DENVER — The mild temperatures and sunny skies we’ve been enjoying in the last couple of weeks will make way for a cold and snowy Easter Sunday along the Front Range. The Denver7 weather team has called for a First Alert Action day for Sunday.
Saturday, we should expect warm temperatures and a cloud-free day. There is some cloudiness upstream in Wyoming, but it’s not in a huge hurry to get to the Denver area, according to the National Weather Service.
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But later tonight, a cold front will develop in the northern and central Rockies and move into the area overnight. This front will bring cold and snow to the Front Range by Sunday morning.
For most of the plains, the snow will be a quick batch of showers Sunday morning, followed by a cold and windy day. The heaviest snow will likely be on the east slopes, which will benefit from the greatest instability and upslope combined, according to the NWS.
It`s less certain how far east this lingering snow Sunday afternoon and evening will get. The current forecast has snow amounts tapering across areas west of I-25 with lighter amounts further east, the NWS weather discussion states.
Snowfall in the mountains should be in the 5 to 10-inch range with 2 to 4 inches expected for Denver and the I-25 Corridor. Highs will be in the 20s to around 30 degrees.
The warm ground will limit the storm’s impact on our roads, especially during the daytime. There will still likely be some slushy roads in the mountains, and possibly even briefly in the areas near the mountains.
Cold weather will remain for early next week with light snow possible Monday. Morning lows will be around 15 degrees, and the highs will stay in the 30s.
The chilly weather will hold for most of next week with a mix of rain and snow expected again Wednesday.