A blizzard is expected overnight for parts of the central and northern mountains.
Though only 2 to 7 inches of snow is expected, white-out conditions could be caused by sustained west winds up to 50 mph and gusts up to 90 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The blizzard warning is in effect as of 8 p.m. until noon Thursday for areas above 9,000 feet in parts of Jackson, Larimer, Grand, Boulder County, Gilpin, Clear Creek, Summit and Park counties, forecasters said.
“Mountain travel is discouraged tonight and Thursday morning as high mountain roads and passes may become impassable or closed during this event,” the National Weather Service warned.
The foothills and other parts of the mountains will face just the winds, with occasional gusts up to 90 mph in adjacent Front Range communities including Rocky Flats, Boulder and Carter Lake, forecasters said.
“The strong winds will likely cause downed trees, power outages and may blow over high profile and lightweight vehicles,” the Weather Service said of the Front Range.
Areas most likely to be affected include Interstate 70 in Jefferson and Clear Creek counties, the Peak to Peak Highway between Black Hawk and Estes Park, as well as roads along the base of the foothills, the agency warned.
Denver is expected to be see west winds of 37 mph tonight with gusts up to 55 mph. Forecasters expected temperatures to fall to 29 degrees tonight, after a high today of 45 at 12:48 p.m.
Thursday is also expected to be windy in the city. Sustained winds will decrease to 10 to 13 mph, but Denver could still see gusts up to 45 mph, forecasters said.
The high temperature is expected to reach 56 Thursday, with daily highs in the 50s through the weekend. Denver has a slight chance of snow Sunday night.
