Colorado Weather: Coldest December temperatures in years will cause a dangerous situation
Extremely cold air from the arctic will be released into Colorado starting late Wednesday. Denver will experience the coldest December temperatures since 2016 while wind chills could be as low as -50 degrees even in the metro area.
Until the polar cold front arrives Wednesday afternoon, temperatures will be chilly but near normal. Denver and most of the Front Range will reach the lower 40s on Monday and Tuesday with occasionally gusty wind up to 30 mph.
Then everything changes in just a few hours late Wednesday.
A rare Wind Chill Watch has already been issued starting at 8 p.m. Wednesday for wind chills low enough to cause frostbite on exposed skin in 10 minutes or less. Outdoor activities should be avoided if possible from Wednesday night through Friday morning. And if you must go out, a hat and gloves are absolutely required.
There will also be a relatively brief period of snow along the urban corridor from late Wednesday through early Thursday. Light and fluffy snow will mostly develop after 4 p.m. Wednesday and will end before 4 a.m. Thursday. Accumulation around Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins is expected to be minor with 4 inches at most. That will still be enough snow to create slick roads Thursday and in combination with the frigid temperatures, a very slow morning commute is expected.
The mountains will experience higher snow amounts with 3-6 inches on average and up to 12 inches on a few favored peaks mostly around Rocky Mountain National Parks.
The CBS4 First Alert Weather Team has already declared a First Alert Weather Day for Wednesday night and Thursday. And it will likely be extended into Friday because of the extreme cold.
Although it will become dangerously cold in Colorado, record cold is not likely at least in Denver. There is some stiff competition from arctic outbreaks on December 22 and 23 in 1983 and 1990.
Temperatures will remain frigid through Friday night before finally thawing out Saturday afternoon. Temperatures could then be slightly above normal for Christmas on Sunday.
