DENVER — Winter weather alerts have been posted in Colorado's high country for up a foot of snow, while Denver could see its first hard freeze due this week.
Colorado mountain snow
After a warm but breezy Monday in Colorado, rain and mountain snow will start to develop Monday night in the San Juan Mountains and across southern and western Colorado.
The National Weather Service in Boulder issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 6 p.m. Monday to noon Wednesday for the San Juan Mountains, Elkhead Mountains, Grand Mesa, Battlement Mesa and Park Mountains. Snow accumulations in the mountains could be up to 11 inches with locally higher amounts in some areas.
Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. The National Weather Service said travel could be very difficult to impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact commutes on Tuesday morning and evening and into Wednesday morning.
Colorado's central and southern mountains are favored for the higher totals of 10 to 13 inches.
Denver snow, rain and freeze
The cold front arrives in Denver sometime Tuesday afternoon, increasing winds and bringing in clouds. A light slushy snow-rain mix will be present for the Wednesday morning commute in the Denver area.
Snow totals look unimpressive in the metro area, with perhaps a slushy inch or two of snow on colder surfaces in the southern and western Front Range foothills.
The temperature in Denver could drop 50 degrees from Sunday to Wednesday with this cold front. Denver's high temperature is forecast to be 44 degrees on Wednesday.
The Front Range, including the Denver metro area, could see its first hard freeze this week. The forecast low temperature in Denver is 31 degrees early Wednesday and 26 degrees early Friday morning.
A Freeze Watch covers the Denver urban corridor starting 10 p.m. Wednesday to 9 a.m. Thursday morning.
The cold front will clear out of Colorado in time for Halloween, with a high in the upper 50s on Thursday, almost exactly seasonal for late October. Denver will stay dry through the upcoming weekend with highs in the upper 50s or lower 60s into early next week.
Denver forecast
- MONDAY: High clouds and breezy at times with elevated fire danger, high 82. Mostly cloudy overnight, low 46
- TUESDAY: Partly cloudy, turning much cooler, high 63. Mostly cloudy with rain/snow showers overnight, low 32.
- WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy, chilly, morning rain and snow showers, high 45. Partly cloudy overnight, low 27.
- THURSDAY: Partly cloudy and seasonal, high 58. Partly cloudy overnight, low 31.
- FRIDAY: Mostly sunny and cool, high 62. Mostly clear and chilly overnight, low 33.
- SATURDAY: Partly cloudy, breezy and mild, high 60. Quiet overnight, low 33.
- SUNDAY: Partly cloudy, breezy and mild, high 59. Quiet overnight, low 34.
