Colorado Weather: Snow and cold set to quickly return, First Alert Weather Day coming soon
A storm system located near Seattle on Tuesday morning will race toward Colorado in the coming days bringing rain, snow, and the coldest air of the season so far.
Prior to the storm arriving, most of Colorado will be dry and a bit warmer on Tuesday compared to Monday. Mountain areas north of Interstate 70 have a small chance for snow with no accumulation.
Denver and the Front Range will reach the lower 60s Tuesday afternoon which is near normal for the final week in October. Although it will be warmer than Monday, less sunshine in the afternoon could make it feel cooler.
By Tuesday night, snow will become more likely in the mountains and a few sprinkles or flurries could develop in the Denver metro area. That chance will continue through Wednesday which will be 5-10 degrees cooler than Tuesday.
The best chance for snow in the mountains will wait until late Wednesday and will continue through early Thursday. Eventually most mountain areas will see at least 3-6 inches of snow above 9,000 feet. Winter driving conditions will develop in the mountains through the day on Wednesday and significant slowdowns will be possible by Thursday morning.
For the Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins areas, there is a 50% chance for rain and/or snow Wednesday night through Thursday morning. No snow accumulation is expected on roads below 6,000 feet but of course roads could be wet. Up to 1 inch of slushy snow accumulation could occur on the grass, rooftops, and vehicles.
Meanwhile, Thursday will be the coldest day of the season so far for the Denver metro area. High temperatures will be stuck in the 40s and the first hard freeze of the season is expected Thursday night into Friday morning.
The weather has prompted a First Alert Weather Day in the Denver metro area for Thursday. These days are declared whenever there will be significant weather including a big change from the previous day.
