Denver Weather: First snow of the season is on the way

Snow will spread from the mountains to the I-25 corridor by Thursday evening. Most of the Denver metro area will see 1-2 inches of snow mainly on the grass. Isolated higher amounts are possible and CBS News Colorado has declared a First Alert Weather Day through Thursday night.

Until the snow reaches the the urban corridor during the Thursday evening commute, the focus stays on the high country where winter driving conditions are expected throughout the day.

Almost every mountain area in Colorado including the I-70 corridor from Georgetown to Avon are under a Winter Weather Advisory through Thursday night. The higher mountains will see up to a foot of snow.

Even higher snow amounts are expected in the San Juan Mountains where two feet could fall over Wolf Creek Pass. The Wolf Creek Ski Area is opening Friday a day after Loveland Ski Area opens on Thursday.

For Denver and the Front Range, rain showers are possible Thursday afternoon followed by a mix of rain and snow and then all snow after 6 p.m. Most of snow that is able to accumulate around Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and Greeley will be on the grass and not on the roads. However there could be slush on some roads after 8 p.m. Visibility could be an issue anywhere along the I-25 corridor but the primary travel issues will be in the foothills and mountains.

Conditions will improve before the Friday morning commute, but some slick spots will still be possible.

Snow amounts will vary greatly but most neighborhoods below 6,000 feet will get no more than 1-2 inches of snow. There could be up to 4 inches in some areas particularly around Castle Rock, Boulder, and Broomfield. Other areas like Fort Collins and the east side of the Denver metro area could end up with less.

To count as the first official snow of the season in Denver, the airport must measurable at least 1/10". The average first snow in the city is October 18 so if it happens overnight, the first snow will be about two weeks later than average.

By daybreak on Friday, the main weather issue will be the cold temperatures. Denver and the Front Range will start the day in the 20s and only reach the lower and mid 40s in the afternoon. That's normal for January!

The weekend will be breezy and warmer but nothing like the 70 degree weather the metro area had in recent days.