Ice and snow are in the forecast for Friday, but it’s unlikely to make a major impact on Denver metro area roads for a couple of important reasons.
Following a cold front Thursday, moisture is expected to stream in from the south, potentially setting the stage for frozen precipitation for most of Friday. Overall ice and snow accumulations are expected to be very light for the Denver area, and impacts to area roadways are also expected to be relatively insignificant.
On Friday morning, freezing drizzle and light freezing rain are expected to develop across the Denver metro area. This is mainly due to a shallow layer of moisture in the atmosphere — one that will likely not be deep enough to support snow, at least to start. As a result, freezing drizzle could accumulate on colder surfaces, like car tops and lawns.
“With air temperatures (on Friday) dropping to the upper 20s and lower 30s, pavement temperatures should remain above freezing, so little impact on roadways is expected,” the National Weather Service office in Boulder . “But it may take longer for drivers to clear off their windshields before joining the morning commute.”
Once the freezing rain and drizzle does switch over to snow Friday, however, air temperatures will be right around or potentially just above the freezing mark. With temperatures right around 32 degrees, snow and ice will have a hard time sticking, especially during the day Friday. The best window for any snow accumulations will come after dark Friday evening.
It’s also late enough in the winter season that the sun angle is playing an increased factor. During the daylight hours, the sun’s increased light will make it more difficult for snow to stick on warmer surfaces such as pavement and roads.
After yet another day of warmer temperatures Thursday, , so it’ll take time for colder air to cool the surface down to the freezing mark. That means most of the ice and snow that initially falls will probably have a difficult time sticking to roads.
All in all, Friday’s ice and snow could add up to perhaps a slushy inch or two of snow for most of the metro area, if that.
As usual, higher elevations west and south of Denver could see a bit more snow, but even there, snow amounts are expected to generally remain light, with only minor impacts to roadways.
Missing winter? Here's some details regarding a brief return to colder temperatures and wintry precipitation.
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder)
But, the snow from this storm will fall where it’s needed most: southern Colorado. Here, snowpack levels , but over a foot of snow . That should provide a needed boost of moisture.
Friday’s snow event could be a perfect storm, although not in an extreme weather sense: It’ll provide a boost of needed moisture, yet it’s likely to only have limited impacts on Denver metro roadways.
