DENVER — After a delightfully warm Wednesday, the weather will turn much colder tonight as a cold front slides across the state.
This storm system will impact Colorado tonight and Thursday with snow in the mountains and drizzle and light snow in Denver. Temperatures will be colder with 30s for Denver and the eastern plains and in the mountains. The mountains can expect 3 to 6 inches of snow tonight through Thursday night.
Temperatures will be much colder in Denver and across northeastern Colorado for Thursday night with lows in the upper teens to low 20s by early Friday. One to two inches of snow will be possible Thursday evening through early Friday.
Friday will be cold with snow showers for Denver and the I-25 corridor. Highs will be in the upper 30s to low 40s for Denver and the northeast plains and in the 30s in the mountains.
The cold spell will quickly end across the state Saturday with drier and warmer weather returning through early next week. Highs will bounce back to the upper 60s to low 70s by Monday and Tuesday!
APRIL FOOLS DAY IN WEATHER HISTORY FOR DENVER:
1975: A major storm dumped 9.3 inches of snowfall at Stapleton International Airport where northwest winds gusted to 41 mph. Rain changed to snow on the afternoon of the 31st, reducing the visibility to as low as 1/8 mile. Snow continued all day on the 1st and accumulated to a depth of 8 inches on the ground. The minimum temperature of 10 degrees on the 1st set a new record low for the date.
1977: From the 1st to the 3rd, a foot of snow fell in Boulder and Broomfield. The Denver-Boulder Turnpike was closed for an hour after numerous minor traffic accidents. At Stapleton International Airport, snowfall totaled 4.7 inches and southeast winds gusted to 32 mph on the 2nd. The greatest depth of snow on the ground was only 3 inches due to melting.
1979: Total snowfall of 6.6 inches was measured at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 31 mph on the 31st. The greatest accumulation of snow on the ground was 3 inches on the 1st.
1980: The second major blizzard in 5 days buried much of eastern Colorado under 6 to 12 inches of snow. Some drifts were up to 22 feet high. Hundreds of travelers were stranded. Over 3000 families were without power. Livestock losses were high. Metro Denver escaped the main brunt of this storm. At Stapleton International Airport, only 6.3 inches of snow fell over the 3-day period and north winds gusted to only 22 mph on the 1st.
1984: From the 1st to the 2nd, a snowstorm with near- blizzard conditions over eastern Colorado closed many roads, including I-70 and I-76 east of Denver and I-25 between Denver and Colorado Springs. At Stapleton International Airport, snowfall totaled only 2.5 inches, but north winds gusted to 45 mph on the 2nd.
1987: A vigorous cold front produced 2.3 inches of snowfall at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 39 mph. The temperature dropped from a maximum of 59 degrees at mid-morning to a low of 25 degrees at midnight.
1999: From the 1st to the 2nd, moist upslope conditions allowed heavy snow to develop in the Front Range foothills where snowfall totals included: 10 inches at Aspen Park and Evergreen; 9 inches at Turkey Creek; 8 inches at Idaho Springs and Genesee; 7 inches at Aspen Springs, Crow Hill, Intercanyon, and Lake George. In metro Denver snowfall totals included: 10 inches south of Sedalia; 8 inches in Littleton; 7 inches at Morrison; 6 inches at Highlands Ranch; and 4 to 5 inches in Northglenn, Parker and near Louisville. Snowfall totaled 4.7 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.