Denver Weather: Cold weather is coming but likely not much snow
After windy and warm weather Tuesday and Wednesday, a strong cold front will drop temperatures below normal for at least a week.
High temperatures will reach near 70 degrees in Denver on Tuesday and Wednesday and together with gusty winds, low humidity, and dry soil will drive up the fire danger.
Parts of southern Colorado including Pueblo, Walsenburg, and Colorado Springs are under a Red Flag Warning for high fire danger on Election Day from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
For Denver and most of the Eastern Plains, the higher fire danger will come on Wednesday thanks to even lower relatively humidity and strong winds. A Fire Weather Watch has been issued from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Wednesday which is the precursor to a Red Flag Warning. They are somewhat unusual for the Denver metro are in November and if a fire were to start, it could spread very quickly. Therefore outdoor burning or any activity that may produce a spark is strong discouraged through Wednesday evening.
The concern about fires will abruptly end Wednesday night as a cold front reaches Denver and the Front Range. Temperatures will turn sharply colder for Thursday and for Veterans Day on Friday.
For most areas east of the Continental Divide including the Denver metro area, the incoming front will produce very little precipitation. Light rain, light snow, drizzle, or flurries will be possible Wednesday night through early Thursday but no snow accumulation is expected for lower elevations or even in the lower foothills.
Accumulation in the higher foothills and Front Range Mountains will be limited compared to recent snow storms.
It's a different story for the mountains farther west including around Vail, Aspen, Crested Butte and Steamboat Springs. These areas are under Winter Weather Advisory from 12 p.m. Wednesday until 12 p.m. Thursday for 5-10 inches of snow and winter driving conditions.
The bigger story for Denver and the Front Range urban corridor will be the cold. Weather models suggest that after the cold front Wednesday night, it could be the week of Thanksgiving before the area experiences the next day with above normal temperatures.
