Storm to spread heavy snow across Denver, Intermountain West late this week
Winter won’t quit just yet across the western United States as a new round of heavy snow will bury Colorado beginning on Friday night.
The snow will come to the delight of skiers and snowboarders, but to the displeasure of short and long-term travelers through the region and warm weather enthusiasts.
Flight delays, including at Denver International Airport, and slippery and snow-covered stretches of interstates 25 and 70 are possible.
Heavy snow will fall on the northwestern side of a storm poised to unleash a significant severe weather outbreak over the South Central states.
“Enough snow could fall to shovel and plow across parts of Colorado, Wyoming and northern New Mexico by Saturday afternoon,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun said.
The snow will fall at a fast enough pace to quickly accumulate on roadways and make driving dangerous.
The heaviest snow will fall on the mountains south and west of Denver to west of Colorado Springs and Pueblo, Colorado.
“April snowstorms are not unusual across Denver as they typically receive their bigger snow events during the fall and spring months,” Rathbun said.
Denver averages 10.7 inches of snow in March and 7 inches in April. The snowfall average decreases to 1.3 inches in May.
Rain could mix with or change over to snow in parts of western Kansas, west-central Nebraska. Accumulating snow will reach part of the panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas.
Winds strengthening around the storm’s center will whip the snow around and cause areas of blowing and drifting snow and low visibility. Localized blizzard conditions may occur, as well as sporadic power outages.
“It will be a cold day on Saturday with high temperatures running 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit below normal for late April,” Rathbun said.
The gusty winds will lower AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures into the 20s F.
In the wake of the storm, natural melting and freezing cycles could lead to slick spots into early next week. Afternoon highs will climb into the 50s and 60s F, with lows dipping to at or below the freezing mark.
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