15 inches of snow expected to hit Colorado mountain town resort

It's going to be a cold and snowy week in Colorado's mountains and several towns are expected to see some significant accumulation over the next five days.

According to the National Weather Service, a first wave of snow that's expected to hit may drop 12 or more inches on some high peaks from Tuesday to Wednesday, with the highest totals landing in the areas of Steamboat Springs and Silverton. This will likely be followed by a second wave of snow from Thursday to Friday.

According to a forecast from popular mountain forecasting service OpenSnow, Steamboat Resort, found in the northwestern Colorado town of Steamboat Springs, could see about 15 inches of snow as these two waves pass through.

Higher elevation points in the area will likely see the most snow based on mapping from the National Weather Service, but the town will also likely see significant accumulation depending on how cold things get. The Weather Channel is currently calling for a warmer high of 45 on Tuesday in town and highs of 38 and 37 on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Lows will be in the 20s during the Tuesday/Wednesday portion of the storm, possibly hitting the teens on Thursday.

The scheduled opening date of Steamboat Resort is November 20, meaning there's still plenty of time for snow to stack up. Mountain snow cameras show a little bit of snow on the peak already, but most lower runs are bare with fall colors still showing, at time of publishing.

For updates on weather alerts in Colorado, check out the National Weather Service website. For in-depth reporting on resort forecasting, visit OpenSnow.com.

STAY INFORMED: Sign-up for the daily OutThere Colorado newsletter here