Storm weakens but still brings significant snow to Colorado, including largest total in January in Denver in 31 years
A Colorado January snowstorm that began dropping snow in the Denver metro area on Tuesday evening continues to bring moisture to the city on this First Alert Weather Day. Most areas had at least 3 to 6 inches of wet snow at daybreak on Wednesday. This is the biggest snowstorm in the month of January in Denver in 31 years (In 1992 on Jan. 7 and 8 Denver got 14.8 inches).
The First Alert Weather Team expects some snow to continue into the early afternoon but by then it should be done. The following are the snow totals as of 10 a.m., including 8.6 inches in Denver.
"Overnight we saw some drier air infiltrate the storm, dropping those snowfall rates from the expected inch to inch-and-a-half per hour. That's why we're a little lean on some of these snowfall amounts," said First Alert Meteorologist Ashton Altieri. "Still, the original forecast -- 6 to 12 inches -- I think most of us will get there, at least at Denver International Airport where the official snow measurement for the city is taken."
Temperatures in Denver will remain in the 20s throughout the day. The thermometer is only expected to rise to 29 degrees.
The projected severity of the snowstorm prompted the majority of schools in the area to close for the day, including Colorado's two largest school districts: Denver Public Schools and Jeffco Public Schools. See the full list of school closings. Snowy and icy roads also led to multiple car crashes across the metro area.
Chilly weather will continue into the weekend in Colorado. It isn't expected to get above freezing in Denver until Saturday.
The snowstorm is bringing higher snow accumulation to northeastern Colorado. Another 3 to 7 inches is expected in areas like Julesburg, Holyoke, Sterling and Wray. Interstate 76 was closed on Wednesday morning from Sterling to the Colorado-Nebraska border.
A Winter Storm Warning continues for all of northeast Colorado until 5 p.m. but could be canceled early since most of the accumulation will end by early afternoon.
The mountains remain under a Winter Weather Advisory until 5 p.m. Wednesday for an additional 2 to 4 inches of snow.
