Northeast Colorado could fall below freezing tonight for the first time this season, the National Weather Service said this afternoon.
A fast-moving Pacific storm dropped 3 to 6 inches of snow on the northern and central mountains last night and today, and now its cold temperature are nipping on the Front Range.
Highs in the Denver metro area topped out in the low- to mid-50s this afternoon, about 20 degrees colder than normal, but could plunge to 32 degrees, or colder, by midnight, forecasters said.
The freeze warning is set to expire at 8 a.m., but some parts of the Front Range could see early-morning lows in the upper 20s, forecasters warned.
After today, highs should bounce back to the 60s through next weekend, but Tuesday night could see a low of 37 degrees in Denver, forecasters said.
The wintry blast left a blanket of new snow on to many areas above 8,500 feet, including in the Park, Gore and Elk Mountain ranges and along the Flat Tops Wilderness, the weather service reported.
The Colorado Department of Transportation said the storm left icy and snow-packed roads, especially over mountain passes, including Loveland Pass and the approach to the Eisenhower Tunnel. Visibilities in some areas were reduced to less than a mile.
Vail saw a mix of rain and snow, with less than an inch of snow accumulation in the town of Vail.
Along the Front Range, a band of light, chilly rain showers moved through the area this morning.
