Metro Denver is forecast to see more than 100 straight hours of below-freezing temperatures amid this weekend’s arctic cold snap, according to the National Weather Service.
The blast of frigid, below-freezing temperatures will start around 5 p.m. Friday and, currently, is forecast to go through roughly 1 p.m. Wednesday, according to NWS meteorologist David Barjenbruch. That’s 115 hours.
Barjenbruch said the end of the cold front is so far out that it’s tough to tell if Tuesday’s temperatures will fluctuate above freezing, so the grand total could be slightly lower if the streak ends a day early.
“Most daytime temperatures will be above zero, but highs will be in the single digits or low teens,” Barjenbruch said.
Denverites can expect sub-zero temperatures for several hours Saturday night, a good six hours or so on Sunday and 10 or more hours on Monday, according to Barjenbruch.
It won’t be a dry cold either, according to the meteorologist.
Downtown Denver and the Denver International Airport are forecast to get up to 6 inches of snow Friday night and Saturday morning, according to Thursday snow forecasts.
In the surrounding metro area, other forecasts include:
- Up to 6 inches in Aurora, Brighton, Broomfield, Centennial, Littleton, Northglenn and Parker;
- Up to 7 inches in Arvada, Highlands Ranch and Lakewood;
- And up to 8 inches in Golden.
Barjenbruch said Friday’s commute could become hazardous as the snow moves in and temperatures drop, creating icy roads.
The city and surrounding metro area can also expect another dusting to an inch on Sunday during a second wave of snow, Barjenbruch said.
Barjenbruch said people don’t need to stay home during the storm, but they should limit their time outside as much as possible during the freezing weather.
“Longterm exposure can lead to frostbite and hypothermia as your core temperature starts to drop,” he said. “Bundle up as much as you can, wear warm, loose-fitting clothing and take frequent warming breaks.”
Denver residents in older homes with poor insulation should also watch out for freezing pipes, Barjenbruch said.
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