DENVER – Enjoy Monday’s unseasonably warm temperatures as a storm system is taking aim at Colorado this week which is expected to bring accumulating snow to the higher elevations and a mix of rain, light snow and a hard freeze to the Denver metro area by Wednesday.
“It’s a nice start to the week but we are tracking a pretty powerful storm set to bring in widespread precipitation back across Colorado,” said Denver7 weather forecaster Katie LaSalle. “It’s not a major snow event for us in the Denver metro area, but we do have the potential for a rain-snow mix and for Halloween we’ll clear out.”
Here’s a look at the weather timeline in Denver.
Monday will be the warmest day of the week as the afternoon high temperature will soar to near 80 degrees, inching close to the record high temp of 82°.
Tuesday morning, conditions should remain mostly dry in Denver as rain and snow continues to drop in Colorado’s higher elevations before that rain begins to move into the metro by the afternoon hours.
Tuesday’s high temperature will drop to 62 degrees in Denver and Wednesday’s temp will only warm to 45 degrees with morning rain and snow showers possible.
“Overnight, the cold air moves in and we’ll see that rain change over to snow going into Wednesday morning – and we have chances for that as we get through the day – but it should clear out into the afternoon and evening hours,” said Denver7 meteorologist Stacey Donaldson.
More significant snowfall amounts are expected in Colorado’s central and southwestern Mountains, said Donaldson.
“We’re looking at light amounts to the west of the metro and for Denver. We’ll have that rain mixed with snow and we’re not expecting a good coating for Denver, but we are through southwestern Colorado where a winter weather advisory starts on Monday and lasts through Wednesday.”
A winter weather advisory is in effect from 9 p.m. on Monday through noon Wednesday for the eastern Sawatch mountains - above 11,000 feet – for between 8 and 13 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder.
Check latest Colorado weather alerts at this link.
A Winter weather advisory will also go into effect for the La Garita Mountains from 9 p.m. Monday through 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Aspen, Vail, Snowmass, Crested Butte, Telluride, among other higher elevation communities, could see between 5 and 11 inches of snow where a winter weather advisory will go into effect at 6 p.m. on Monday.
“As we get into later tonight through early Tuesday morning, we’ll see more widespread precipitation impacting the southwest corner of the state with heavy rain and snow at times – as travel in the mountains may be tricky Tuesday through at least Wednesday morning,” added LaSalle.
Communities across the urban corridor will see a chance of rain/snow mix on Wednesday, but accumulations won’t amount to much.
"It shouldn't cause a huge disruption in terms of travel because the pavement has been so warm with mainly just that rain-mix possible," said LaSalle.
By Halloween on Thursday, the afternoon high temperature is expected to be around 57 degrees with no precipitation in Denver’s weather forecast.
Friday will bring temps into the 60s before the weekend high temperature in Denver will be in the upper 50s with some clouds on both Saturday and Sunday.
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