Colorado Weather: Windy New Year's Day With Widespread Mountain Snow
DENVER (CBS4) - A New Year's storm is bringing periods of snow to Colorado's high country today along with strong gusty wind. There are several winter weather alerts in the mountains through Wednesday night. We expect the heaviest snow to fall along and north of Interstate 70 with the highest totals in and around Steamboat Springs.
That's where we anticipate the most travel troubles to be by tonight.
Webcams show heavy snow is beginning to fall near Rabbit Ears Pass. A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect there with 8-20" of snow expected to fall across the Park Range through Thursday night. Plan accordingly if you are going to travel. Image via @ColoradoDOT #COwx pic.twitter.com/GnKq3G1iI0
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) January 1, 2020
Some routes like U.S. 40 over Rabbit Ears Pass and I-70 over Vail Pass could be especially difficult for travel at times.
At 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday heavy snow was falling on both passes.
In Denver and on the Eastern Plains it will be relatively mild compared to recent days thanks to a strong and gusty wind coming off the higher terrain. We call this a Chinook wind, and it will warm many areas into the 50s today.
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Areas along and east of the foothills have a very slight chance of seeing a stray rain or snow shower as this weather system moves through the region.