Snow is coming down hard in parts of the high country this evening, with rain on the Front Range expected to continue into the evening and expected to linger over the Denver metro region through the weekend with temperatures from 8 to 19 degrees colder than normal.
Westbound lanes of Interstate 70 east of the Vail Pass summit were closed because of an accident involving as many as eight cars just before 7 p.m. The Colorado Department of Transportation said there had been at least five accidents within a mile of the summit.
The left land reopened about 8 p.m.
The Colorado State Patrol is investigating the causes. There are no immediate reports of significant injuries. is no estimated time for the interstate to reopen.
Wet roads and scattered snow is being reported along I-70 from Georgetown to Glenwood Springs, according to CDOT.
The metro region has a and 20 percent Sunday morning.
The high today in Denver was 51 degrees just before noon. The is 70 degrees.
Temperatures in the city are expected to warm to a high of 62 on Sunday and return to the 70s under sunny skies early next week.
A winter weather advisory is in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday for areas above 11,000 feet in the eastern Sawatch Mountains , the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and Pikes Peak, including Independence Pass, Mount Elbert, Mount Massive, Blanca Peak and Spanish Peaks.
The area could see 5 to 10 inches of snow with winds up to 25 mph.
Snow could fall in the foothills as low as 8,000 feet, and areas around 10,000 feet could pick up 2 to 5 inches, forecasters said.
A frost advisory is in effect just northeast of Colorado , and could threaten flower bulbs and early garden plantings if the storm track changes over the weekend, the National Weather Service warns.
A frost advisory means that frost is possible. sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered. “To protect them, bring them inside or cover them,” the National Weather Service advised.
Other mountain areas are expected to be warmer than normal. Steamboat Springs could see highs near 70 Saturday and Sunday, while Aspen is expected to have highs in the lower 60s with showers both days.
