Alpine, CO Weather

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central: east central: south central and southeast Colorado.

Day one: This Afternoon and Tonight

Areas of fog, locally dense, are expected across the far eastern plains late tonight into early Thursday morning.

Days two through seven: Thursday through Tuesday

Another system will affect the region starting Sunday, with mountain snows and heavy rain along with the potential for additional flooding expected along the Continental Divide and across the San Luis Valley Sunday into Monday.

Mountains snows increase Monday, with a low chance for at least a wintry mix over portions of the mountain valleys and plains.

Spotter information statement

Weather spotters will not be needed today or tonight.

Key messages

- Drier and warmer through Thursday, with a pattern shift starting on Friday.

- Low to medium chance for locally dense fog over the eastern plains late tonight into Thursday morning.

- Potential for mountain snows and heavy rain along with the additional flooding returns over the Continental Divide and the San Luis Valley Sunday into Monday.

- Mountains snows increase Monday, with a low chance for at least a wintry mix over portions of the mountain valleys and plains.

Short term

Issued at 228 PM MDT Wed Oct 28 2026

Relatively quiet weather will persist this period as a drier air mass and westerly flow remain in place, and as rising heights are expected through the period. Will keep a close eye on fog potential over the far eastern plains late tonight into early Thursday morning, along with isolated thunderstorm development over the far southeast plains late Thursday afternoon.

Currently, a cold front has pushed south down the plains and is moving into the northeast CWA. Meanwhile, surface trough is situated right along the Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma boundaries. The cold front is worth monitoring as higher dewpoint air along this boundary could help with redeveloping fog late tonight, which actually occurred along and ahead of this boundary to the north earlier this morning. Did add areas of fog to forecast, but there is a low to medium chance for locally dense fog. The trough will be worth monitoring as this focus along with increased moisture could serve to help develop at least isolated thunderstorm development late Thursday afternoon. Confidence is low, but with some pieces of guidance hinting at this possibility.

Long term

Issued at 1243 AM MDT Wed Oct 28 2026

Calm and mild conditions will continue on Thursday, though temperatures will drop a few degrees thanks to a dry cold front passing through.

Starting on Friday, our next incoming source of moisture will be a deepening trough over the Pacific northwest. As we move into this weekend, southwest flow aloft will increase over the region, bringing in moist Pacific air and better forcing to western Colorado. Meanwhile, deterministic guidance suggests a shortwave passing south of our area during the day on Friday, which could potentially bring some rain to the far southeast plains as well. However, if the wave picks up in speed, most of the precipitation could miss us, falling in Kansas instead.

Either way, the deepening trough out west will likely bring accumulating snow to the mountains this weekend. Showers will start more isolated in nature, increasing in coverage later in the weekend and into early next week. Latest guidance shows the upper trough amplifying, with a secondary low potentially moving onshore from the southwest as the trough digs into the Four Corners. Details on the timing, strength, and path of the system still need to be refined in the data, but overall cooler and more active weather is currently expected for next week.

Aviation

Issued at 520 PM MDT Wed Oct 28 2026

VFR conditions anticipated across much of the forecast area over the next 24 hours, including the three main TAF sites of KCOS, KPUB and KALS. Surface Winds will be generally light and diurnally driven. However, IFR/LIFR ceilings and fog spread into the plains overnight, roughly between 11z and 16z. This should stay east of KCOS and KPUB so no mention, but will monitor through the night.

Watches, warnings and advisories

None.