Ahead of the first major winter snowstorm of the season, the National Weather Service has downgraded its snowfall forecast. In short, this means that most of Colorado’s peaks will receive quite a bit less snow this weekend than expected midweek, although the southwestern region will still likely see significant accumulation.

Expectations of four feet or more at select peaks in the San Juans have been lowered to about 8 to 10 feet of snow in the “most likely” scenario (although some favored areas still show a chance for slightly more snow). For example, according to a Thursday morning report, the city of Silverton was expected to receive about 12 to 18 inches from Friday morning through Sunday morning. As of Friday morning, the National Weather Service’s “expected snowfall” report for the period now shows the likelihood of six to eight inches in Silverton under the most likely scenario.

Perhaps most troubling for Colorado ski enthusiasts is the overall decline in snow forecasts in the Central Mountain area. Reports that initially showed about 8 to 12 inches during the weekend storm along the I-70 corridor are now at about 4 to 6 inches or less.

Snow will still fall in Colorado this weekend, but it won’t fall as much as expected, and it will heavily favor the southwestern region.

As October draws to a close, it appears that a Colorado ski resort opening this October is still up in the air. Based on this forecast alone, Wolf Creek appears to have the best chances of opening early if only natural snow is considered. That said, temperatures in the mountains are indeed getting colder, with Arapahoe Basin officially reporting that their snowmaking guns fired Friday morning.

Will Colorado skiers and snowboarders be able to hit the slopes before Halloween? We’ll have to wait and see.

Find additional weather information on the National Weather Service website.