DENVER – Colorado was slammed by Category 2 hurricane-strength winds (between 96 and 100 mph) on Friday as the community of Marshall in Boulder County recorded a top wind speed of 112 mph.
DENVER — The winds are gradually calming after a strong cold front raced through the state overnight. You’ll find mostly sunny skies and wind speeds between 20 to 30 mph for the morning commute. Thursday will be about 20 degrees cooler than Wednesday as we finally break the nine day streak of 60 degree days.
In the mountains, very strong winds will persist through Thursday morning, with gusts frequently reaching 80 to 90 mph. These strong winds will continue to impact exposed ridges and passes .with some areas of blowing snow throughout the day.
It will be cool and breezy Thursday as we prepare for another round of strong winds on Friday. Another High Wind Watch goes into effect on Friday for the Front Range foothils and mountains. We could see gusts near 85 mph again on the west side of town. These downsloping winds will once again lead to much warmer than normal temperatures. We’ll see 40s early Friday, with highs in the upper 60s.
The Denver metro area will have high fire danger for the end of the week with a Fire Weather Watch in effect for Friday.
Looking ahead to the weekend, mountain snowfall is expected to return late Friday into early Saturday as winds decrease and a weather system moves through. Snow chances linger into Saturday, with lighter and more limited chances on Sunday. A cold front will bring cooler temperatures to the plains Saturday, though highs will remain above normal. By early next week, quieter weather is expected with breezy conditions at times and warmer-than-average temperatures returning.
Weather will be excellent for the Bronco game on Sunday with highs in the 50s, partly cloudy skies and a lot less wind.
Cool and breezy on Thursday behind our strong December cold front
DENVER — While bitterly cold air settles in to the Great Plains and Midwest this weekend, Colorado sits at the western edge of that arctic air.
The Denver metro and most of the state will stay in this warmer-than-average pattern through the weekend, with highs in the low 60s expected for Denver both Saturday and Sunday. The high country will also stay much warmer than normal, with highs for some mountain communities climbing into the 40s or 50s this weekend.
Cold air could move into the Eastern Plains Friday night and Saturday afternoon to drag temperatures back below freezing, but most will stay very mild for mid-December.
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Gusty winds are expected late Friday night into Saturday morning for the Front Range foothills, which will increase fire risk for those areas.
Our extended forecast shows no significant chances for rain or snow across the state, with the middle of next week presenting the next best chance for a pattern shift and possibly some light mountain snow.
DENVER – It appears Denver will finally see its first official snow of the season this weekend, although expected accumulations across the metro will likely be light as the coldest air of the season also arrives.
“We’ll have cold air and snow this weekend and slow travel is expected at times, especially in the High Country as we head toward the end of the weekend,” said Denver meteorologist Stacey Donaldson. “Here for the Denver metro area, it’ll be Friday night into Saturday morning when one batch of snowfall will come through but it should be pretty light.”
Donaldson said in Denver we should first see rain which will then switch over to snow most likely around 10 p.m. and stick around until early-to-mid morning.
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The second shot of possible snow for Denver will sweep through Sunday night into Monday morning.
Donaldson said to expect between 1 to 3 inches of snow to accumulate across Front Range communities.
“This is not going to be a tremendous snow storm by any means but it will be our first one of the season,” added Donaldson. “We have not had any snowfall so far at DIA and that puts us in second place for the latest snow start we’ve ever had. December 10th is the latest.”
NWS Boulder
Forecasters with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder added that the main storm impacts should remain in the High Country.
“The lower elevations will be grasping at straws to see any accumulating snow whatsoever, as has seemingly been the case throughout the fall,” said NWS forecasters.
Holiday travelers in Colorado’s high country should remain on alert for any impacts on high mountain passes and on I-70.
A winter weather advisory goes into effect from 5 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Saturday for portions of Colorado’s northern mountain ranges and includes the Eisenhower Tunnel.
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Between 3 to 8 inches of snow is expected in areas of the High Country where “the majority of our mountain passes into the morning hours,” added the NWS. “Locally favored west-facing slopes in our northern mountains (mainly north of I-70) may approach 8. Travel will become slick and hazardous by this evening, conditions will improve again by mid to late morning Saturday.”
Winter storm timeline: Here’s how Denver7’s Clara Faith expects:
Light snow and flurries develop along the Interstate 25 corridor and across the plains late Friday night into early Saturday.
Some parts of the metro will see a dusting to maybe 1 inch. It’s not a big storm, but enough for slick spots early Saturday morning.
The mountains could have up to 9 inches of snow, especially in the northern mountains, where travel conditions could be tough overnight. A Winter Weather Advisory is in place from 5 p.m. Friday through 8 a.m. Saturday.
Here are expected and high-end potential snow totals across Colorado
Along with the snow, temperatures will take a nosedive after Friday’s warmer weather. Saturday’s high will reach 31 degrees with the low dropping to 16 degrees in Denver early Sunday morning.
NWS Boulder
Sunday’s high temp in Denver will only reach 28 degrees and then fall to around 15 degrees early Monday morning.
DENVER — It’s going to be an incredibly mild holiday, with dry conditions across the state for any Thanksgiving travel! You’ll find mostly sunny skies Thursday morning and temperatures will quickly climb into the mid 40s by 10 a.m. and low 50s by 2 p.m.
Mostly sunny in the mountains, with upper 30s to low 40s! Friday will be even a little warmer. We’ll see increasing clouds across the plains but temperatures will climb into the upper 50s to even a few low 60s Friday afternoon. The winds will kick up across Colorado ahead of our next cold front.
That quick-moving cold front and upper-level trough will slide through Friday night, bringing the coldest air we’ve seen so far this season. Light snow is likely in the mountains and could extend onto the plains, including Denver, between late Friday night and early Saturday. Any accumulation looks light — generally around an inch or less — but a few spots in the mountains could pick up closer to two inches. Some models still suggest Denver could miss out, but most are now leaning toward at least a little snow.
Saturday stays cold, with highs only in the upper 20s to mid 30s, and skies gradually clearing as the morning snow chance wraps up. Then on Sunday, another system drops in from the northwest, sending a second round of snow into the mountains by the morning. Depending on how this one tracks, snow could spread east toward the urban corridor and plains later in the day and into Sunday night. This part of the forecast still has some uncertainty, but it’s something to keep an eye on if you have Sunday travel plans.
Early next week looks a bit quieter, with temperatures creeping upward and drier weather returning for a time. However, yet another system could swing through late Tuesday into Wednesday, bringing another chance of light mountain snow and another cooldown. It’s still too far out for specifics, but overall, the coming week marks a definite shift toward a more winter-like pattern.
A mild and dry holiday in store for the Denver metro area
It will be a gorgeous start to the weekend! We’ll see mostly sunny skies and highs in the upper 50s to low 60s across the northeastern plains. Dry and mild in the mountains too…highs in the low to upper 40s, with some bluebird conditions.
On Sunday, another round of light precipitation is possible as an upper-level low moves across southern Colorado. The best chances for rain or snow will be south and east of Denver, while areas northwest of the metro may see little. Snow levels should hover around 7,000 feet, meaning light snow in the mountains and light rain elsewhere. Most of what falls should stay on the lighter side. We’ll see heavier snow across the southwestern mountains.
A winter weather advisory goes into effect on Sunday morning for the San Juans where we could see another 2 to 8 inches of snow by Sunday night. It’s been a nice change for the mountains near Durango and Telluride!
Monday and Tuesday will bring a noticeable change as a fast-moving system sweeps in from the Pacific Northwest. Expect increasing winds—possibly strong at times—and colder temperatures. Snow chances pick up in the northern mountains Monday night, but conditions should gradually improve by Tuesday as the system moves out.
Heading toward Thanksgiving, the weather looks to settle down. Winds will ease, temperatures will moderate and we’ll actually see some pretty seasonal condition on Thanskgiving. It will be a cold start that morning, but we’ll see some sunshine and a nice warm up during the Mile High United Way Turkey Trot! Highs in the low to mid-50s on Thursday afternoon.
DENVER — It’s a quiet start to the day across Colorado. We’ll see a mix of sun and clouds across the plains, with 30s and 40s for the early morning drive. A weak ridge of high pressure remains in place and that will lead to two more warmer than normal days.
Temperatures will remain about 5 to 8 degrees above average, with more low to mid 60s along the Front Range. A few light rain/snow showers are possible in the mountains, especially west of the Palmer Divide.
Our next storm arrives Thursday into Friday, and models now show better agreement. The system will likely be weaker as it moves in, but chances for measurable precipitation are increasing. Denver looks to see mostly rain, with a small chance of some light snow late Thursday night or Friday morning. Higher spots like the Palmer Divide have a better shot at accumulating snow.
Everything tapers off Friday as the storm drifts east and temperatures dip a bit below normal. By the weekend, another ridge builds in, bringing back dry weather and near-normal temperatures through early next week.
Keep your eyes on the forecast for Thanksgiving week. There is a huge batch of arctic air with its sights set on a large portion of the U.S. That means quite a few major cities, including Denver, could be in the deep freeze for Thanksgiving.
Two more mild days before the next storm hits Colorado
DENVER – While northeastern Colorado, including the Denver metro, will see another day of temperatures well above normal, a weather system will roll through the state starting Sunday bringing snow to the High Country and dropping temperatures for the week ahead for the Front Range.
The weather alert remains in effect until 5 p.m. Monday for the possibility of 3 to 8 inches of accumulations above 9,000 feet in West Jackson and West Grand Counties, said NWS forecasters.
Even higher accumulations are possible in elevations above 10,000 in these two counties.
“Snow covered roads will make travel hazardous, especially through mountain passes. Use caution when traveling,” wrote the NWS.
As of Sunday, weather models are struggling with the storm track, but Denver’s best chance for snow, or a rain-mix would come later on Thursday.
“The potential storm system for the latter half of this upcoming week continues to cause headaches. Models generally struggle with cutoff lows in the medium range period, and given how many moving pieces there are to the synoptic pattern during this period, it seems like it would be exceptionally difficult to ‘thread the needle’ and find a storm track that would produce sufficient moisture/upslope and cold air to give any of our lower elevations a real taste of winter,” wrote NWS Boulder forecasters.
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After a stretch of temps well-above average, Denver’s afternoon highs will drop to mostly 50s and a few 40s over the next 7 days.
With snow looking somewhat unlikely this week, that would push this year’s first snowfall date to one of the latest Denver has ever seen.
Here are Denver’s latest first snowfall dates since 1882, from the NWS in Boulder.
DENVER — The unseasonably warm and dry weather will continue for the next few days. We’re under quite a bit of cloud cover for the early morning commute, with temperatures in the 30s and 40s.
We’ll see partly sunny skies Wednesday and temperatures will climb into the mid 60s by lunch and then upper 60s by 3 p.m. With a ridge of high pressure anchored over the region, this mild weather will remain in place through the end of the week.
Skies will clear out on Thursday and it’s going to get even warmer. We’ll see low to mid 70s across the Eastern Plains on Thursday, with plenty of sunshine across the state.
By Friday night and into the weekend, a new storm system moves in from the West Coast. There’s still some model disagreement on the exact track, but it does look like it will at least bring some much-needed showers to the mountains.
The metro may see spotty rain depending on how the system develops. Temperatures will still be in the 60s on Saturday, but likely cool into the 50s on Sunday.
We are in for more of a pattern shift next week. It’ll be much colder, with a chance of rain and snow by next Wednesday.
Unseasonably warm weather continues across Colorado for the next few days
DENVER — It’s another gorgeous and dry start to our day. We’ll see plenty of sunshine for the morning commute, with 30s along the Front Range. A weak cold front will bring our temperatures down a bit Wednesday, but it’s still unseasonably warm for early November.
Skies will stay clear and we’ll climb into the upper 50s by lunch and upper 60s by happy hour. Wednesday’s high temperatures are about 7 to 10 degrees above normal. This streak of 60-degree temperatures will continue through the end of the week.
A weak disturbance will bring some light snow to the northern and central mountains on Thursday. We’ll stay dry across the plains Thursday, but the winds will likely pick up a bit. It will be breezy and mild on Thursday, with highs in the upper 60s. So expect some dry and mild conditions for Thursday night’s Broncos game.
A stronger cold front will roll through this weekend. It will yet again be another dry system, but temperatures will likely dip into the 50s on Saturday and Sunday.
A weak cold front rolls through Colorado Wednesday
DENVER — It will be a cool end to October, but we’ll see some dry conditions Friday night for all of your little trick-or-treaters. A cold front rolling through the region ushered in some cooler air and we’ll see highs in the upper 40s to low 50s by Friday afternoon. That’s about 10 degrees below normal.
The clouds that you’re seeing Friday morning will clear out by the afternoon and we’ll see lots of sunshine to kick off the weekend! Temperatures will dip into the upper 40s by sunset, with upper 30s by 9pm, so it will be chilly but dry for your trick-or-treaters Friday night!
Heading into the weekend, things start to warm up. A broad ridge of high pressure will build over the region, bringing plenty of sunshine and a nice boost in temperatures. By Sunday, we will be well above normal — maybe even flirting with record warmth for this time of year. It’ll still be a little breezy at times, but overall a beautiful fall weekend is shaping up.
Looking ahead into next week, the warm trend is expected to continue. The ridge doesn’t look to be going anywhere soon, so mild, dry weather will stick around. Most days will feature sunshine and temperatures running above-seasonal averages, perfect for spending time outside before winter really settles in.
All in all, it’s a stretch of quiet, pleasant weather for Colorado. No rain or snow is expected for at least the next seven days, so enjoy the sunshine and the comfortable fall vibes while they last.
A chilly but dry night for Colorado’s trick-or-treaters
DENVER — It’s a warm and pleasant Sunday across the Denver metro with highs topping out in the low 70s — perfect weather if you’re watching the Broncos game this afternoon.
Expect a mix of sunshine and high clouds through the day as winds pick up a bit later.
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By Sunday night, things start to change.
A storm system moving in from the northwest will bring snow to the northern mountains, mainly late Sunday into Monday morning.
Places like Rabbit Ears and Cameron Pass could get a few inches of snow and see slick travel conditions by early Monday.
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Monday turns noticeably cooler and much windier.
Gusty northwest winds will spread from the foothills onto the plains, and a few spotty rain showers could pop up around the metro by the afternoon.
Highs will drop into the upper 50s to low 60s.
By midweek, the weather settles down with highs in the 50s and 60s and plenty of sunshine.
A warming trend returns toward next weekend, bringing back that mild fall feel.
DENVER — We have been tracking an active Thursday on the radar, with snow and rain expected in the mountains through this evening as a storm system settles in over the high country.
The Denver metro area could see some spotty rain showers or a stray thunderstorm Thursday, but most activity will stay in the foothills and mountains. Southern Colorado will see a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms Thursday.
There will be lingering chances for showers and snow in the high country Friday morning. We’re expecting just a few inches of snow accumulation across the mountains, mostly above 10,000 feet.
The metro area’s lows will drop down into the 40s overnight. Friday will start cloudy before clearing out later in the day to more sunshine and temperatures in the mid 60s.
Pleasant fall weather will be here just in time for the weekend, with Saturday sunny and warmer than normal for this time of year. Our next storm system rolls in late Sunday into Monday, likely bringing wind and cooler temperatures for the metro and more mountain snow.
DENVER — After a wild start to our week with powerful winds, calmer conditions are on the way.
A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. due to the winds and low humidity across the southern Front Range Foothills, Denver and Boulder metro areas.
Northwest winds will ease after sunset, but a Freeze Warning will be in effect from midnight to 8 a.m. Tuesday for much of the Front Range including Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver, and Castle Rock.
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Temperatures will drop into the upper 20s and low 30s, so be sure to cover plants and protect outdoor plumbing.
Strong winds ease, freeze warning follows for the Front Range
Expect a much quieter day for Tuesday!
Winds will be light, skies will be mostly sunny, and highs will be right around seasonal norms.
A ridge of high pressure builds overhead, bringing another pleasant day with sunshine and slightly warmer temperatures — a few degrees above normal for late October.
Looking ahead, a weak system could bring a few light showers Thursday into Friday, with the best chance for rain in the mountains.
