PLEASE NOTE: The temperatures shown for "base" (if "base/ top" is not displayed) are more of a mid mountain temperature forecast. In season (October through April) we are back to forecasting base and top temperatures plus more detail for our partner resorts like Taos Ski Valley (http://www.snowforecast.com/TaosSkiValley).

AVERAGE TEMPERATURES FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR;

-At 8,500 feet (Used Red River): Low 38, High 77
-At 9,500 feet (Base elevation for Taos Resort); Low 40, High 70
-At 12,500 feet (The top elevation of some resorts); Low 30, High 58

SUMMARY FOR THE NEXT 6 DAYS -//> UPDATED FOR FRIDAY, JULY 3rd at 11:00am...Today -> There is a plume of deep subtropical moisture extending up from Mexico and the desert southwest, crossing the area but being pushed eastward this morning. We had dewpoints in the mid 50's to 40 from 8,000 to 12,000 feet in the last 12 hours, which is pretty impressive for such high elevations. It means the air was about as tropical moisture laden as it gets. Moisture is being scoured out as evidenced on water vapor satellite imagery, but there is plenty of moisture left to fire off scattered to numerous thunderstorms and showers this afternoon and evening. Wind gusts to 50mph, frequent or continuous lightning, small hail, and some heavy showers are possible in any storm. With drier air working in, and not much else going on overhead tonight, we expect activity to mostly end by/ after midnight under partly cloudy skies.

http://www.14ers.com/ Awesome site!

Independence Day and Sunday -> Drier northwest breezes are the expected wind pattern under a ridge of high pressure aloft, but there is still sufficient moisture remaining for partly to mostly cloudy skies and a good chance for afternoon and evening thunderstorms and showers. These will be the diurnal type, triggered mostly by daytime heating, and mostly scattered in nature, with some isolated heavy showers. Overall however, the amount of thunderstorms and showers will be decreased from today.

Monday through Wednesday -> A strong (558-dM) low pressure system develops across the northwest US, and drier southwest winds are expected to develop across the Rocky Mountains (mainly by Tuesday). Mostly sunny skies are expected, but with isolated thunderstorms and showers each afternoon. For the most part we should be warm, windy, and mostly sunny.

Thursday and Friday -> A high pressure ridge building from the southeast displaces weakening and departing low pressure. As it does we are looking at warmer temperatures, and monsoonal moisture slowly returning. It looks like mostly a low to medium grade monsoon, with isolated afternoon thunderstorms (and not much rain) by next Friday, becoming more scattered (increased coverage) by next weekend.

Please submit any ideas or comments to chris@snowforecast.com. We appreciate your use of the site! CM

--High pressure ridging returns, and becomes centered close by, and to the east somewhat, for limited subtropical moisture seeping in. T-Storm and shower activity continues isolated to scattered (10% to 40% coverage each afternoon/ evening) through mid and into late July.

--For those who want to know, it looks like an El Nino SST pattern is developing and strengthening. We would expect more moisture for thunderstorms and showers this summer, and Pacific Hurricane activity with this development. We do not think this will be a dry summer compared to average, in fact it may be a bit wet. This fall/ winter the El Nino should still be with us. This usually means a near to below average snowfaall year for northern Colorado, and near to above average snowfall for southern Colorado. That is very general, but we will try to work up some snowfall and temperature comparisions as we get closer. CM