DENVER – Dangerous wind chills will hammer Colorado over the course of several days as the possibility of a flash freeze in Denver could impact the Friday evening commute ahead of several inches of forecast snow expected in the metro.
While Denver’s snow totals could stack up between 3 and 6 inches, the main weather headline continues to be the brutal cold that will settle across Colorado starting this weekend through early next week.
Wind chills in Denver could drop to nearly -30 degrees Monday night into Tuesday morning.
“Those overnight lows are going to drop down well below zero on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday morning which means those wind chills will likely be around 20 to 30 degrees below zero across portions of eastern Colorado,” said Denver7 chief meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter weather advisory for the Front Range stretching from Fort Collins to Boulder through Denver and Castle Rock and points south where brutal temps and locally heavier snow amounts could create hazardous conditions on Colorado roads.
The winter weather advisory goes into effect at 4 p.m. Friday and lasts through at least 5 p.m. Saturday.
“Travel will be hazardous with slick and snow-covered roads. There is potential for flash freeze of road surfaces for the latter portions of the Friday evening commute,” wrote NWS forecasters in Boulder.
- In the video player below, watch Denver7's Jeff Anastasio and chief meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo walk through the day-by-day plunge in temperatures in this Facebook live presentation.
COLORADO WINTER STORM TIMELINE
Hidalgo said light snow will start to develop in the mountains Friday afternoon as the Denver metro area will start the day under mostly sunny skies as clouds start to develop later in the day.
Denver’s high temperature on Friday will still reach 43 degrees in the early afternoon hours before the arctic blast arrives.
“Most of the snow is likely going to be Friday night into early Saturday for the metro but we’ve got another chance for more scattered snow showers off and on in the mountains early next week. So there will be some fresh powder but it’s going to get really cold,” added Hidalgo. “This weekend up in the high country in spots like A Basin and Loveland Ski Area, you’re looking at highs near zero through the weekend.”
During a weather briefing Thursday afternoon, the NWS said the main update from Wednesday's forecast is an “increased confidence” in potential snow totals and if flash freezing were to occur, it’s likely it would happen closer to the tail end of the Friday evening commute or later in the evening.
COLORADO, DENVER METRO WIND CHILLS EXPECTED
After Thursday’s above-average high temperature of 57 degrees in Denver, Friday will bring the mid-40s before dropping below freezing and remaining there through at least Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon.
Saturday’s high temperature in Denver will only reach around 16 degrees with the overnight low dropping to around -4°. On Sunday, Denver should expect a high (if you can call it that) of 12° and an overnight low of -6°.
On Monday – which will be the coldest day of the Arctic outbreak – the high temp will struggle to reach the single digits before Denver will see the coldest
overnight temp of around -7° on Tuesday morning.
Denver7 | Weather
The Denver area is at risk for a flash freeze Friday — here's what that means
Conditions will feel much colder after factoring in the winds. Below is the latest NWS wind chill forecast through next Wednesday.
While each community will experience the lowest wind chills at different times, Denver7 has broken down the lowest wind chill by area each day.
To view the wind chill chart in fullscreen mode, click this link.
Denver7 is also tracking winter weather impacts. On Monday, Denver's MLK Day Marade implemented a delay — which will now start at 10 a.m. due to the cold temps. Marade organizers advised people with underlying medical conditions, seniors, small children and pets to avoid exposure to the extreme wind chills.
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Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream.