- Current weather warnings for northern Colorado. A Winter Storm Warning will go into effect for the Front Range including Thornton at 3:00pm Tuesday afternoon. (NWS)
Update, 7:10pm: Thornton is in full winter storm mode now. Wet, heavy snowfall is being seen across the Front Range and it is far from over. Many areas are reporting more than 5 inches of snowfall so far with some as high as nine inches. Here at ThorntonWeather.com we are up to 5.2 inches and counting!
Thundersnow was reported at the outset of the storm and Parker Examiner Melody Jones reports it is continuing in her area. It is a phenomena that many folks may not be familiar with but not all that unusal.
The snow is falling at rates up to 3 inches per hour and has covered many roads, particularly those in the northern, western and eastern parts of the city. Strong winds are driving the snow creating some drifting and limiting visibility.
Forecast total snow amounts have increased to the 8 to 16 inch range for the Denver metropolitan area. The foothills and Palmer Divide could see amounts approaching 2 feet.
Heavy snowfall will continue through the night and hazardous conditions will persist. All residents should avoid travel if at all possible. If you must go out, be sure to carry emergency supplies with you.
At Denver International Airport is reporting significant delays with some arriving and departing flights however airlines currently are not reporting any widespread cancellations. Air travelers should check with their airlines before going to DIA.
- If you haven’t already, become a fan of ThorntonWeather.com on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest.
As always, stay tuned to ThorntonWeather.com for truly local weather for Thornton.
- Latest forecast for Thornton
- Current Advisories and Warnings
- ThorntonWeather.com Denver Doppler Radar
- Live Conditions in Thornton
- ThorntonWeather.com Weather Webcams
- Current Road Condtions
You can also signup to receive the latest weather alerts and forecasts via email here.
Update, 4:45pm: Things have gotten much more interesting in Thornton over the last couple of hours. We have seen a variety of precipitation including rain, graupel and snow and even a good bit of thunder and lightning.
Areas to the west like Longmont and Broomfield are starting to see the rain change to all snow and that will expand over the rest of the metro area in the short term.
From 6:00pm tonight through 6:00am is when the most activity is expected to occur and with temperatures dropping, that will be in the form of snow. 5 to 10 inches of snow is possible overnight with the first bit melting early on due to the warm ground. An addition 2 to 4 inches will be possible during the day tomorrow. Higher amounts are expected in the western and southern foothills as well as the Palmer Divide.
A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect for the entire Front Range and will be in effect until 6:00pm Wednesday. Remember that a Winter Storm Warning means hazardous winter weather conditions are imminent or highly likely. Significant snow accumulations are expected and strong winds are possible. Road conditions may deteriorate and travel could become hazardous.
Update, 2:15pm: As we said in a headline yesterday, ‘here we snow again.’ Denver is seemingly in an endless cycle of up and down weather and we once again will be heading to the cold side this afternoon and through tomorrow.
We are starting to see the effects of the storm already in Denver with the winds picking up and cloud cover increasing. Snow is starting to fall in the high country and some of those roads are already turning wet. Be sure to check out our Colorado road report for the latest road conditions.
Initially Denver will be seeing rain and rain / snow mix this afternoon. That will be changing to all snow tonight and continuing through the overnight hours into Wednesday.
A Winter Storm Warning will be going into effect for the Front Range including Denver at 3:00pm this afternoon and continuing until 6:00pm Wednesday. In their latest update, the National Weather Service warns, “residents should prepare for a period of heavy snowfall, especially tonight through Wednesday morning.”
Thornton will likely be looking at 6 to 12 inches of snow between tonight and tomorrow night. Some areas along the Front Range may receive even more in the 8 to 16 inch range. The southern foothills and Palmer Divide are looking at up to 20 inches.
This storm will have a major impact on northeastern Colorado and residents should be prepared. Tomorrow morning’s commute is likely to be a mess.
Remember that a Winter Storm Warning means hazardous winter weather conditions are imminent or highly likely. Significant snow accumulations are expected and strong winds are possible. Road conditions may deteriorate and travel could become hazardous.
Update, 3/23/10, 5:55am: Spring arrived on Saturday but we are reminded that in Colorado, snow doesn’t really care what season it is. A major winter storm is set to arrive over northern Colorado Tuesday afternoon and will bring with it significant snowfall for the Denver area.
We have been in a bit of a weather rollercoaster in recent weeks with varying warm and cold periods. Just last Friday we received a nice shot of snow which was followed by temperatures in the 60’s yesterday. This latest storm brings us back down and has the potential to be one of the biggest storms of the year.
- Be sure to check back with ThorntonWeather.com throughout the day today and tomorrow for updates on this latest Colorado snowstorm
For today, beyond the colder temperatures there won’t be any early indications as to what is to come later today. Highs today will only reach the upper 30’s so there will be a chill in the air and skies will be cloudy.
This afternoon we will see a chance for a rain / snow mix to start although initially it should be light and not have much of an impact. It is tonight and into Wednesday morning when things really look to get spooled up.
Snow will continue throughout the night and will be heavy at times. Tomorrow morning’s commute is likely to be a mess as the storm is expected to be at its height by then.
How much snow? Some of what falls initially will melt since the ground is relatively warm following our recent warmth. However, significant accumulations are still expected.
For right now, we are going to forecast 6 to 12 inches total snowfall for the Denver metro area between Tuesday and Wednesday evening. ThorntonWeather.com is expecting that much of Thornton will be within that range.
Some of the computer models are saying 10 to 20 inches although that would seem to be getting a bit carried away. There is a great deal of moisture in this system however so the potential is there for a pretty significant event.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for all of the Front Range including the Denver metro area. Since yesterday, they have expanded the warning area to include areas further east toward Deer Trail and Limon and north through Fort Collins to the Wyoming border. Winter Weather Advisories have also been posted for the far eastern plains and the central and northern mountain areas.
For Denver, the warning will go in effect from 3:00pm this afternoon to 6:00pm Wednesday. Remember that a Winter Storm Warning means hazardous winter weather conditions are imminent or highly likely. Significant snow accumulations are expected and strong winds are possible. Road conditions may deteriorate and travel could become hazardous
Original story, 3/22/10, 4:26pm: Colorado’s warm start to spring isn’t going to last long. Another snowstorm moving in from the northwest is set to strike Denver tomorrow afternoon and has the potential to bring significant snowfall to the Front Range.
As we discussed in our morning forecast on Examiner.com, the exact potential of this system at that time was less than clear but as the day has progressed, we are getting a better look at it. In many respects, it is looking quite a lot like the storm from last Friday.
The big difference with this system is the timing – it will be arriving in the late evening and overnight versus during the daytime hours. That could lead to a greater impact, particularly for the key commuting times.
We’re seeing a great deal of moisture with this system moving into the state as well as the all important upslope which helps to provide a decent snowfall. We have a chance to see a rain / snow mixture starting tomorrow morning slowly moving to all snow.
The snow looks to start in earnest after midnight Tuesday night and continue throughout the day Wednesday and even some overnight Wednesday. Forecast amounts are in the 5 to 10 inch range for the Denver metro area. The Palmer Divide is looking at 6 to 14 inches and the southern foothills may see 7 to 16 inches.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for snow and blowing snow. The warning will go in effect from 3:00pm Tuesday to 6:00pm Wednesday. Remember that a Winter Storm Warning means hazardous winter weather conditions are imminent or highly likely.
Significant snow accumulations are expected and strong winds are possible. Road conditions may deteriorate and travel could become hazardous.