A storm moving through western Colorado is dumping several inches of snow in the high country Wednesday night and it will chill Denver on Thursday, dropping metro are temperatures 20 degrees compared to recent daytime readings, forecasters say.
Denver could also get up to a half-inch of snow — its first measurable snow of the season, said Jim Kalina, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Boulder.
Snow should taper off in the Denver area before 11 a.m. Thursday. The foothills could get 2 to 5 inches of snow before the storm leaves the area Thursday afternoon, he said.
The high temperature Thursday in Denver is expected to top out at 43 degrees.
A winter storm warning has been issued for Colorado mountain areas including Vail, Snowmass, Crested Butte, Ouray, Telluride and Silverton. The winter storm warning is posted through 6 p.m. Thursday.
On Wednesday night, more than 7 inches of snow was reported in the Fraser area, according to the weather service.
Chains were required for commercial vehicles at the Eisenhower Tunnel, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. The chain law was also posted for Monarch Pass.
Snow accumulations of up to a foot are expected on high mountain passes of the San Juans and the Grand Mesa. Snow totals of up to 20 inches are possible.
