DENVER – The warm, record-breaking temps will soon come to an end as winter returns to Colorado this weekend bringing a cold snap and inches of snow, including to the Denver metro area.
The City of Denver has activated its cold weather shelter plan starting at 1 p.m. Saturday. A list of those locations is below.
If you’re headed to the High Country this weekend, be advised Colorado’s northern mountains go under a winter weather advisory starting at 11 a.m. Saturday for between 4 and 12 inches of snow and 45 mph wind gusts, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder.
“We also have some chances for snow across the Front Range and the plains,” said Denver7 meteorologist Stacey Donaldson. “Around 1 to 3 inches of snow for metro Denver and as you head up in elevation is where you’ll see more snowfall.”
In terms of the snowfall timeline, Donaldson added: “This is over a few days. From Friday night into Saturday for the higher elevations and then Saturday night into Sunday here for the Front Range.”
With temperatures so warm lately, much of the snow will likely melt fairly quickly once it starts falling.
Mountains
With winter storm comes increased avalanche danger this weekend in Colorado
On Saturday in Denver, the high temp will reach the low 60s before PM snow and rain arrives and the overnight low drops to 20 degrees.
Then on Sunday, the high temp in Denver will only reach 28 degrees with snow lingering in the morning.
Both ‘expected’ and ‘high-end’ snow totals for Colorado and Denver metro area (NWS data)
- Arvada: 2” to 4”
- Aurora: 2” to 4”
- Berthoud Pass: 11” to 13”
- Boulder: 3” to 5”
- Brighton: 1” to 3”
- Broomfield: 2” to 4”
- Castle Rock: 2” to 4”
- Centennial: 2” to 4”
- Commerce City: 2” to 4”
- Denver: 2” to 4”
- DIA: 1” to 3”
- Eldora: 7” to 8”
- Floyd Hill: 4” to 6”
- Fort Collins: 1” to 2”
- Georgetown: 6” to 7”
- Golden: 4” to 5”
- Highlands Ranch: 2” to 4”
- Idaho Springs: 4” to 5”
- Lafayette: 2” to 5”
- Lakewood: 3” to 4”
- Littleton: 2” to 4”
- Longmont: 1” to 4”
- Loveland Pass: 10” to 12”
- Northglenn: 1” to 4”
- Parker: 2” to 4”
- Rabbit Ears Pass: 14” to 17”
- Superior: 2” to 4”
- Winter Park: 10” to 12”
The metro Denver area isn’t under any winter weather alert as of Friday afternoon.
Denver7 will update this story and publish a weather blog to track road closures and impacts as the storm rolls through Colorado.
If you or someone you know needs to access a cold weather shelter, the City of Denver recommends checking this page for details about “front door” shelter access points.
Here are shelters in Denver:
- For individual men – Denver Rescue Mission Lawrence Street Community Center, 2222 Lawrence St.
- For individual women – Samaritan House, 2301 Lawrence St.
- For youth/young adults ages 12-24 – Urban Peak, 1630 S. Acoma St.
- For families - Inn at the Highland, 2601 Zuni St. For additional support or questions contact the Connection Center at 303-295-3366.
- 24/7 shelter will also be available at 2601 W. 7th Ave., 375 S. Zuni St., and at 4411 Peoria St.
Here is shelter information for families, provided by the City of Denver’s website:
Families in need of shelter must go in person with their children to the Inn at the Highlands, 2601 Zuni St, to access services. Vouchers will no longer be issued over the phone. Intake hours for family shelter vouchers begin at 9 a.m. on the day the shelter is activated. If motel voucher capacity is reached, a dedicated family congregate shelter will be opened as backup when needed.
All shelter sites are pet-friendly and provide food, showers, and blankets. Transportation will run daily from downtown shelters to cold weather shelter sites. Security will be present at each site, and shelters will deactivate once weather improves.
Today's Forecast
Accumulating snow for Denver this weekend, tough travel for the mountains
Denver Parks and Recreation will also open "all currently operating recreation centers as daytime warming centers during regular business hours on Sunday, December 28, 2025, for people who need a place to warm up. Each center will have a designated area available for warming, with access to drinking water, restrooms, and a place to sit," according to a news release. "Open Denver Public Library locations are also available to the public as an indoor reprieve from the cold. Double-check library hours in advance. Residents can also call 720-865-5444 to learn the status of warming centers."
Here's information on cold weather shelters in Jefferson County.
- In the video player below: What you need to know as snow and ice could impact travel in Colorado this weekend.
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