as a broad area of high pressure sits to our west and leaves us in northwest flow. Models continue to hint that this pattern may stay in place through late next week before westerly or southwesterly flow and more chances for precipitation possibly return, at least for the high country.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 1026 AM MST Fri Dec 26 2025

VFR conditions are expected at KALS, KCOS, and KPUB through 24 hours, with persistent mid to high-level clouds. Breezy west- southwest winds will persist over the area into tonight before weakening. In the early morning hours of Saturday, inversions will be present near both KCOS and KPUB. Continued trend of including LLWS at KCOS starting at 07Z tonight, with light surface winds and strong west flow aloft. KPUB will also have light surface winds, though stronger flow aloft is currently expected to remain above 5 kft.

PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM Saturday to 11 AM MST Sunday for COZ058-060. Winter Storm Warning from 10 PM this evening to 11 AM MST Sunday for COZ068. Winter Weather Advisory from 11 AM Saturday to 8 PM MST Sunday for COZ073-075.