On Tuesday, Denver will be breezy with gusts of wind rolling off the Rockies from the west and northwest at up to 40 mph.
In the morning, winds will be up to 18 mph. They are expected to increase up to 28 mph with gusts up 40 mph in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder.
“It’s going to be another blustery day across the Denver metro area,” said David Barjenbruch, meteorologist for the NWS.
Denver has been basking in temperatures in the 60s and 70s, an average of 8 ½ degrees above normal for the first half of March. Tuesday will be about 4 degrees below normal, Barjenbruch said.
“This warm weather has set us up for it feeling cooler than it is,” he said.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the high isn’t expected to break above the 50 degree barrier in the Denver area. On Tuesday night, the temperature is expected to drop below freezing to 25 degrees.
With winds gusting up to 36 mph, the wind chill will make it feel like the teens.
Colorado’s high country will get some welcome snow after a fairly dismal month in terms of moisture.
Between 1 to 4 inches of new snow is expected during the day Tuesday and another 3 to 6 inches is expected Tuesday night, Barjenbruch said.
“Winter travel conditions will make travel slow and hazardous in the mountains,” he said.
Forecasters predict the high on Thursday will reach 50 degrees, but not above 50, under mostly sunny skies during daylight hours.
Then on Thursday night, there is a 40 percent chance of rain and later snow, when the next system enters the state from the northwest.
There is also 40 percent chance for snow on Friday, mostly falling before noon. The low temperature Friday night is expected to drop to around 17 degrees.
“We’re going to watch it closely to see how the tracks,” Barjunbruch said.
It won’t take too long for temperatures to start reaching spring-like levels.
Under mostly sunny skies on the weekend, the high is expected to climb to around 45 on Saturday and 60 degrees on Sunday. The forecast on Monday is a pleasant 65 degrees.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206, kmitchell@denverpost.com or @kirkmitchell or
