DENVER – It appears Denver will finally see its first official snow of the season this weekend, although expected accumulations across the metro will likely be light as the coldest air of the season also arrives.
“We’ll have cold air and snow this weekend and slow travel is expected at times, especially in the High Country as we head toward the end of the weekend,” said Denver meteorologist Stacey Donaldson. “Here for the Denver metro area, it’ll be Friday night into Saturday morning when one batch of snowfall will come through but it should be pretty light.”
Donaldson said in Denver we should first see rain which will then switch over to snow most likely around 10 p.m. and stick around until early-to-mid morning.
The second shot of possible snow for Denver will sweep through Sunday night into Monday morning.
Donaldson said to expect between 1 to 3 inches of snow to accumulate across Front Range communities.
“This is not going to be a tremendous snow storm by any means but it will be our first one of the season,” added Donaldson. “We have not had any snowfall so far at DIA and that puts us in second place for the latest snow start we’ve ever had. December 10th is the latest.”
Forecasters with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder added that the main storm impacts should remain in the High Country.
“The lower elevations will be grasping at straws to see any accumulating snow whatsoever, as has seemingly been the case throughout the fall,” said NWS forecasters.
Holiday travelers in Colorado’s high country should remain on alert for any impacts on high mountain passes and on I-70.
A winter weather advisory goes into effect from 5 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Saturday for portions of Colorado’s northern mountain ranges and includes the Eisenhower Tunnel.
Check latest winter weather alerts in Colorado
Between 3 to 8 inches of snow is expected in areas of the High Country where “the majority of our mountain passes into the morning hours,” added the NWS. “Locally favored west-facing slopes in our northern mountains (mainly north of I-70) may approach 8. Travel will become slick and hazardous by this evening, conditions will improve again by mid to late morning Saturday.”
Winter storm timeline: Here’s how Denver7’s Clara Faith expects:
- Light snow and flurries develop along the Interstate 25 corridor and across the plains late Friday night into early Saturday.
- Some parts of the metro will see a dusting to maybe 1 inch. It's not a big storm, but enough for slick spots early Saturday morning.
- The mountains could have up to 9 inches of snow, especially in the northern mountains, where travel conditions could be tough overnight. A Winter Weather Advisory is in place from 5 p.m. Friday through 8 a.m. Saturday.
Here are expected and high-end potential snow totals across Colorado
The NWS in Boulder broke down ranges of possible snow accumulations.
- Allenspark: 3" to 9"
- Arvada: 0.5" to 2"
- Aurora: 0.5" to 2"
- Boulder 1" to 2"
- Brighton: 0.5" to 1"
- Broomfield 0.5" to 1"
- Castle Rock: 1" to 2"
- Centennial: 0.5" to 2"
- Denver: 0.5" to 2"
- DIA: 0.5" to 1"
- Eldora: 6" to 9"
- Fort Collins: T to 1"
- Golden: 1" to 3"
- Granby: 2" to 3"
- Highlands Ranch: 0.5" to 1"
- Lakewood: 1" to 2"
- Littleton: 0.5" to 1"
- Longmont: 0.5" to 1"
- Parker: 1" to 2"
Along with the snow, temperatures will take a nosedive after Friday’s warmer weather. Saturday’s high will reach 31 degrees with the low dropping to 16 degrees in Denver early Sunday morning.
Sunday’s high temp in Denver will only reach 28 degrees and then fall to around 15 degrees early Monday morning.
Denver has cold weather shelters available, which you can learn more at this link.
More cold weather shelter information:
Denver7 will update this story if weather alerts are issued and will publish a weather blog if closures and impacts occur.
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