Much of Colorado will have another bout of winter temperatures and snow through Wednesday before warm, spring-like weather returns.
Some residents along the I-25 corridor may be waking up to a frozen, slippery morning commute. Caitlyn Mensch, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said the morning snow isn’t a surprise.
“It's a bit colder at this time than it was expected,” Mensch said. “So the roads are just a tad colder, so it's taking on a little bit more snow than we thought.”
Mensch said the snow will be on and off all day for most of the I-25 corridor. Denver and Colorado Springs could receive up to 2 inches of snow, while areas at higher elevations could see more. Commutes are expected to be hazardous for both the morning and evening.
The mountains will also see some fresh snow, extending the ski season for some resorts. Aspen and Vail could see up to 5 inches of snow through Wednesday. Telluride is expected to receive over half a foot of snow.
Urban areas in the Western Slope will likely see similar conditions to the Front Range, with up to 2 inches expected.
A wide spectrum of weather could be seen Tuesday across Colorado. Most areas in Southern Colorado won’t see much snow, but will experience strong bursts of wind and low humidity, leading to critical fire conditions. Residents in Pueblo and the southeast plains are encouraged to avoid activity that may create a spark.
Those warm conditions will soon spread to the Denver metropolitan area.
“If you're a big warm weather fan, good news for you. Friday into the weekend, it's a pretty strong warming trend. Probably by Saturday we'll see 70s, which is well above normal for this time of year,” Mensch said.
With warmer weather comes more risk of fire. The state already saw a slew of fires impact the Front Range last week. The biggest so far caused about 100 homes to be evacuated last Thursday in Parker and Teller counties due to the 403 fire. That wildfire has grown to over 1,500 acres and was 60 percent contained as of Monday evening. Officials say there have been no injuries reported and the fire has not destroyed any properties.
