Bundle up, Denver. Wednesday’s warmth will be replaced by Thursday’s chill, with a 40-degree drop in high temperatures from one day to the next. Rain showers at about midnight Wednesday will give way to snow showers, with snow falling in the metro area before sunrise on Thursday.
After an unseasonably warm Wednesday in Denver, where the high reached 66 degrees, Thursday’s forecast calls for a high temperature of 24 degrees with snow showers and periods of patchy, blowing snow, according to the National Weather Service.
A winter weather advisory has been posted starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday for the northern and central mountains, including Rocky Mountain National Park, the Medicine Bow Range, Mosquito Range, Indian Peaks and the mountains of Summit County. The advisory ends at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Snow in the mountains is expected to increase overnight, with accumulations of up to 6 inches in some areas and up to 12 inches of new snow over higher mountain elevations, according to the weather service. Drivers and travelers in the mountains should be prepared for reduced visibility, along with icy and snow packed roads.
The Colorado Department of Transportation will have 100 snow plows out working to keep roadways clear, said Stacie Sellers, a CDOT spokeswoman. Crews were early on Wednesday applying a pre-storm treatment to some areas.
“It’s not one of the bigger storms, but we are prepared,” Sellers said. Drivers should slow down in wintry weather and leave plenty of space between the vehicle in front of them. Vehicles should have proper tires for icy and snow-packed conditions.
In Denver, the total nighttime snow accumulation should be less than half an inch, according to the weather service. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent.
On Thursday in the city new snow accumulation should be in the 1- to 3-inch range, with up to 4 inches in other areas of the Front Range, and up to 2 inches on the Eastern Plains, the weather service said.
Denver’s weather will be up and down over the next couple of days, according to the weather service. The overnight low on Thursday should be about 13 degrees under mostly cloudy, but gradually clearing skies. On Friday, Denver skies should be mostly sunny as the high climbs to 41 degrees. On Friday night in the city there’s a 20 percent of snow showers after 11 p.m. with a low temperature of 14 degrees. On Saturday in Denver, the high temperature should hit 29 degrees and there’s a 60 percent chance of snow. Saturday night is setting up to be frigid, with a low temperature of 9 degrees. Sunday should be sunny with a high of 33 degrees.
Christmas Day in Denver should be mostly sunny, with a high temperature of 45 degrees.
