The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for northern Colorado, set to begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday and continue until 9 p.m. Wednesday. This alert signals significant winter weather impacting the region, particularly the mountainous areas.

Snowfall Totals and Advisory Details

General Forecast for Northern Mountains

Forecasters anticipate that most areas under the advisory will receive between 2 to 10 inches of snowfall. Additionally, residents should prepare for strong winds, with gusts potentially reaching up to 50 miles per hour.

Affected Counties and Travel Warnings

The advisory specifically covers portions of Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Grand, Jackson, Larimer, and Summit counties. Travel conditions are expected to deteriorate significantly.

Advisories warned, "Roads will become slippery in spots, especially through mountain passes. Travel could be very difficult." These hazardous conditions are projected to affect both the Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning commutes.

Highest Summit Accumulations Predicted

While 10 inches is the general high-end forecast, the state's highest peaks could see considerably more accumulation. More than a foot of snow is possible on some of Colorado’s tallest summits.

Specific Location Estimates

Several key locations and passes have specific snow accumulation predictions:

  • Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park and the Keystone Ski Area Summit: up to 3 inches, with 5 inches possible.
  • U.S. 6’s Loveland Pass and Colorado 9’s Hoosier Pass near Breckenridge: up to 6 inches, with 8 inches possible.
  • Colorado 14’s Cameron Pass near Fort Collins: up to 8 inches, with 10 inches possible.
  • Mount Zirkel, the highest summit in Colorado’s Park Range: up to 14 inches, with a maximum potential of 17 inches.

Context and Timing

The Winter Weather Advisory is specifically targeted for the northern Colorado mountains situated above 9,000 feet. The forecast emphasizes that slick travel conditions are highly probable due to the combination of snow and wind.

This weather event was noted around December 16, referencing conditions seen previously, such as a snowboarder at Arapahoe Basin ski resort in Summit County on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.