Boulder County is bracing for heavy snowfall as the National Weather Service is predicting anywhere from 9 inches to more than 3 feet of snow to fall over the Front Range this weekend.
National Weather Service Meteorologist David Barjenbruch said the “most likely” totals range from 18 to 24 inches.
“We’re going to see a powerful winter storm move up across northeast Colorado and that’s going to put down some heavy snowfall for much of northeast and north-central Colorado including the Front Range, I-25 corridor and Boulder,” Barjenbruch said.
The NWS expects snow to start falling on Friday night with the heaviest snow beginning mid-day Saturday and into Sunday.
Since 1948 in Boulder, the highest snow total for March 13 came in 1963 with 7 inches. The highest total for March 14 was 8.4 inches in 1997.
Local meteorologist Matt Kelsch wrote in an email that he predicts 20 to 29 inches of snow in Boulder and 16 to 24 inches in Longmont. The highest totals, 2 to 3 feet, will likely fall in southeast Wyoming and the eastern slopes of the foothills north of Colorado Springs. Kelsch also said he wouldn’t be surprised to see rain prior to snowfall in the Denver-Boulder area.
The cell is currently developing as a swirl of clouds near the California coast and once it collides with moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, Barjenbruch sees a formula for heavy snow.
Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Cmdr. Jim Chamberlin recommends that people stay inside and avoid travel. He said deputies will be on call if assistance is needed.
“If you don’t have to go out, don’t go out,” Chamberlin said “If for some reason you have to, take it slow, take your time, make sure you have plenty of time to get where you’re going and don’t be in a rush.”
The Boulder County Transportation and Mobility Department urges residents to complete any errands prior to the storm and to shovel multiple times throughout the weekend if needed. Snow plow priority will be given to major roads, emergency routes and streets that access needed infrastructure.
The snow will be a challenge for road supervisor and Boulder County Deputy Director of Public Works Bob Kiepe. Kiepe’s crew has been preparing for a possible spring snowstorm for two weeks now and he hopes to unleash 28 trucks and six motor graders onto Boulder County’s roads.
“They’ve been saying anywhere from 1 inch an hour to 2 to 3 and keeping (the roads) passable at those snow rates per hour is just about an impossible task,” Kiepe said. “But we’ll do our best to keep the main roads as passable as possible.”
Kiepe added that night shifts on the plows will begin Friday afternoon and “everybody with a CDL (commercial driver’s license) will be driving this weekend.” If resources are available, he hopes to plow subdivisions late Sunday and into Monday.
Local grocery stores are bracing for the storm as well. Store manager Will Stanger at Natural Grocers on Main Street in Longmont said their shelves haven’t been ransacked yet but he is ordering extra food and supplies in preparation.
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March 12, 2021 at 08:56AM
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Boulder County prepares for heavy snowfall as storm approaches - Longmont Times-Call
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