Winter has arrived in Denver, bringing with it up to 12 inches of snow across the metro area and frigid temperatures.
A winter storm warning is in effect from 6 a.m. Saturday morning until noon Sunday, and forecasters at the National Weather Service said everyone in northern Colorado can expect at least a little snow through the weekend.
A significant winter storm will impact much of north central and northeast Colorado today through noon Sunday. #cowx pic.twitter.com/dhtL4iVsAf
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) October 28, 2023
Snowfall rates could exceed one inch per hour in some places.
Banded snowfall will affect how much snow specific areas will receive, with places like Elbert and Lincoln counties receiving less snow than areas around Denver and the plains around Morgan and Washington counties.
Snow accumulation will range from three to six inches over the plains, while the Denver metro can expect anywhere from six to 12 inches of snow.
Snow will develop over much of the area today and continue through Sunday morning. The heaviest snow will be tonight into Sunday morning with hazardous travel expected. #cowx pic.twitter.com/1DYnE8k9Y9
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) October 28, 2023
The mountains will see up to 20 inches of snow along the higher mountain passes.
Winter driving conditions over the mountains and plains by tonight will cause issues for drivers with icy and snowpacked roads.
Here’s an updated look at snowfall amounts across our highways through Sunday. This time featuring 75% fewer mentions of US-285 🙂
Slick travel has already been reported today, and conditions should deteriorate this afternoon through early Sunday ℹ️: https://t.co/uoUwxQXFoP #cowx pic.twitter.com/XtMrnGBqzV— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) October 28, 2023
Most major highways through the mountains and Front Range will see several inches of snow, with Interstate 70 set to received over six inches virtually everywhere between Golden and Vail Pass.
Eisenhower Tunnel is forecast to get between 14 and 22 inches.
Temperatures will also be a concern through the weekend.
Saturday’s high is 30 degrees and the low is 22 degrees.
Sunday will likely see temperatures in the single digits, with the expected low to be just eight degrees.
Monday night’s low is expected to be 16 degrees.