How much snow is expected across the Front Range

A cold front in Colorado will push in the potential for Denver’s first snow and hard freeze, and feet of snow in the mountains.

DENVER — The 9NEWS Weather Impact Team has declared a Weather Impact Day on Wednesday as a cold front brings high fire danger to Colorado Tuesday before a sharp cooldown.

Winter weather alerts have been posted in Colorado’s high country for up a foot of snow, while Denver could see its first hard freeze Wednesday night.

Colorado mountain snow

Mountain snow is falling Tuesday in the San Juan Mountains and across southern and western Colorado.

The National Weather Service in Boulder issued a Winter Weather Advisory until noon Wednesday for the San Juan Mountains, Elkhead Mountains, Grand Mesa, Battlement Mesa and Park Mountains. Snow accumulations in the mountains could be up to 11 inches with locally higher amounts in some areas.

Colorado’s southern and western mountains may get locally more than a foot of snow, most of that Tuesday morning and into early Tuesday afternoon. Colorado’s central and southern mountains are favored for the higher totals of 10 to 13 inches.

Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. The National Weather Service said travel could be very difficult to impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact commutes on Tuesday morning and evening and into Wednesday morning.

Denver hard freeze, rain, snow

The Front Range and Denver area will have windy conditions Tuesday with gusts up to 40 mph in town and 50-60 mph south and east of Denver. Fire danger will be high on Tuesday with Red Flag Warnings covering much of the eastern plains.

The cold front arrives in Denver Tuesday afternoon, increasing winds and bringing in clouds.

A light slushy snow-rain mix will be around for the Wednesday morning commute in the Denver area, but snow totals look unimpressive in the metro area, with perhaps a slushy inch or two of snow on colder surfaces in the southern and western Front Range foothills.

The high temperature in Denver could drop 40 degrees from Monday to Wednesday with this cold front. Denver’s high temperature is forecast to be 43 degrees on Wednesday after a record-tying high of 82 on Monday.

The Front Range, including the Denver metro area, will see its first hard freeze this week. The forecast low temperature in Denver is 32 degrees early Wednesday and 27 degrees early Friday morning.

A Freeze Watch covers the Denver urban corridor starting 10 p.m. Wednesday to 9 a.m. Thursday morning.

The cold front will clear out of Colorado in time for Halloween, with a high in the upper 50s on Thursday, almost exactly seasonal for late October. Denver will stay dry through the upcoming weekend with highs in the upper 50s or lower 60s into early next week.

Denver forecast

TUESDAY: Partly cloudy, turning much cooler, high 68. Mostly cloudy with rain/snow showers overnight, low 32.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy, chilly, morning rain and snow showers, high 43. Partly cloudy overnight, low 27.
THURSDAY: Partly cloudy and seasonal, high 58. Partly cloudy overnight, low 33.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny and cool, high 65. Mostly clear and chilly overnight, low 33.
SATURDAY: Partly cloudy, breezy and mild, high 62. Quiet overnight, low 33.
SUNDAY: Partly cloudy, breezy and mild, high 59. Quiet overnight, low 31.