DENVER -- We have a BIG CHANGE coming in the weather late Thursday through Friday. A strong storm system will swirl into Colorado from the west and will bring a good shot of moisture to Colorado.
For many areas on the eastern plains, this storm will bring the first significant rain and snow in months and will be very welcome due to the recent dryness.
The storm will sweep into Colorado from Utah by early Thursday and will move across the state Thursday night and early Friday.
Ahead of the storm, windy and warm weather will hold for another day over eastern Colorado, with High Fire Danger for Denver and the plains.
Late in the day, scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop, with a few storms reaching severe levels near the Kansas border.
Rain will develop for Denver and the I-25 Corridor Thursday evening and become mixed with snow after midnight.
There will be a sharp cutoff between the rain and snow with little if any accumulation from downtown Denver to the north and very heavy snow from southeast Aurora to the south and east.
Winter Storm Watches are in effect for Monument Hill for over a foot of heavy, wet snow. Parts of Douglas and Elbert counties will also see 8-12 inches of soggy snow Friday morning.
The storm will be a moist one, so the total liquid precipitation will mostly be in the 1 to 2 inch rain -- a welcome drink of water for the parched plains of our state.
The storm will speed off to the east of Colorado Friday afternoon with clearing skies and cool weather for Saturday. Another round of lighter showers will arrive on Sunday
RELATED HEADLINES --
Get the latest Colorado weather forecast
---------
Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines.