Traffic is a beast in the high country tonight, as snow and cold barrels toward Denver, said weather and road officials.
Roads are “icy, snowpacked and slick basically from Georgetown to Utah,” said Brian Jordan of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s traffic center in Denver.
The metro region could see up to four inches of snow by lunchtime Tuesday.
“We could see a slippery rush hour in the morning,” Jordan said.
The evening commute could be worse, he said.
Parts of the Denver-metro area could see 5 inches of snow by afternoon, and up to 7 inches could accumulate in the western foothills and southern suburbs, according to forecasters.
The high in Denver tomorrow will remain below 30 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
The central mountains — wobbly from weeks of big snows — could get up to 14 inches, driven by 35 mph winds and gusts up to 60 mph overnight and Tuesday. according to the National Weather Service.
The heaviest snow is expected across the eastern San Juan range in southern Colorado, where accumulations could reach 2 feet, according to forecasters.
The National Weather Service has a winter weather advisory in effect until 5 p.m. Tuesday.
A winter weather advisory means that drizzle, blowing snow and slick roads could make traveling difficult.
U.S. 24 between Avon and Leadville was closed earlier this evening because of a weather-related traffic pileup, and highway officials have closed U.S. 160 over Wolf Creek Pass between South Fork and Pagosa Springs until morning, citing avalanche danger.
Chain laws are in effect on the approaches to the Eisenhower Tunnel on Interstate 70, as well as Loveland, Vail and Hoosier passes, according to CDOT.
After highs near freezing and lows in the teens in metro-Denver Tuesday and Wednesday, Christmas Day is expected to be sunny and warmer, with a high near 43.
The metro region has a slight chance of snow with highs in the low 30s Friday and Saturday, but a warmup into the 40s for the weekend.
The seemingly heavy snowfall in the mountains — amplified by years of drought — is just average, however.
According to the Colorado’s officials snowpack report Monday, the statewide measurement is at 101 percent of the 30-year average. The Arkansas River basin in southern and southeastern Colorado is the richest in snow, with 119 percent of average, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The basin for the Yampa and White basins in northwest Colorado is the weakest, with 85 percent of average, according to the latest snowpack report.
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com
