Friday is the last full day of winter and it appears the season if going to go out like a lion. A powerful system coming from the Pacific Northwest is going to bring a major change in the weather with significant snowfall for the entire Front Range.
We have been discussing the potential for this storm in our daily forecasts on Examiner.com all week. Denver will still enjoy one more day of unseasonable warm temperatures but as longtime residents know, the weather here can change on a dime and that looks to happen Thursday night.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Winter Storm Watch which goes into effect late Thursday night and lasts through Friday evening. Snow is expected to start after midnight and unfortunately for commuters it should be at its height by Friday morning at rush hour.
In their statement the NWS warns of “a significant change to harsh winter weather conditions” and that is what this system is going to bring. Temperatures are going to plummet nearly 40 degrees from the temperatures today and what is forecast for tomorrow. Highs on Friday will only be around 30 degrees.
In terms of snowfall, an inch or two will have fallen by Friday morning and then it will continue throughout the day and into the evening. Total snow accumulations for the Denver area could amount to 5 to 10 inches by Saturday morning. Higher amounts in the foothills and along the Palmer Divide are expected.
Winds of up to 30mph coupled with all that snow are going to make for miserable conditions outside. Travel to the north on I-25 and east on I-76 and I-70 are very possibly going to be impacted. Needless to say, metro area roadways as well are likely to become snow covered.
It is interesting to note that it was seven years ago today on March 17, 2003 that Denver received one of its most significant snowstorms in recorded history. Will this storm be that bad? Not likely but it does serve as a reminder that despite what the calendar says, winter isn’t over yet. Click here for our look back at the March 2003 Blizzard (Examiner.com).
We’ll know much more about this storm as it gets closer so be sure to check back for frequent updates. If you don’t already, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest.
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