Gusty winds today and mild temperatures tomorrow will be the prelude to an approaching storm which will give Denver a chance of snow Friday night into Saturday.
The National Weather Service predicts the high in Denver on Friday will be 57 degrees, with a Friday night low of 29. The predicted high temperature for Saturday is 42.
The brunt of the approaching storm will be felt in the mountains.
Forecasters say that a strong upper level jet stream will provide support for the cold front which will drop snow in the mountains from Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon.
There is a winter weather advisory for Aspen and Vail with snow expected to begin this afternoon through Sunday night.
During that period, Aspen could receive well over 10 inches of snow.
The high temperatures in Aspen during the period will be about freezing.
Elsewhere in the winter weather advisory area, which includes Vail, snow could be about 12 inches with heavier snowfall in some locations. Winds are expected to be out of the northwest at 20 to 25 mph.
The winds in the mountains will cause visibilities to drop below a quarter of a mile and icy and snowpacked roads are expected.
A winter storm warning has been issued for the northern and central mountains including the Gore, Elk and West Elk Mountains where as much as 14 inches of snow may fall between midnight tonight and 8 a.m. Saturday.
In Denver, the weather should clear Sunday and Monday with highs under sunny skies in the upper 50s.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
