Warm, spring-like weather forecast across Colorado on Monday will turn to rain and then snow overnight, according to the National Weather Service.
Strong winds on Tuesday are expected to create blizzard-like conditions in lower elevations, including metro Denver, the Palmer Divide and the Interstate 70 corridor, NWS forecasters said in a Hazardous Weather Outlook.
Forecasters said rain will start in Denver after 2 p.m. Monday and turn into snow after 10 p.m. The city can expect between a dusting and 4 inches of snowfall by the time the storm wraps up early Wednesday morning.
Other Sunday morning snow forecasts for the metro area include:
- Between a dusting and 3 inches in Arvada and Northglenn
- Between a dusting and 4 inches in Brighton, Golden, Lakewood and Littleton
- Between a dusting and 5 inches at Denver International Airport
- Between a dusting and 6 inches in Centennial and Highlands Ranch
- Between a dusting and 9 inches in Parker and Aurora
- Between 1 and 11 inches in Castle Rock
Colorado’s mountains are forecast to see more than a foot of snowfall on Monday and Tuesday, NWS forecasters said. No rain is expected and snow will start at about 2 p.m., forecasters said.
The most snow is forecast along Cameron Pass in northern Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, where up to 25 inches of accumulation is expected. Other snow forecasts include:
- Up to 17 inches on U.S. 40’s Berthoud Pass
- Up to 14 inches at the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels, on Loveland Pass and in Winter Park and Breckenridge
- Up to 20 inches in the higher-elevation areas of Rocky Mountain National Park, including Trail Ridge Road, Iceberg Pass and Milner Pass
- Up to 17 inches in northern Colorado’s Park Range Mountains, including Mount Zirkel and Mount Werner
- Up to 19 inches near Ouray on Gravel Mountain
- Up to 12 inches on western Colorado’s West Elk Mountains
A Winter Storm Watch will be in effect for Rocky Mountain National Park, the Medicine Bow Range, Summit County, the Mosquito Range, and the Indian Peaks from Monday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon, forecasters said.
Another Winter Storm Watch for the Front Range Mountains, Palmer Divide and Eastern Plains will be in effect from Monday evening to Tuesday afternoon.
“Snow-covered roads will make travel hazardous, with the possibility of very difficult or impossible travel,” forecasters said in the alert. “Visibility may be near zero at times resulting in whiteout conditions. Travel will be treacherous and potentially life-threatening.”
Forecasters said the weather headed to the Eastern Plains is “highly uncertain” and the storm’s path could change at any time.
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