7:15 p.m. update: Snow will continue falling across the Denver metro for the next 12 hours or so as the storm moves across the region, National Weather Service forecasters said in an update.
Denver and neighboring cities can expect another 6 to 8 inches of snow while Castle Rock, Bennett, Kiowa and areas farther southeast can expect another 8 to 12 inches, according to the agency.
because of the snowstorm, agency officials said in an alert.
Some routes are delayed by 25 minutes or longer, and people should allow extra travel time on all buses and trains.
2:45 p.m. update: Front Range residents who enjoyed a brief lull in the snow Friday afternoon , according to National Weather Service forecasters.
The heaviest snow is expected to develop around 5 p.m. and continue through the evening, making travel across metro Denver and the Interstate 25 corridor very difficult, agency officials said in an update just before 1 p.m.
While the exact timing and location of the heaviest snowfall is still uncertain, “there is a high confidence in travel impacts” Friday night and people should avoid driving after 5 p.m., forecasters said.
11:20 a.m. update: The significant snowfall in the forecast has the city of Denver mobilizing a fleet of 36 smaller plows to hit residential streets.
Starting at midnight, those smaller trucks will be mobilized for the first of two 12-hour shifts, according to a news release from the .
The smaller plows make a single pass down the middle of each of the city’s side streets. They do not carry deicing materials and do not clear the roads to bare asphalt. They shave off the top few inches of snow to make streets more passable so residents can more easily reach main streets that are plowed by the city’s large plow fleet, DOTI officials say.
Residential plows are only mobilized during major snow events. They were deployed during a large snowstorm in mid-March.
6:55 a.m. update: Travel could become difficult or impossible Friday night, as a winter storm dumps multiple feet of snow in areas of northeast Colorado, according to the National Weather Service.
The agency warned in Friday morning that “impossible travel could occur Friday night over Elbert and Lincoln counties,” where between 2 and 3 feet of snow may fall in some areas.
and hazardous weather outlook were in effect for much of the state Friday morning. The NWS said that between a foot and 20 inches of new snow could blanket the Palmer Divide area by Saturday, plus between 8 and 16 inches in the mountains and southern foothills, and 4 to 8 inches in other spots on the plains.
Drivers who must travel should plan ahead by keeping a winter storm kit in their vehicles that includes items such as water, blankets, extra clothing, tire chains, booster cables, a first aid kit, flashlight and shovel.
6:40 a.m. update: Gov. Jared Polis Thursday evening, authorizing the Colorado National Guard to step in and help residents impacted by the latest winter storm.
More than two feet of snow could to fall across the Front Range between Friday morning and Saturday, making travel dangerous,
Polis’ declaration also activates the state’s Emergency Operations Center and the State Emergency Operations Plan, and directs the Office of Emergency Management to assist local jurisdictions with their response efforts.
“The storm is expected to develop throughout the day, and this declaration is necessary to have resources in place to support rescue efforts around the state as the storm worsens into the evening,” a news release from the governor’s office states.
Forecasters say Denver could see 3 to 7 inches of snowfall Friday, plus another 3 to 7 inches overnight, before the weather starts to warm Saturday.
Previous reporting: Another round of winter , with forecasters expecting treacherous road conditions and nearly 3 feet of snow in some areas.
starting Friday morning and continuing into Saturday, with the heaviest snowfall along Interstate 70 and to the south.
“Travel will be impossible east and southeast of Denver,” Thursday. “Do not travel or expect to travel in those locations through at least Saturday as heavy snow impacts will last long past this storm.”
People living in rural areas of eastern Douglas, Elbert, Lincoln and southern Washington counties should prepare to be stranded for several days, NWS forecasters said.
Historic snow accumulation is expected in Elbert and Lincoln counties, with snow reaching nearly 3 feet in some areas.
Metro drivers can expect a difficult evening commute as the heaviest snow will start falling around noon and will continue to fall at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour into the evening.
Colorado Department of Transportation officials urged drivers to avoid traveling east of Interstate 25 and south of Interstate 76 to the New Mexico and Kansas state lines because of “treacherous, sustained adverse winter conditions.”
“The storm may look like it is leaving later this afternoon, but the next round is expected to be worse than what we have already seen,” John Lorme, CDOT director of maintenance and operations, said in a statement.
CDOT officials expect “moderate to extreme impacts” throughout the eastern half of the state, with the most severe weather hitting the Eastern Plains and southern Colorado.
Drivers should expect long-term road closures in those areas, according to the agency.
Northern Colorado will likely see more mild snow, including Fort Collins, Greeley and the Eastern Plains north of I-76, according to the National Weather Service.
