Dangerously cold weather in Denver last night filled homeless shelters in the city to beyond capacity, officials said.
The Denver Rescue Mission sheltered 386 men overnight at its Lawrence Street facility, the most ever in the mission’s history, said Greta Walker, a mission spokeswoman.
“It was way too dangerous for anyone to spend the night outside last night,” Walker said.
The overnight temperature in Denver dropped to minus 2 degrees at about 3 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.
It will be another cold day in Denver today, although not as cold as yesterday, and there’s a chance for snow showers in the mountains with light accumulations.
Today will be mostly cloudy in Denver with a high temperature near 29 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
North and northwest winds in Denver today, gusting to 17 mph, will result in wind chill values as low as minus 13, the weather service reports.
Yesterday’s high temperature in Denver was 21 degrees at 12 a.m. and the low on Wednesday was 1 degree at 11:28 p.m., according to the weather service.
The cold plunge continues tonight in Denver, with a low temperature of about 11 degrees and wind chill values down to minus 4.
On Friday there will be a 20 percent chance for snow in Denver after 11 a.m. under mostly cloudy skies. The high temperature should be about 27 degrees and winds could gust up to 31 mph.
Today in Vail the high temperature should be about 18 degrees and there is a 50 percent chance for snow, but the accumulation should be only about 1 inch.
Tonight in the high country some parts of the northern and central mountains could receive up to 3 inches of fresh snow overnight.
Saturday in Denver should be mostly sunny with the high temperature at a relatively balmy 38 degrees.
On Sunday, skies will be mostly cloudy in Denver and there will be a 20 percent chance for snow in the city, according to the weather service. Sunday’s high in Denver should be about 26 degrees.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
