Denver Weather: Our Snowy February Is About To Become Even More Snowy

DENVER (CBS4) - A First Alert Weather Day has been issued for Wednesday as another winter storm takes aim at Colorado. Expect much colder temperatures and enough snow to shovel in most areas.

Before the storm arrives, Tuesday will be mild and dry but not necessarily sunny. Extra clouds will be around throughout the day but the clouds should not hold temperatures back very much. Neighborhoods around Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins will still come close to 60 degrees Tuesday afternoon.

Then temperatures will drop 25-30 degrees for Wednesday behind a cold front that passes Denver and the Front Range Tuesday night. High temperatures in the metro area on Wednesday will be in the 30s.

After the front passes, patchy fog and areas of light freezing drizzle will be possible during the morning commute. Then snow should start developing after 11 a.m. followed by increasing chances for snow during the afternoon. The heaviest snow will wait until after 5 p.m. and should end before midnight. During the evening, snowfall rates could reach 1/2 inch per hour.

In the mountains, the snow will start earlier (late Tuesday night) and will end later (early Thursday morning). Most ski areas in the state will get 4-8 inches of snow ahead of the popular President's Day Weekend.

For Denver and the Front Range, most areas will get 2-6 inches of snow with the lower amounts near E-470 on the east side of town and the highest amounts near C-470 and in the Golden and Boulder areas.

Wednesday's snow will push the total amount of snow this month even farther above normal. Denver has officially received 6.5 inches this February which is about 3 inches above normal through the middle of the month. For the season, Denver has now received nearly 25 inches of snow which is about a half foot below normal through this point in the season.

After the snow ends along the Front Range Wednesday night, the weather focus will be cold temperatures on Thursday before gradually warmer weather returns for Friday and the first two days of the three day weekend. Colder and potentially snowy weather returns on Monday.