Denver Weather: A Blast Of Winter Arrives Tonight With Cold And Wind

DENVER (CBS4) - A strong cold front moving toward Colorado on Tuesday will bring very gusty winds and much colder temperatures starting Tuesday evening. Wind gusts in the metro area will eventually reach at least 50 mph.

A High Wind Warning starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday and continues through 1 p.m. Wednesday for much of Colorado's Eastern Plains as well as Fort Collins, Greeley, and Colorado Springs. It does not include the immediate Denver metro area but even areas outside of the warning will experience fierce winds.

Prior to the cold front arriving in the evening, temperatures will soar at least 20 degrees above normal along the Front Range. Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins should reach at least 60 degrees while many mountain towns reach the lower 40s.

Then temperatures crash at least 30 degrees for Wednesday with highs staying below freezing in the metro area and some mountain towns staying in the single digits all day.

In terms of mountain snow, a Winter Weather Advisory starts at 2 p.m. Tuesday and continues through 12 p.m. on Wednesday including along the I-70 corridor between Georgetown and Avon. Most areas above 9,000 feet including the ski resorts will get 4 to 8 inches of snow.

Mostly sunny, dry, and milder weather returns for Thursday and highs will reach back into the mid 50s in the Denver metro area for Christmas on Friday.