Snowy weather is expected to move back into Colorado this afternoon and tonight, with a slight chance of snow in Denver but snow accumulations of 2 to 7 inches in the northern mountains by Tuesday morning.
As the storm moves into northern Colorado, west to northwest winds of 20 to 35 mph are expected in the northern mountains and along the Front Range foothills, according to the National Weather Service.
In the mountains, gusts to 50 mph are possible with blowing snow.
The Weather Service said fairly strong winds also are expected on the plains of northeast Colorado, with speeds of 15 to 30 mph and gusts up to 40 mph possible.
The Weather Service said there is a 20 percent chance of rain or snow showers in Denver this afternoon and evening.
Tuesday and Wednesday, it will be mostly sunny in Denver, with highs in the upper 40s to low 50s.
Snow is expected to move back into Denver late Wednesday night and continue through the day Thursday. The high in Denver is expected to be 32 on Thursday and 42 on Friday.
A combination of a weather disturbance to the west of Colorado and a cold front coming in over the plains will produce the snow in Denver later in the week.
In the mountains west of Denver, snow is expected to be a three-day event. In Georgetown, 1 to 2 inches is expected tonight and Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to be frigid in the mountain community, with lows the next four nights ranging from 13 tonight down to 9 on Thursday night.
Winds in Georgetown will be between 24 and 28 mph tonight and between 28 and 31 mph Tuesday night.
Moderate winds buffeted the Front Range foothills this morning.
Strong west winds with gusts of up to 70 mph hit some areas of the foothills.
Winds in Denver will shift to northwesterly this afternoon and bring isolated rain and snow showers as a cold front moves through.
The National Weather Service said the areas of light snow will be mainly along and north of the Interstate 70 corridor.
In the Aspen area, snow of about an inch is expected today, with additional accumulation tonight of less than an inch. Wind gusts tonight in Aspen could reach 20 mph, causing blowing snow at the ski resort.
It will be sunny in Aspen on Tuesday but snow will return Wednesday through Thursday night.
In southwestern Colorado, which has been hit by a series of storms this winter, the weather should be sunny to partly cloudy through Tuesday night. But snow is likely Wednesday and Thursday.
All highways are open, although the Colorado Department of Transportation says there is a high-wind advisory for U.S. 285 over Kenosha Pass and in the Fairplay area.
U.S. 285 was closed for periods last week in South Park as winds as high as 108 mph hit the area, including Como and Fairplay.
Several passes that have been closed for days are now open. These include Coal Bank, Molas and Red Mountain on U.S. 550 in southwest Colorado. However, those passes are icy and snowpacked.
Colorado 149 between Lake City and Creede also is icy and snowpacked.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
