A very strong Arctic storm is poised to move into Colorado around mid-day Thursday and remain in the area until early next week.
Some snow is expected to fall Friday and Saturday, with 3-6 inches expected in the metro area and up to a foot of snow in the high mountains.
The storm’s strongest impact will be brutally cold temperatures, with highs this weekend only in the single digits. Nighttime temperatures could easily dip below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Mountain temperatures could dip to -20.
Thursday’s temperatures for the metro area should reach into the 40s, then drop as the cold front moves in. Friday’s temperatures in the metro area should reach the high teens.
As the storm approaches, strong winds are expected to develop along the foothills, with gusts of 35-45 mph. Above timberline, winds could reach 70 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Motorists are encouraged to clear snow away from their cars and to free up any parking spaces of snow before the frigid temperatures turn the melting snow into ice and hardpack.
The metro area has received nearly 50 inches of snow this winter, well toward the annual average snowfall of 60-65 inches.
