DENVER – While much of northeastern Colorado woke up to a glaze of ice and we’ve seen intermittent snow through the morning, the heaviest snow is still to come on Monday afternoon.
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As of noon Monday, most of the precipitation across the state had switched over to snow, and light snow was falling across most of the Denver metro area and on the Western Slope.
The National Weather Service in Boulder said just before 10 a.m. that the I-25 corridor would receive less than half an inch through 2 p.m., but that the rest of the forecast – with snow through Tuesday morning – remained on track.
Winter weather advisories are in effect for much of the state, including the metro area, northeastern Colorado and the Palmer Divide, through 6 a.m. Tuesday. And winter storm warnings are in effect for the central and northern mountains until 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Between 4 and 8 inches of snow are expected in the Denver metro area, with higher accumulations expected toward and into the foothills of 6 to 14 inches, depending on elevation. On the eastern plains, between 1 and 3 inches are expected.
Accompanying the snow will be winds gusting up to 35 miles per hour east of I-25 and up to 45 miles per hour in the mountains closer to Wyoming.
The Monday afternoon rush hour is expected to come in the middle of a heavier period of snow, and the snow is expected to continue in earnest on Monday night before it turns lighter overnight into Tuesday morning.
The storm is causing cancellations and delays at Denver International Airport and has closed some major highways already at times on Monday.
The NWS said 1 to 2 inches per hour snowfall rates could exist Monday evening.
Forecasters say there is still potential for heavier snow than is currently forecast if strong upslope winds develop this afternoon or evening but said there was still uncertainty of whether those conditions would form.
Temperatures will continue to fall through the day Monday, and Tuesday's forecast high is only 20 degrees. Temperatures will dip into the single digital Tuesday night into Wednesday morning in the Denver area.
Here’s a look at the further amount of snow coming between 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday morning, from the National Weather Service in Boulder:
Further snow after 5 p.m. Monday:
Akron: 4 inches
Boulder: 8 inches
Breckenridge: 2 inches
Castle Rock: 7 inches
Denver: 4 inches
Durango: <1 inch
Fort Collins: 5 inches
Georgetown: 5 inches
Glenwood Springs: 2 inches
Greeley: 2 inches
Lakewood: 8 inches
Limon: 3 inches
Pueblo: 4 inches
Vail Pass: 3 inches
Winter Park: 1 inch
Stay with the Denver7 team for the latest updates as this storm develops and moves through the state.