DENVER — It took a bit longer than usual, but Colorado's mountains will finally see their first notable snowstorm of the season this week.
Higher elevations above 9,000 feet along and north of I-70 could see six inches or more of wind-blown snow, starting Wednesday night and lasting through the day Thursday. The snow will taper late Thursday night or early Friday morning in the high country.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in place for the Park and Medicine Bow Mountain ranges above 9,000 feet in elevation, along with Rocky Mountain National Park from Wednesday night through Friday morning. It's the first Winter Weather Advisory anywhere in Colorado since early May.
Travel will be difficult Wednesday night and Thursday in the high country along and north of I-70. Rabbit Ears, Berthoud and Vail passes will all be especially difficult drives.
On top of the snow, wind gusts up to 50 mph will reduce visibility and make driving conditions extra rough.
While it'll stay a chilly rain in Denver, the city will likely see its first freeze of the season later this week. Temperatures will probably drop to around freezing Friday morning, and perhaps as low as the upper 20s for Saturday morning.
There's a chance for a few wet flakes in the foothills and north of Denver on Friday morning, but that's probably it for the lower elevations. In Denver and for most of the metro area, it will likely stay a cold rain throughout.
A strong storm system will dive south and east out of the Pacific Northwest, bringing rain to some lower elevations in the mountains initially before it changes to snow overnight Wednesday into Thursday.
In Denver, the rain will likely move in after dark Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. Along with the rain, a big cooldown will drop highs from the 70s Wednesday into the 50s for Thursday and Friday.
Though a hard freeze (20s) seems unlikely at this time for most, it's still a good idea to winterize your home, including blowing out your sprinklers. The growing season will likely end this week across much of northeastern Colorado.
Temperatures look moderate this weekend, and highs push back into the 70s in Denver for early next week.
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