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Rain forecast for Colorado’s Front Range, snow for aspen viewing

Vaseline September 20, 2024

This story has been updated with the latest rainfall totals from the National Weather Service and the forecast for Fort Collins.

If you’re planning to go aspen-viewing in the northern mountains, catch the Colorado State football game in Fort Collins, or do some other outdoor activity this weekend, you might want to bring snowshoes or an umbrella.

The National Weather Service is forecasting rain east of the Front Range Mountains to the Eastern Plains and snow in the mountains from Saturday afternoon through Sunday.

On Friday morning, the storm appeared to be moving primarily east of Denver and south of Colorado Springs, where the heaviest rainfall would occur. As a result, rainfall in Fort Collins decreased.

Still, rain could affect fans at CSU’s 3 p.m. football game against UTEP on Saturday at Canvas Stadium (see the Fort Collins forecast below). Snow could affect aspen viewing in the northern mountains, where peak viewing is expected to begin this weekend.

This is the weather forecast for this weekend:

Rain and snow expected this weekend in Colorado

According to the National Weather Service, here’s what you can expect: rain, snow, and much cooler temperatures:

Front Range and Eastern Plains: From Saturday afternoon to Saturday evening there may be widespread rainfall and some thunderstorms. Sunday morning the showers will decrease.
Front Range Mountains: There is a potential for several inches of snow generally above 9,000 feet, but snow levels could drop to around 8,000 feet by late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Depending on the timing and intensity of the shower and storm development, there could also be a risk of flooding over recently burned areas from late Saturday afternoon through midnight Saturday.
These include the ongoing Pearl fire and the Alexander Mountain fire burn area, which was fully contained by August 17.

Here’s a look at the predicted rainfall totals around Colorado

Here’s the total rainfall forecast for Saturday, according to the National Weather Service as of Friday morning:

Fort Collins: 0.25-0.50 inch
Red Feather Lakes (Pearl Fire:) 0.25-0.50
Greeley: 0.5-1
The Hague: 0.5-1
Boulder: 0.5-1
Steamboat Springs: 0.25-0.50
Great Lake: 0.25-0.50
Winter Park: 0.5-1
Vail: 0.5-1
Sterling: 0.5
Lemon: 1-1.5 inches
Colorado Springs: 1-1.5 inches
Village: 0.5-1

Fort Collins Weekend Weather Forecast

Updated as of Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service:

Saturday: 30% chance of showers between 12pm and 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Increasing cloudiness, with a high near 67 degrees and a north wind 16 to 22 mph becoming east in the afternoon, with gusts as high as 34 mph.
Saturday evening: 80% chance of showers and possibly thunderstorms. Low around 43.
Sunday: 60% chance of showers, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high around 55 and an east wind 7 to 9 mph becoming south-southeast in the afternoon with gusts to 16 mph. Low around 38.

Fort Collins could use a good rain shower

September and 2024 have been dry, with Fort Collins experiencing moderate drought, according to the most recent drought monitor map.

According to Russ Schumacher, director of the Colorado Climate Center and a professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at Colorado State University, Fort Collins has received 10 inches (25.46 centimeters) of precipitation this year, compared to an average of 12.5 inches (32.36 centimeters).

This September, through Thursday, has seen just 0.26 inches of precipitation. The average for the entire month is 1.43 inches, Schumacher said.