The first day of winter looked and acted like it.
Periods of light snow fell Thursday in Denver under a cloudy, dark sky and the day’s high temperature topped out at 37 degrees at midnight.
After a high of 66 degrees in Denver on Wednesday, temperatures plummeted overnight, struggling to get out of the teens throughout most of the day. By 4:30 p.m. Thursday, the temperature was 16 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
“The high temperature hit 37 at midnight and it slid through the day,” said Kyle Frieden, a NWS meteorologist.
Icy, slushy and snowy roads along the Front Range made Thursday’s morning commute dicey. Some municipalities, including Aurora, Fort Collins and Wheat Ridge, went on accident alert, advising drivers in collisions to exchange insurance information, if there were no injuries, and leave the scene.
On Thursday, Eldorado Springs, in the foothills of Boulder County, received 3 inches of snow through 1:45 p.m. with Denver International Airport recording half an inch, according to the weather service.
In the mountains, the westbound lanes of I-70 were closed at the Eisenhower Tunnel at about 3:55 p.m. due to weather-related spin outs and crashes on the highway. An hour later, CDOT shut down the westbound lanes at the Empire exit because of a major crash and warned travelers to expect an extended closure.
CLOSED- @ Empire Junction,MM 232,b/c major crash;Expect extended closure
— Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) (@ColoradoDOT)
The eastbound lanes at the tunnel closed around 4:20 p.m. because of spin outs and crashes. Just before 6 p.m., CDOT enacted the traction law, requiring passenger vehicles traveling east between Silverthorne and Georgetown to have snow or mud tires, or chains.
CLOSED- EB I-70 @ Silverthorne,MM 205,b/c several spun out vehicles & crashes;No estimate on reopening @ this time
— Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) (@ColoradoDOT)
The I-70 corridor in the mountains west of Denver reopened at about 6 p.m., according to CDOT.
OPEN- @ Empire Junction,MM 232,after crashes @ Eisenhower Tunnel with chain & traction laws from Georgetown to Silverthorne
— Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) (@ColoradoDOT)
In Denver skies were expected to clear overnight Thursday with the low temperature bottoming out at about 14 degrees, the weather service said. Skies in Denver on Friday should be sunny, with a high near 42 degrees.
Wintry weather in the city makes a comeback on Saturday, with a 20 percent chance of snow after 11 a.m. and high temperature of 34 degrees.
Upcoming snow totals in northeastern Colorado on Saturday should be in a modest range, with 1 to 2 inches on the plains and 2 to 4 inches in the foothills, the weather service said.
Overnight lows in Denver will be in the teens, except Saturday when an 11-degree low temperature is expected.
Sunday in Denver should be mostly sunny with a high of 37 degrees. Christmas Day, Monday, should be mostly sunny in the city with a high of 42 degrees.
