Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostMichelle and Greg Pearson walk past huge snow drifts outside of their rented house that seems buried in snow on their way to dinner on Jan. 11, 2017 in Crested Butte.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostPhil Escue walks through a small path towards his snow buried house on January 10, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. About 93 inches has fallen in the area in 8 days and more is expected over the week.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostHouses are buried in snow on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostThe downtown area is scenic and idyllic with the freshly fallen snow on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostGary Davis keeps on top of shoveling the pathway to his house as snow continues to fall on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostSkiing at Crested Butte ski area on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostA skier takes advantage of the huge amounts of powder while skiing at Crested Butte ski area on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostSkier John Hopper takes advantage of the huge amounts of powder while skiing at Crested Butte ski area on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Hopper, who has lived in the are for over 25 years, said he has never seen such incredible conditions. The ski area has had over 90 inches of snow in less than 10 days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostWhite out conditions and high winds made for challenging skiing at Crested Butte ski area on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. The area has gotten almost 100 inches of snow in the past 10 days and more is expected in the coming week.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostJack Starkebaum, middle, and other skiers and snowboarders brave wind and white out conditions as they wait in the lift line at Crested Butte ski area on Jan. 11, 2017 in Crested Butte.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostNate Dougherty has a beard full of snow and ice from skiing while he and other skiers and snowboarders brave wind and white out conditions as they wait in the lift line at Crested Butte ski area on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. The area has gotten almost 100 inches of snow in the past 10 days and more is expected in the coming week.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostA young boy, Mario, walks along Elk Ave on January 10, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. About 93 inches has fallen in the area in 8 days and more is expected over the week.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostRob Quint, works to pull snow off of the house of his roof on January 10, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. About 93 inches has fallen in the area in 8 days and more is expected over the week. Quint says in the 35 years that he has lived in Crested Butte he has never seen this amount of snow.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostDavid Van Dyke, owner of Centennial State Roofing company works with a crew of four to dig over several feet of snow off of a commercial rooftop on January 10, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. About 93 inches has fallen in the area in 8 days and more is expected over the week.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostA stop sign is buried in snow on January 10, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. About 93 inches has fallen in the area in 8 days and more is expected over the week.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostNicole Akselrad lets her dog Nershi have fun in the large snow banks along streets on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostKen Reynolds walks by huge snow drifts along streets on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostGary Davis keeps on top of shoveling the pathway to his house as snow continues to fall on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostMule deer stay together in large bands and forage in the deep snow along Colorado Highway 114 on January 10, 2017 southeast of Gunnison, Colorado.
Andy Cross, The Denver PostSemi-trucks turn across I-70 to head back towards Denver as I-70 westbound was closed from Georgetown to Silverthorne due to avalanche reduction work on Jan. 10, 2017. All cars and trucks had to turn around.
Andy Cross, The Denver PostA truck driver heads back towards his truck during the westbound I-70 closure from Georgetown to Silverthorne due to avalanche reduction work January 10, 2017.
Andy Cross, The Denver PostColorado State Patrol and CDOT block westbound I-70 which was closed from Georgetown to Silverthorne due to avalanche reduction work January 10, 2017.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostMervin Ormiston, with Centennial State Roofing company works with a crew of four to dig over several feet of snow off of a commercial roof top on January 10, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. About 93 inches has fallen in the area in 8 days and more is expected over the week.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostMule deer stay together in large bands and forage in the deep snow along Colorado Highway 114 on January 10, 2017 southeast of Gunnison, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostTrucker Dave Christian, left, gets help from fellow trucker Tom Hoage, right, putting on chains as they and other big rigs wait and hope for Monarch Pass to reopen on January 10, 2017 near Poncha Springs, Colorado. A winter storm that has dumped feet not inches of snow in the southern mountains has created hazardous driving conditions and closed Monarch Pass for almost 24 hours.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostJohn Williams, who drove from Pueblo, right, waits and at the bottom of Monarch Pass hoping it will reopen soon on January 10, 2017 near Poncha Springs, Colorado. A winter storm that has dumped feet not inches of snow in the southern mountains has created hazardous driving conditions and closed Monarch Pass for almost 24 hours.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostAnthony Allred, with Centennial State Roofing company works with a crew of four to dig over several feet of snow off of a commercial roof top on January 10, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. About 93 inches has fallen in the area in 8 days and more is expected over the week.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostTrucker Dave Christian, middle, gets help from fellow trucker Tom Hoage, right, putting on chains as they and other big rigs wait and hope for Monarch Pass to reopen on January 10, 2017 near Poncha Springs, Colorado. A winter storm that has dumped feet not inches of snow in the southern mountains has created hazardous driving conditions and closed Monarch Pass for almost 24 hours.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostMule deer forage in the deep snow along Colorado Highway 114 on January 10, 2017 southeast of Gunnison, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostTrucker Dave Christian, middle, gets help from fellow trucker Tom Hoage, right, as he puts on chains as he and other big rigs wait and hope for Monarch Pass to reopen on January 10, 2017 near Poncha Springs, Colorado. A winter storm that has dumped feet not inches of snow in the southern mountains has created hazardous driving conditions and closed Monarch Pass for almost 24 hours.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostMule deer stay together in large bands and forage in the deep snow along Colorado Highway 114 on January 10, 2017 southeast of Gunnison, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostA shop owner digs out snow between two buildings on January 10, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. About 93 inches has fallen in the area in 8 days and more is expected over the week.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostRob Mahedy keeps on top of shoveling the pathway of a house as snow continues to fall on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostSnowplows work on plowing huge amounts of powder at the ski area on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. The area has gotten almost 100 inches of snow in the past 10 days and more is expected in the coming week.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostSkier Scooter Gates takes advantage of the huge amounts of powder while skiing at Crested Butte ski area on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. The ski area has had over 90 inches of snow in less than 10 days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostPedestrians walk by huge snow drifts along streets on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostAl and Linda Landgraff, from St. Peter, Minnesota, walk down the snowy main street as they shop on Jan. 11, 2017 in Crested Butte.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostGary Davis cleans off his car outside of his house as snow continues to fall on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostA cyclist makes his way down a snowy road by huge snow drifts along streets on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostGreg Pearson walks into a tunnel of snow to get to his home on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostMJ Johnson, left, and Katie Griebe, right, walk by huge snow drifts along streets on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostThe downtown area is scenic and idyllic with the freshly fallen snow on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostQuaint stores are covered with snow on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostA cyclist makes her way by quaint stores are covered with snow on Jan. 11, 2017 in Crested Butte.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostShoppers walk by quaint stores covered with snow on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostBrad Holleran keeps on top of shoveling the pathway to his house as snow continues to fall on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostPeople dig out of the huge amounts of snow on January 11, 2017 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Downtown Crested Butte has been inundated with more than 100 inches of snow in the past days. More snow is expected in the upcoming days.
Truck driver Mike Segelke tightens the chains on his semi-truck's tires along westbound Interstate 70 at Georgetown on January 10, 2017. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
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Michelle and Greg Pearson walk past huge snow drifts outside of their rented house that seems buried in snow on their way to dinner on Jan. 11, 2017 in Crested Butte.
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By Kirk Mitchell | kmitchell@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
Getting your player ready...
Up to 8 inches of new snow is expected Thursday in the Colorado mountains and as much as an inch of snow could fall in Denver, forecasters say.
There’s a 30 percent chance of snow, mainly after 1 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Boulder.
Between a trace and 1 inch of snow is expected, but meteorologist Frank Cooper said early Thursday that some locations could get much more snow.
“Some bands could get up to 3 inches of snow,” Cooper said.
On Thursday, it will be nearly 20 degrees cooler than Wednesday’s high temperature of 56 degrees in Denver. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph, the weather service predicts.
The mountains will get 1 to 3 inches of snow during the day and an additional 2 to 5 inches tonight.
Many ski resort towns in the mountains are on pace to shatter record snowfall amounts for the month of January, Cooper said.
“They’ve all spiked way above normal,” he said.
Winter Park had 47 inches of snow by Jan. 10. The record for the ski resort town was set in 1957 with 81.5 inches. Breckenridge had 45 inches of snow by Jan. 10. It’s on pace to reach the record snowfall of 79.8 inches set in 1899, the NWS says.
“We’re off to a really good start,” Cooper said.
It will be mostly cloudy with a high near 36 degrees on Friday.
Sunshine with a high of around 40 degrees is expected Saturday.
On Sunday another storm moves into the state. There is a 50 percent chance of snow, mostly after 11 a.m., according to the NWS. And more snow could fall Monday on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
By the middle of next week,the forecast calls for sunny skies with highs near 44 degrees on Tuesday and 51 on Wednesday.
