With Colorado at 98 percent of the snowpack that’s typical for this point in the season, another round of heavy snow may be on the way. Keep in mind that while Colorado’s statewide snowpack was at about 137 percent of the norm by the end of November, that number dropped to about 84 percent during dry weeks that followed. It wasn’t until the last week of December and first few days of January that increased snowfall pushed the snowpack back toward average.
While the next few days in Colorado’s mountains should be relatively tame (OpenSnow’s report indicates that Silverton will get the most snow over the next five days at just six inches), the weekend could bring a turnaround.
Editor’s Note: Monday night snow could result in a dangerous Tuesday morning commute on the Front Range – not a lot of snow, but enough to cause potential issues.
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Experimental mapping from the National Weather Service shows the most of the state’s mountains will be at ‘risk of heavy snow’ from January 11 to January 13. If this snow hits, it will be part of a multi-day storm that could also encompass several states, including parts of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and New Mexico.
At this point, the snowiest resort in the state for the season has been Copper Mountain with its 168 inches of snow – 14 feet. How the upcoming storm shakes out is still a bit up-in-the-air, but Copper Mountain is smack dab in the middle of where it’s expected to hit in the Centennial State.
Find additional forecasting information on the National Weather Service website.
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MONDAY: Monday will be warmer with 60s returning for many in southern Colorado. Plenty of sunshine is expected with a bit of a breeze too. Spotty fire weather conditions are possible for some too.
MID-WEEK: Humidity levels will likely improve throughout the week with less fire danger expected. However, sunshine and temperatures about 20 degrees above averages continue.
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CHRISTMAS: Christmas will be warm and dry with highs in the 60s for many with sunshine. The high country through the divide and Wolf Creek Pass may see some snow, but we will be dry in southern Colorado.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper are asking President Trump to reverse a decision, saying the president denied disaster declaration requests for major wildfires and flooding across the state earlier this year.
Pyrocumulous clouds seen forming over the Lee Fire on Aug. 8 as the fire continued to rapidly spread.
Garfield County Sheriff’s Office
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In August, lightning strikes near the town of Meeker sparked two massive wildfires that burned over 150,000 acres in Rio Blanco County. The Lee fire became the fifth-largest wildfire in the state’s history. Polis declared a disaster emergency for the Elk Fire on Aug. 3, which was updated on Aug. 6 to include the Lee Fire. That declaration unlocked over $18.5 million in state funding to help with suppression and recovery efforts.
The Elk and Lee Fires and subsequent mudslides caused approximately $27.5 million in damage, according to state estimates validated by FEMA. State officials expect that estimate to grow as recovery efforts continue.
Polis said the region’s Piceance Basin produces between 2 and 5% of the United States’ daily consumption of natural gas and that the two local utility providers in the area suffered almost $24 million in damage to their infrastructure. He warned that a lack of support could stall production, damaging the local economy and causing rate increases that reach far beyond the region.
Firefighter Chris Canawa, with Upper Pine River Fire Protection District, walks through floodwater at Vallecito Reservoir after checking on residents of a house being evacuated near Bayfield, Colo., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.
Jerry McBride/The Durango Herald via AP
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Polis declared another disaster emergency in October when areas of southwest Colorado along Vallecito Creek, the Piedra River, and the San Juan River basin were struck by intense flooding.
According to a statement from the governor’s office, “The Western Colorado Flooding destroyed or damaged essential drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, including near-total sewer system failures in the Pagosa Springs area. Floodwaters breached levees, triggered evacuations for nearly 400 homes, prompted multiple boil-water advisories, and caused at least 11 high-water rescues by local first responders. Rivers reached historic levels — including the San Juan River’s third-highest crest since 1911 — and debris flows, sediment deposits, and rechanneling of waterways have created long-term risks for residents living along Vallecito Creek, the Piedra River, and the San Juan River basin.”
Polis made a formal request for support in September. Colorado’s entire congressional delegation — four Democrats and four Republicans — along with both Democratic senators, asked the president to support the request and to issue a major disaster declaration to help the people affected by the fires and floods.
According to the governor’s office, that request was denied Saturday night. In a joint statement, Colorado’s governor and senators called on the president to reconsider.
“Coloradans impacted by the Elk and Lee fires and the flooding in Southwestern Colorado deserve better than the political games President Trump is playing. One of the most amazing things to witness as Governor has been the resilience of Coloradans following a natural disaster. Their courage, strength, and willingness to help one another is unmatched – values that President Trump seems to have forgotten. I call on the President’s better angels and urge him to reconsider these requests. This is about the Coloradans who need this support, and we won’t stop fighting for them to get what they deserve. Colorado will be appealing this decision,” Polis said.
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Bennet condemned the denial, claiming that the president is using Coloradans for “political games” and calling the move “malicious and obscene.
“A disaster is a disaster, regardless of what state in the country it took place. Together with Governor Polis and the Colorado delegation, I will take every available step to appeal this decision,” he asserted.
“Coloradans are trying to rebuild their lives after fires and floods destroyed homes and communities across our state. Trump’s decision to reject our disaster requests, and therefore, withhold resources as our communities continue to recover, is unacceptable. This isn’t a game. These are people’s lives,” Hickenlooper said.
In response to CBS News Colorado’s request, White House Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson provided the following statement regarding the denial:
“During the fires, the Administration prioritized and mobilized two Modular Aerial Fire Fighting Systems, which are jointly managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Department of War, and retrofitted to C-130s operated by the Air National Guard. These systems enhanced aviation support to Colorado as they battled the Lee and Elk fires.
The President responds to each request for Federal assistance under the Stafford Act with great care and consideration, ensuring American tax dollars are used appropriately and efficiently by the states to supplement-not substitute, their obligation to respond to and recover from disasters.
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There is no politicization to the President’s decisions on disaster relief, unlike under the Biden Administration where FEMA officials refused aid to disaster survivors who displayed political signs and flags they disagreed with. The Trump administration remains committed to empowering and working with State and local governments to invest in their own resilience before disaster strikes, making response less urgent and recovery less prolonged.”
CBS News Colorado reached out to FEMA for comment on Sunday. Its Denver regional office referred questions to its national office in Washington, D.C., but as of the time of this story’s publishing, it has not yet responded.
Two weeks after a rockslide in Colorado derailed a train into the Gunnison River, spilling thousands of gallons of fuel into the water, the Environmental Protection Agency said the initial cleanup operation is coming to a close. They added that additional oil recovery and a more methodical assessment of impacts to the shoreline are underway.
