Spring Snowstorm on the Way for Denver and the Colorado High Country

Posted: April 25, 2023 3:00 pm

The calendar may be about to flip to May but winter is still lingering in parts of Colorado. A late-season winter storm is bearing down on the Rockies and is forecast to bring a coating of snow as low as Denver.

Winter Alerts in Effect for Much of Colorado

The worst of the snow will hit the state late Tuesday and early Wednesday, moving to the east throughout the higher terrains.

Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories were put into effect for a large area of Colorado and into a narrow zone in southeastern Wyoming.

The storm will begin to dump snow across the Rockies late Tuesday, moving into the central and eastern portions of the state by the overnight hours. This is when it is expected to intensify.

What Can Denver Expect?

Sitting at just over 5,000 feet in elevation, Denver will dodge the heaviest of the snowfall. The downtown area will escape with a slushy coating of wet snow. The suburbs to the west and south of the city will pick up between 1 to 3 inches.

Denver has recorded approximately 49 inches of snow so far this season, measured between October of 2022 through April 24. This number puts it in the normal range.

It has been a snowier than usual April with the city seeing 5 inches of snow, compared to the normal amount of about 2 inches. This storm system is not expected to add much to that seasonal total.

Up to a foot of snow is possible down toward the Palmer Divide. South of the Palmer Divide, including Colorado Springs, should prepare for 1 to 3 inches of snow. Areas as far east as Pueblo may also see a few snowflakes out of this system.

Snow Amounts in the High Country Measured in Feet

As is typical, the highest elevations of the state will see the lion’s share of the snow. Over a foot of snow is not out of the question for some of these areas. Localized amounts of about 3 feet is another possibility.

Snowfall rates of up to 3 inches per hour could also happen late Tuesday across the High Country.

This is welcome news for ski resorts that are still trying to squeeze some spring skiing and snowboarding out of the year. However, you will want to exercise caution if traveling through this part of the state during this time period.

Exact Timing of Snow Development

Coloradoans can expect the snow to begin Tuesday evening, mixing with existing rain as it begins to fall. This will translate to wet snow heading down into Denver late Tuesday and into Wednesday.

The snow will let up by the middle of the day Wednesday in the Mile High City. While the Wednesday morning commute may be slow, conditions should start to improve by the afternoon drive home.

Some stretches of interstates 25 and 70 may be bogged down by slippery conditions. This will be most likely in the overnight hours Tuesday and early morning hours on Wednesday.

While snow of this magnitude may seem odd for this time of the year, it is not out of the ordinary for the Rocky Mountain region. Snow can fall into the middle of May for Denver and the surrounding mountains.

Cold air has a tendency to filter down from Canada during the spring months. All it takes is the right amount of moisture to meet with these masses of cold air to trigger the development of wintry conditions.

Forecasters are warning that there is another chance of rain and snow for the Denver area beginning Thursday night and lasting through the Friday morning hours.

Stay tuned as forecasters fine tune this prediction over the next several hours.

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