After a taste of spring, Colorado’s mountains can expect a return to wintry weather this weekend with a series of storms forecast to hit the Western Slope heading into next week.

On Friday, the unseasonably warm weather will give way to cooler temperatures with snow possible at elevations above 9,000 feet starting Friday afternoon, with 2-5 inches of accumulation in the mountains by Saturday morning, according to Open Snow. Meanwhile, lower-elevation valleys and plains will likely see rain showers.

“This first wave is pretty mild, so for (some) valleys it will probably start off as rain, maybe change to snow before it ends Saturday morning,” National Weather Service forecaster Bernie Meier said. “But there’s additional chances later on Saturday and then maybe again come Sunday where it might be cold enough for some accumulation in the valleys.”

Saturday will be mostly dry until the evening, when another storm is expected to bring 2-5 inches of new snow into Sunday morning for areas above 7,000 feet, with up to 8 inches over some northern mountains.

Saturday’s temperatures are expected to drop across the mountain region, with higher elevations reporting numbers in the mid-40s, according to National Weather Service Forecaster Braeden Winters.

As the cooldown continues, snowfall could reach lower elevations — around 4,000 feet — by Sunday and into early next week, Winters said. 

Travel impacts are uncertain, though Meier said there could be some impacts Friday night on some passes. Saturday is expected to be mostly clear for travel, though snow’s return Saturday night and Sunday morning could pose some impacts to higher roads.