DENVER — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) authorized the activation of more than 100 Colorado National Guard members on Tuesday.
The members will be activated to support extreme cold weather operations across Colorado as the region prepares to face extreme and record-low temperatures and wind.
"Colorado’s National Guard is up to the challenge whether it’s helping distribute the life-saving vaccine or respond to wildfires across our state," Polis said. "Colorado is about to face extreme weather and cold temperatures and the Guard is ready to assist local communities to help keep people safe during this extreme-cold weather snap."
Polis said the verbal declaration activates the Colorado State Emergency Operations Center and the State Emergency Operations Plan and directs the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) "to take all necessary and appropriate State actions to assist the affected jurisdictions with their response, recovery, and mitigation efforts."
The declaration also allows the OEM to mobilize state resources, and make contracts and awards using Emergency Procurement Procedures.
Winter Weather Advisories, Winter Storm Warnings, and Wind Chill Warnings have been posted for counties across Colorado.
Lasting from Wednesday afternoon through Friday morning, the system is likely to bring the coldest air Colorado has experienced since 1990, with wind chill as cold as 60 degrees below zero across the eastern plains of Colorado, and as low as 35 degrees below zero along the Interstate 25 corridor.
The front's arrival in the Denver metro area Wednesday afternoon may drop the temperature 30 degrees in an hour.
Snow will accompany the bone-chilling cold Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Two to three inches of snow is expected along the Interstate 25 corridor and eastern plains. Colorado's mountains can expect three to 12 inches of new snow.
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