Disclaimer: This is sponsored content. All opinions and views are of Monarch Mountain and does not reflect the same of KOAA.We don't have the same powder day totals on the slopes to enjoy this weekend as we did last weekend but we haven't been dry either. While conditions have remained dry and gusty in southern Colorado, northwesterly upper-level airflow has delivered 6-8" of snow at multiple Colorado ski areas in the last 48 hours. Monarch Mountain is up 4" in the last 48 hours and 9" in the last 7 days.Even before the latest batch of snow which didn't necessarily deliver the highest-end possible totals our mountains are looking healthier than they have all season. Here's a photo I took from Blue Sky Basin at Vail on Monday. For reference that slope aspect is easterly, and it hasn't been that filled in all winter. The consequence of that though is higher avalanche danger. Backcountry zones have considerable avalanche danger (3/5) through Friday. The Pikes Peak massif, the Sangre de Cristo range, and a small piece of the Mosquito range and the Vasquez mountains within the Front Range have moderate risk (2/5).Temperatures:It's going to feel spring-like on the final weekend of February. Highs Friday will be coolest mid-mountain temperatures at 9,500-10,500 feet will mostly been in the lower to upper 30s with a lack of major frontal systems to create strong temperature contrasts.As ridging southwest of Colorado flattens Saturday, ski area highs climb into the lower 40s. This is a broad-brush forecast since the lowest base elevation at a Colorado ski area is below 7,000 feet and the highest summit elevation is above 13,000 feet, but based on my experience with this type of setup...wherever you typically ski, and at whatever altitude it's at...expect it to feel like mid to late March, and plan accordingly for your gear set up. The 40s are going to be at about 10,000 feet. Monarch should reach the upper 30s at the summit, 40 at the base.Sunday's temperatures will be more variable due to incoming moisture, with warmer temperatures in the southern mountains where it should stay mainly sunny. In the northern and central mountains, moisture being pushed into the mountains will be forced to rise producing orographic snow, and keeping temperatures cooler (highs in the upper 30s at mid-mountain).Snow:The warm temperatures on Sunday suggest the potential for rain at lower elevations, with snow at upper elevations remaining the likely precipitation type. That's not the only snowmaker next week though. You can expect another round of snow in the middle of the week that should deliver at least several more inches.__Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching. ...read more read less