Probabilistic Heavy Snow and Icing Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
225 AM EST Mon Nov 2 2026

Valid 12Z Mon Nov 02 2026 - 12Z Thu Nov 05 2026

...Rockies...
Day 1...

Sharp upper trough centered over the Rockies to start the forecast
period and associated influx of anomalous tropical Pacific
moisture will be pushing into the central U.S. today, with
precipitation and mostly high elevation snowfall ending across the
Great Basin and Rockies by early Tuesday.

Snow levels will gradually fall through the D1 forecast period, but
at the same time as the column begins to dry as flow becomes
northwesterly behind the exiting upper trough. These levels will
start out this morning around 6000-8000ft across the central Great
Basin and northern Rockies, with higher snow levels across the
central Rockies around 9000-11000ft. By Monday night these are
expected to lower to a more uniform 6000-8000ft (lowest across the
northern Rockies). Additional snowfall amounts are expected to be
mostly light below 8000-9000ft. Probabilities for at least an
additional 8 inches of snow are greatest (40-80%) across the San
Juans, Sawatch, and Medicine Bow Mts of CO. The Laramie and Bighorn
Mts as well as the Black Hills also have the potential for
moderate snowfall amounts, with 40-80% probabilities for at least 6
inches of snow through 12Z Tuesday. Gusty winds are also expected
to accompany snowfall across some of the WY mountain ranges and
adjacent High Plains into the Black Hills, which could lead to
brief periods of low visibility from blowing snow into early
Tuesday.


The probability of significant ice across the CONUS is less than 10
percent.


Snell