Where should I go this weekend?

[TrektheWorld]

Originally I was asking for help planning a trip down the BMT for this weekend when I had a long weekend and the weather has been nice virtually everywhere. Our school district plans this "Fall Break" of a long weekend at the very end of October and we always get stuck with a chance of worsening weather. Last year I drove back from the San Rafael Swell with a friend and we had a white knuckle drive over Vail Pass back to the front range, Colorado in a snowstorm. This year I had hoped for a change in luck. But when I look up weather outlooks for any place to get away all of Colorado looks swamped with wet/cold weather this weekend. Then I look up to Wyoming, down to New Mexico, and over to Utah for ideas.

Right now the most favorable forecast I'm seeing for Saturday the 24 - Tuesday the 27 is areas like Moab or Hanksville. But that is me looking at a 10 day forecast on Weather Underground and looking at those precipitation graphs at the bottom matched with winds and highs and lows. Looks like Monday night may be a hotel/cabin kind of a night if I bring my 9yr old son with me.

I am by no means even an amateur meteorologist but I was wondering where you guys look online for planning ideas when it comes to weather? Is there a site I can use to easily see where this next weather system is coming through on these dates and where I can drive to get around it and spend some time in the sun and a bit warmer temps?
Thanks again for any advice yo

 

[Wanderlust073]

Accuweather...

Not all of CO is getting snow this weekend, and you can look up by city to see what works for you. Hourly forecasts for the cities you will be driving through can help with planning for/trying to avoid weather.

I'm going fishing for a few days this weekend. Durango and Glenwood Springs/roaring fork area were both looking reasonable F-Su for being outside. Had to scratch summit county and gunnison options for weather (too cold sunday), Then after a cold Monday it's back up in to the 60's for most of the state as next week progresses.

Forecasts more than a few days out aren't worth the time it took to put them together in my opinion. Not in CO anyway.

 

[LarryBoy]

A useful product is the Forecast Discussion that NWS puts out. It gives a broader picture of the general patterns expected in the next week or so. Each NWS office, covering an entire state or a large portion thereof issues its own. Helpful high-level color, and I often find it more helpful that more forecasts for specific locales.

 

[Jackson]

Accuweather extended forecasts are my go-to as well. But like @Wanderlust073 said, they aren't worth a ton especially when it comes to volatile weather systems like that. Even the forecast a few days in advance here frequently ends up being kind of far off.

That said, the Hanksville area does seem to be a spot that gets skipped by a lot of storms, or at least it often doesn't get as much as other places.

 

[regehr]

That said, the Hanksville area does seem to be a spot that gets skipped by a lot of storms, or at least it often doesn't get as much as other places.

I also feel like this is true too -- but keep in mind that in that area you're often doing comparatively long drives on dirt/clay roads and we all know how awful these get when they're wet!

 

[gnwatts]

Cedar Mesa looks pretty good until Sunday afternoon. Here in Carbondale/Roaring Fork Valley it is supposed to rain/snow all day Sunday.
I like Weather Underground, I have found it to be pretty accurate.

 

[Wanderlust073]

Cedar Mesa looks pretty good until Sunday afternoon. Here in Carbondale/Roaring Fork Valley it is supposed to rain/snow all day Sunday.
I like Weather Underground, I have found it to be pretty accurate.

Good example of forecasts being worthless more than a few days out... Damn it!

 

[TrektheWorld]

There's no escaping Mondays highs in the 30s unless I want to get on a plane and head to El Paso, San Diego, or Tucson. And that seems like a whole lotta effort to get a few extra days in the sun. I hate the thought of sitting around the house in the cold, but I guess I'll make the most of it.