Heavy snow has fallen in Nebraska and Colorado with over a foot measured in North Platte, NE along I-80! The snow is welcomed as much of the state has not seen winter all year! Winter alerts remain in effect Friday from southeast Wyoming and into south-central Colorado into New Mexico. The mountains of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico could see up to another 6" of snow, while the Trinidad-Raton Pass between New Mexico and Colorado could be a tricky travel spot.
The steadiest snow for Colorado's Front Range will be through midday Friday before the energy shifts into New Mexico with steady snow through Saturday morning. We will see light snow showers linger for the mountains into the start of the weekend.
The last few days have been quite active in the Mountain West. While the new snow is great for the ski resorts, it increases the avalanche danger in the backcountry. Please avoid backcountry skiing or snowboarding unless you're properly equipped with an avalanche beacon and other safety tools. Prepare for road closures while crews do avalanche mitigation too - this is common on I-70 and through Cottonwood Canyon of Utah.