Snow will affect Friday morning & afternoon commutes in Denver, Colorado foothills will see large accumulations
If you've spent any time outdoors on Thursday in the Denver area, it might be hard to fathom that a snowstorm is on the way very soon. Temperatures in the early afternoon were in the upper 60s in the Mile High City and there was plenty of sun. But a Colorado moisture-maker is going to bring some much-needed moisture, and Friday is a First Alert Weather Day for a big atmospheric change.
Denver metro area and Colorado's Front Range could see slick roads
It's been about 39 days since there's been anything but a trace of snow officially recorded in the city of Denver, but it's looking like that that streak will come to an end on Friday.
A cold front will slide in overnight and bring cooler air. Starting sometime after midnight rain should begin and then by 3 a.m. it should change over to snow.
For Friday morning's commute, we will have snow from Fort Collins into the Denver metro area. That could lead to some wet to slick roads around the area, and we could have a little accumulation already.
But in the middle of the day, probably late Friday morning until about 4 p.m., a surge of heavier snow will come through. After 4 p.m., it will start to weaken in intensity, but we'll still have some snow lingering for the afternoon commute as well.
Expect between 1 and 3 inches of snow for most of the Denver metro area on Friday. Areas near the foothills like Golden, Ken Caryl, Castle Rock and parts of Douglas County might see closer to 3 to 8 inches of snow.
Winter storm warnings and advisories for foothills and mountains
Snow will begin in the mountains and foothills late Thursday night, and moderate to heavy snow is expected throughout the day on Friday. In the early part of the snowstorm roads at higher elevations will be wet, but the snow will begin to stick and make for dangerous driving conditions.
Winter storm warnings and advisories are in place across the central and northern mountains, as well as in the foothills. Some mountain areas may see a foot or more of snow.
Higher elevations in western Jefferson County could see between 4 and 10 inches of new snow.
The snow will mean there's heightened concerns about avalanche danger across the mountains.