Front+Range+Snowstorms

An upslope snowstorm is the common name given to a storm in Colorado that produces winds from the east, northeast, or southeast. As these winds blow from Nebraska and Kansas into the mountains of Colorado, they move "up-slope" from 3,500ft in elevation at the Kansas/Colorado border to 14,000ft at the height of the continental divide. As this air goes upslope, it cools, moisture in the air condenses, and if the air is cold enough, this condensed moisture falls as snow. Technically, all mountain snowstorms are upslope storms because air will run into //some// mountain, rise, and create snow. However in Colorado, the "upslope" vernacular is applied exclusively to storms with low-level winds from the east. The deepest snow will accumulate on the eastern side of the mountain, with much less (or no) snow on the leeward side of the mountain. Much of the moisture gets "used up" on the eastern side, leaving much less on the other side. Also, air that downslopes warms and dries, which decreases (or stops) snowfall. This means that upslope storms are usually big snow producers for the Denver metro area and east of the divide, with just a little bit of snow "spilling over" into Keystone and Breckenridge. Usually, very little or no snow falls on Vail and Beaver Creek.