Update, 1:01pm – The Winter Weather Advisory for the Front Range has been cancelled. The snow may be gone but the bitter cold remains. ThorntonWeather.com recorded a wind chill of -11.2°F at 10:59am!
Temperatures will warm slightly this afternoon before plunging overnight to below zero. Stay warm!
Update, 12/8/09, 6:50am: Bitter cold would be an accurate term to describe the weather the Mile High City is waking up to this morning. Temperatures are in the single digits across the Front Range and wind chills are dipping to zero and below.
The snow we were expecting is going to arrive but it will be slower than expected and likely not as much as original forecast. Snow showers are slowly developing to the west and moving into Denver early this morning but with the severe cold and dry atmosphere, snow is going to have a hard time really getting going.
For now, we will forecast 2 to 4 inches in the Denver metro area with higher amounts in the foothills and mountains. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for much of eastern Colorado until this evening although it is likely it will be cancelled before then.
Areas of Larimer and Weld counties are going to be the areas near Denver that will be hardest hit. I-25 to the Wyoming border is likely to be in pretty rough shape as the system passes.
The cold temperatures are the real story with this storm and we see it in our forecast high temperature for Tuesday of only 12 degrees. Tonight, some clearing is expected and those areas that do get clear skies can expect some very cold temperatures. Lows tonight will certainly drop below zero.
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Update, 5:15pm: Cold is the key word! Temperatures across the Front Range are quickly plummeting to the single digits and wind chills are hitting below zero occasionally. Just a few minutes before this update, the wind chill in Thornton hit 6 below! Brrrrr!
We’re not seeing much upslope with the latest forecast models. That, coupled with the extreme cold and a lack of moisture likely will mean lower snow totals than originally forecast.
We’ll drop the snow total forecast to 3 to 5 inches in the Denver metro area by the time the bulk of it ends Tuesday afternoon, higher amounts in the foothills. Look for the majority of snow to fall between 2:00am and 8:00am Tuesday morning.
By tomorrow afternoon, we could see just a bit of clearing but temperatures will remain very cold. High temps Tuesday will only reach to the low teens so it will be pretty miserable outside.
Original story, 12:31pm: This morning in our forecast on the Denver Weather Examiner we discussed the approaching system that will bring continued cold and more snow to Colorado. Temperatures nearly 30 degrees below normal are expected today and tomorrow with snow tonight through tomorrow.
In anticipation of this event, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for most of the eastern half of Colorado including Denver and the Front Range. In the high country, west of the Continental Divide, a Winter Storm Warming is in effect and on the far eastern plains, a Winter Storm Watch is in effect. Blizzard Warnings have also been issued for portions of southwestern Colorado.
As the upper level disturbance moves across the state, snow will develop in the mountains and then move across the plains tonight lasting through Tuesday. Accumulations from 4 to 8 inches are possible across northeastern Colorado by 5:00pm Tuesday with higher amounts over Larimer County and the far eastern plains. The Winter Weather Advisory for the Front Range goes into effect at 6:00pm tonight and runs through 5:00pm Tuesday.
Remember, a Winter Weather Advisory means that snow, blowing snow and freezing drizzle will cause travel difficulties. Slippery roads and limited visibility will likely cause issues on the roadways. Please exercise caution if you travel.