DENVER — After teasing us with tiny dusting last weekend, Denver's first impactful snowstorm of the season has arrived to the I-25 Urban Corridor, Palmer Divide, and the Front Range foothills, bringing the area around 2–6 inches of fresh powder, with localized amounts of more than 6 inches near the base of the foothills.
The heaviest snowfall has lasted through the morning commute, with weather service forecasters warning that some roads could refreeze as temperatures fall.
We're tracking the latest weather conditions, alerts and travel impacts in the Colorado weather blog below. Refresh this page for updates.
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Wednesday, December 3
6:48 p.m. | Ft. Collins on accident alert | Fort Collins is on accident alert, which means if involved in a non-injury crash, exchange info with the other driver and then file a report online.
6:45 p.m. | Traffic update | Both directions of CO-128 are closed from Wadsworth Blvd to Hwy 287 due to hazardous conditions in Broomfield. Police say multiple crashes have been reported due to ice. Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area until further notice.
5:11 p.m. | Airport update | The Denver International Airport has been issued a ground stop due to snow and ice. This means that flights still on the ground at origin airports heading to Denver can not depart. This groundstop does not impact departing flights at DIA.
12:25 p.m. | Hwy 93 update | The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said deputies saw around 50 vehicles that went off Hwy 93 this morning, adding that visibility remains low and the road is icy. Jeffco said there were no injuries reported.
11:10 a.m. | I-70: Passenger traction law in effect | If you're headed into the mountains, be aware that passenger vehicles must have snow tires, chains, traction devices or four-wheel/all-wheel drive on I-70 between Exit 240 near Idaho Springs and Exit 260, or 1 mile west of Golden.
Denver7 chief meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo said the bands will push farther south during the day. Communities in Douglas, Jefferson and Boulder Counties are seeing heavier totals due to an upslope flow, but skies will clear out in the metro as lows drop into the teens on the plains tonight.
Thursday's forecast in Denver shows sunshine and highs inching close to 40 degrees.
10:25 a.m. | Colorado snow totals | Trained storm spotters have reported the following snow totals across Colorado. Denver7 will publish a story with more comprehensive snow totals later Wednesday.
- 8.1" | 1 mile N Genesee
- 7.7" | 4 miles SSE Brookvale
- 7.5" | 4 miles WNA Arvada (NWS employee)
- 6.2" | 1 mile E Ken Caryl
- 6.0" | 1 mile E Arvada
- 5.8" | 1 mile WNW Niwot
- 5.5" | 2 miles WSW Horsetooth Mountain
- 5.1" | 4 miles NE Broomfield
- 5.1" | 1 mile SE Mountain View
- 4.5" | 2 miles SW Arvada
- 4.0" | 1 mile NW Federal Heights
- 3.5" | 2 miles WSW Lone Tree
- 3.2" | 2 miles NE Thornton
- 2.0" | 11 miles NE Ponderosa Parl
- 1.5" | 2 miles SE Breckenridge
7:54 a.m. | CO 93 closure | CDOT said CO 93 is closed between 58th Ave and CO 72 due to crashes. A Denver7 news crew is headed to the area to check out the conditions.
7:41 a.m. | Fort Collins crash | The Loveland Police Department said Wilson Blvd is closed at 57th St. due to a "severe traffic crash in Fort Collins." The NB lanes are impacted.
7:36 a.m. | Loveland road closure | Wilson Boulevard is shut down at 57th Street, according to the Loveland Police Department, due to a severe crash in Fort Collins. Northbound travel will be impacted until Wilson Boulevard at 57th Street reopens. Loveland police ask drivers to find an alternative route if possible.
7:33 a.m. | Worsening road conditions in areas | Denver7 traffic expert Jayson Luber said there have been worsening road conditions in some areas over the last half-hour. He's tracking a roll over crash in Lone Tree on I-25 south of Lincoln Avenue. On Hwy 93 between 62nd avenue and 84th avenue there have been numerous slide-off crashes prompting a closure. And on WB 470 near I-70, Luber is hearing of a mult-car wreck.
7:27 a.m. | Denver crashes | A DPD said on social media there were 5 crash reports during the 6 a.m. hour and so far, just 1 report of a crash during the 7 a.m. hour.
7:19 a.m. | Possible closure | A heads up from Denver7 traffic expert Jason Luber: "CSP talking about closing down SB Hwy 93 south of Coal Creek Canyon Hwy 72 to 64th or so due to multiple crashes and spin outs."
7:10 a.m. | Latest snow update | If you're waking up and want to get caught up on how roads are looking across the metro, in the video player below — we've got you covered. Here's the latest on school delays and where the snow is impacting travel conditions.
6:47 a.m. | Kipling update | After slick conditions were reported on the hill, Kipling is now reopened at W. 32nd Avenue after plows cleared the snow,
6:41 a.m. | Forecast update | Denver7 chief meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo said there are several bands of heavier snow across the metro right now, including one near DIA and another along I-25 north of downtown. She said the most impressive snow totals should be "up against the Foothills" and radar is showing snowfall rates around 2 inches per hour in areas on the west side of Denver.
The forecast is still showing likely between 3" and 5" across the Denver metro by this afternoon, when the snow should taper off.
6:30 a.m. | I-25 crash cleared | The earlier crash in downtown at NB I-25 and 6th Avenue has cleared, according to Denver7's Jayson Luber.
6:27 a.m. | Kipling closure | We've Denver7 traffic expdert Jayson Luber said it appears NB Kipling is closed at W 32nd Ave. for slick conditions on the hill.
6:14 a.m. | More school delays | We've gotten word of several more school delay in the last few minutes. Denver metro schools are running normal.
- Mullen High School: Delayed 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Park School R-3/Estes Park: Delayed 2 hours
- Castle Rock Senior Center: Closed Today
6:05 a.m. | DIA impacts | There's a ground delay in effect for Denver International Airport starting at 8 a.m. with departures delayed on average by around 30 minutes due to snow, ice removal from the runways. According to Flightaware.com, there are 244 delays at DIA.
5:50 a.m. | More school delays | We've seen school delays pick up over the last hour or so, here's a couple of new additions:
- Platte Canyon School Dist : Delayed 90 minutes
- Elbert School District 200: 2-hour delay today. Secondary students will begin with the 3rd hour.
- Kiowa Schools: Delayed 2 hours
5:42 a.m. | New crash in downtown | Denver7 traffic expert Jayson Luber is tracking a new cras in downtown Denver at Northbound I-25 at 6th Avenue. The right lane is blocked.
5:35 a.m. | Denver7 crews checking roads | In the video player below, you can watch as Denver7 crews check road conditions across the metro including in Castle Pines and in Golden.
5:24 a.m. | Douglas County accident alert | Dougco said snow plows have been on the roads since 2 a.m. and the county is on accident alert, which means if involved in a non-injury crash, exchange info with the other driver and then file a report online.
5:10 a.m. | More school delays reported | Gilpin County Schools, St. Vrain Valley School District and Clear Creek School District RE-1 are now on a 2-hour delay this morning.
Here's our full list of delays:
- Clear Creek School District RE-1 | Delayed 2 hours
- Colorado Passport Agency | Delayed 2 hours
- Community Leadership Academy/Victory Prep | Closed Today
- Elbert County Government | Delayed 2 hours
- Gilpin County Schools RE-1 | Delayed 2 hours
- Lewis-Palmer School District #38 | Delayed 2 hours
- Lotus School-Aurora | Delayed 2 hours
- Teller County Government | Delayed 2 hours
- University of Denver | Delayed start at 10 a.m. on Wednesday
4:58 a.m. | Stuck trucks on I-70 | Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber said there appears to be stuck big rigs on I-70 near Evergreen Parkway / El Rancho.
4:45 a.m. | Road conditions | Denver7 crews are seeing heavy snow in Golden this morning and traffic expert Jayson Luber said roads are covered on the west side of the city. "It's also like this on parts of Hwy 93 between Golden and Boulder, so it's going to be a very slick drive here - but in other places, it's not quite this bad," he said. Most of the interstates are showing wet conditions but Luber said to pay extra attention to bridges, as they could be icy this morning.
4:35 a.m. | Heaviest snow now through commute | Denver7 chief meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo said snow is picking up intensity in the Denver metro with some "pretty good bands" showing on radar right now. "Were going to see some impressive totals", she said. In some areas, snowfall rates are around 1" per hour this morning.
She said to expect the heaviest of snow to fall now and through the commute hours this morning.
4:29 a.m. | DPS Schools open | Denver Public Schools posted that all DPS schools are open and on normal schedules today. The district recommends checking with individual schools for updates on other activities, but classes are normal Wednesday.
4:18 a.m. | I-70 conditions | A check of I-70 out east of Denver shows snow and icy spots but traffic is flowing and the interstate is open, according to CDOT. This view below is from Bennett.
4:10 a.m. | Latest delays/closures | Here's a list of schools on a delayed start and one closure as of early this morning:
- Colorado Passport Agency | Delayed 2 hours
- Community Leadership Academy/Victory Prep | Closed Today
- Elbert County Government | Delayed 2 hours
- Lotus School-Aurora | Delayed 2 hours
- University of Denver | Delayed start at 10 a.m. on Wednesday
4:00 a.m. | Warning centers in Denver | Denver Parks and Rec. is opening all city recreation centers as daytime warming centers during regular business hours on Wednesday so people have somewhere to warm up as Denver's first impactful snowstorm of the season arrives to the Denver metro. Check operating hours here or here.
Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream.