10:15 AM MDT, Sunday, October 8, 2017

A strong cold front this evening will be followed by snow (possibly beginning briefly as rain) through at least Monday morning. Accumulations are expected across all elevations.

Timing

Cold front: The main cold front should move north to south through the Front Range region this evening.

Precipitation: Snow higher elevations and rain lower elevations should begin in most areas before midnight.

Snow: Rain should change to snow in the lower elevations around midnight (a bit earlier north of metro Denver, later down in Colorado Springs). The best chance for heavy snow should be late tonight and Monday morning.

Clearing: Snow will taper off and end from north to south Monday afternoon and evening. Clear of partially clear skies are probable by Tuesday morning.

Accumulations

Mountains and foothills: generally 6-10 inches, some local areas around a foot

Near the foothills and Palmer Divide (Cheyenne, Fort Collins, Boulder, Broomfield, west & south sides of metro Denver, Castle Rock): 4-8 inches mainly by noon Monday

Other areas of the plains (east side of Fort Collins, Longmont, DIA, Colorado Springs): 2-4 inches.

Impact:

Tree damage/power outages: because the trees are still leafed out, there may be broken branches and damaged power lines in some places.

Roads: likely to becomes snow packed in the higher mountains and passes. In the lower elevations in may get snow packed and icy during intervals of heavier snow late tonight and Monday morning, but it should be mainly slushy or wet otherwise.

Freeze: Under clear (or partially clear) skies we should see temperatures in the 20s Tuesday morning across the Front Range urban corridor, and maybe a few local cold spots in the upper teens.