GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP/CBS4) — A vigorous winter storm is moving across western Colorado.

The storm is expected to last through Thursday in the northern Colorado mountains and bring several inches of snow to the Front Range.

The National Weather Service said Monday snow could be as deep as 20 inches in some areas, with winds up to 50 miles an hour.

CBS4′s Jeff Todd reported that the snow was beginning to also fall on the eastern edge of the storm Monday evening in Summit County.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, approximately 60 to 70 plows have been out working from the border of Summit and Eagle counties to Vail Pass and back into the Front Range.

Statewide precipitation this winter has been well below normal. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows all of Colorado experiencing some level of drought. The Natural Resources Conservation Service listed the statewide snowpack as 67 percent of average as of Monday.

Officials told the state Water Availability Task Force last week that statewide reservoir storage is at about 68 percent of average, and municipal water providers are preparing in case drought conditions persist.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)