Probabilistic Heavy Snow and Icing Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
325 AM EDT Fri Apr 19 2024

Valid 12Z Fri Apr 19 2024 - 12Z Mon Apr 22 2024

...Central Rockies/High Plains...
Days 1-2...

An expansive dome of high pressure has enveloped much of the Great
Plains and extends as far north as the Canadian Prairies. This area
of high pressure is responsible for an air-mass that is unusually
chilly by mid-April standards and will remain locked in place
through Saturday thanks to an upper level omega block entrenched
over northwestern North America. Later today, an upper level trough
tracking into the southwestern U.S. will generate broad upper level
divergence over the Central Rockies through Saturday morning. In
addition, the region resides beneath the right-entrance region of a
250mb jet streak that will further enhance vertical ascent within
the atmosphere. To top it off, the dome of high pressure in place
coincides with a developing surface low over the Four Corners
region, prompting a strengthening pressure gradient to ensue and
easterly flow into Colorado's Front Range to increase. These
factors will lead to a period of heavy snow along the Front Range
of the Colorado Rockies and perhaps into the higher elevations of
the Palmer Divide Friday evening and into Saturday morning. Some
light snow accumulations may occur over southeast Wyoming,
northeast Colorado (including the Denver metro area) and the
Nebraska Panhandle. Latest WPC PWPF shows high chances (>70%) for
>8" of snowfall along the Colorado Front Range at elevations
>9,000ft. In the central High Plains (including the Denver metro
area) sport low-to moderate chances (20-50%) for snowfall totals
>2" with the more elevated areas (Boulder metro, the Laramie
Range, near Cheyenne) closer to the 40-50% probabilistic range.
Most accumulating snowfall will conclude by midday Saturday as
snowfall rates diminish and the strong mid-April sun angle
aids in rapid melting on all surfaces through Saturday afternoon.

The probability of significant icing is less than 10 percent.

Mullinax