Snowy start to spring in Denver as wintry conditions hit Front Range
By
Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Mar 20, 2022 6:00 AM EDT
|
Updated Mar 21, 2022 6:40 PM EDT
While severe thunderstorms are set to produce large hail and tornadoes across the southern United States this week, the same overarching storm system is forecast to dump snow in the Rocky Mountains early in the traditional workweek. As tornado sirens are expected to sound in the South, residents to the north and west could be in for a major snowstorm with the potential for over a foot in some locations.
"As the storm sinks south across the Rockies, cold air will follow causing snow levels to fall to valley floors across the region," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty.
This will come on the tail of springlike conditions across the region, with temperatures in the Denver area reaching the mid-60s on Sunday, which is above the average more typical of this time of year in the upper 50s.
"While the storm could begin as rain in some of the lower valleys in the Rockies and across the High Plains, it should quickly switch over to snow as the cold air moves in," added Douty.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Snow picked up across the Rockies on Sunday night, falling across Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.
"While snow could fall heavily at the height of the storm, this is a fairly progressive system, so the heaviest of the snow will not last very long," said Douty.
Winds also picked up on Sunday night, causing snow to blow and lowering visibility. Travelers are warned to be prepared for delays and even dangerous driving conditions, particularly on interstates 25, 70, 76 and 80, and U.S. Routes 34, 36, 50 and 385.
"In areas across the High Plains where several inches of snow falls, a howling north wind can lead to localized blizzard conditions Monday night," Douty said. If the visibility drops to or lower than one-quarter of a mile and winds frequently gust to 35 mph or greater for three consecutive hours, blizzard conditions would be achieved.
Forecasters are predicting these conditions to occur in parts of eastern Colorado, northeastern New Mexico, and even small parts of the Oklahoma Panhandle, and blowing snow will be a concern in most places. Denver has managed to dodge the snowstorm, except for a bit of snow that may coat the ground in part of the metro area for a time early Monday night. The storm substantially shifted its track to the southeast upon crossing the Rockies over the weekend.
"Snow lovers across the central and southern Rockies may be a little disappointed with the latest snow forecast for this week," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex DaSilva.
Ski resorts in Colorado that were anticipating 2 feet of snow a few days ago may need to settle for 6-12 inches, DaSilva added.
However, there will still likely be a bull's-eye in southern Colorado, with 6-12 inches and an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 24 inches. Also, even with slightly less snowfall forecast, blizzard conditions are still anticipated across parts of the Front Range and residents should continue to take this storm seriously.
"There will also be a swath of snow that extends out of the Rockies into the central and northern Plains as the storm moves northeast," said DaSilva, explaining that due to a lack of cold air, only minor accumulations are expected in the Plains.
For Denver, this storm is largely expected to pale in comparison to the last snowstorm that occurred this past Wednesday and Thursday, declared the biggest of the season so far for the Mile High City. Over 7 inches fell, with 12-18 inches reported in the mountains.
"It’s not uncommon for Colorado and surrounding states to get thumped by heavy snow during the early spring," said Sosnowski, adding that some of the top snowstorms on record for Denver have occurred in the spring rather than in the heart of the winter in January and February. Denver recently passed the seasonal average for snowfall, and this storm could raise the season's snow total even higher.
Snow will also bring with it a chilly reminder of spring's harsh ups and downs in the Rockies. Temperatures in Denver are anticipated to fall into the upper 30s, well below average, on Monday. Though temperatures could recover a bit on Tuesday, AccuWeather forecasters still pin them in the lower 40s, over 10 degrees Fahrenheit below average. There's even the chance for a bit of evening snow on Tuesday.
After this potent storm, a dome of high pressure is forecast to build over the West during the second half of the week, providing dry and warmer weather across the region. Rockies residents should keep an eye on the forecast for the end of the week, however, as another storm has the potential to move in.
For the latest weather news, check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
Report a Typo
News / Winter Weather
Snowy start to spring in Denver as wintry conditions hit Front Range
By Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Mar 20, 2022 6:00 AM EDT | Updated Mar 21, 2022 6:40 PM EDT
While severe thunderstorms are set to produce large hail and tornadoes across the southern United States this week, the same overarching storm system is forecast to dump snow in the Rocky Mountains early in the traditional workweek. As tornado sirens are expected to sound in the South, residents to the north and west could be in for a major snowstorm with the potential for over a foot in some locations.
"As the storm sinks south across the Rockies, cold air will follow causing snow levels to fall to valley floors across the region," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty.
This will come on the tail of springlike conditions across the region, with temperatures in the Denver area reaching the mid-60s on Sunday, which is above the average more typical of this time of year in the upper 50s.
"While the storm could begin as rain in some of the lower valleys in the Rockies and across the High Plains, it should quickly switch over to snow as the cold air moves in," added Douty.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Snow picked up across the Rockies on Sunday night, falling across Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.
In other news:
"While snow could fall heavily at the height of the storm, this is a fairly progressive system, so the heaviest of the snow will not last very long," said Douty.
Winds also picked up on Sunday night, causing snow to blow and lowering visibility. Travelers are warned to be prepared for delays and even dangerous driving conditions, particularly on interstates 25, 70, 76 and 80, and U.S. Routes 34, 36, 50 and 385.
"In areas across the High Plains where several inches of snow falls, a howling north wind can lead to localized blizzard conditions Monday night," Douty said. If the visibility drops to or lower than one-quarter of a mile and winds frequently gust to 35 mph or greater for three consecutive hours, blizzard conditions would be achieved.
Forecasters are predicting these conditions to occur in parts of eastern Colorado, northeastern New Mexico, and even small parts of the Oklahoma Panhandle, and blowing snow will be a concern in most places. Denver has managed to dodge the snowstorm, except for a bit of snow that may coat the ground in part of the metro area for a time early Monday night. The storm substantially shifted its track to the southeast upon crossing the Rockies over the weekend.
"Snow lovers across the central and southern Rockies may be a little disappointed with the latest snow forecast for this week," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex DaSilva.
Ski resorts in Colorado that were anticipating 2 feet of snow a few days ago may need to settle for 6-12 inches, DaSilva added.
However, there will still likely be a bull's-eye in southern Colorado, with 6-12 inches and an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 24 inches. Also, even with slightly less snowfall forecast, blizzard conditions are still anticipated across parts of the Front Range and residents should continue to take this storm seriously.
"There will also be a swath of snow that extends out of the Rockies into the central and northern Plains as the storm moves northeast," said DaSilva, explaining that due to a lack of cold air, only minor accumulations are expected in the Plains.
For Denver, this storm is largely expected to pale in comparison to the last snowstorm that occurred this past Wednesday and Thursday, declared the biggest of the season so far for the Mile High City. Over 7 inches fell, with 12-18 inches reported in the mountains.
"It’s not uncommon for Colorado and surrounding states to get thumped by heavy snow during the early spring," said Sosnowski, adding that some of the top snowstorms on record for Denver have occurred in the spring rather than in the heart of the winter in January and February. Denver recently passed the seasonal average for snowfall, and this storm could raise the season's snow total even higher.
Snow will also bring with it a chilly reminder of spring's harsh ups and downs in the Rockies. Temperatures in Denver are anticipated to fall into the upper 30s, well below average, on Monday. Though temperatures could recover a bit on Tuesday, AccuWeather forecasters still pin them in the lower 40s, over 10 degrees Fahrenheit below average. There's even the chance for a bit of evening snow on Tuesday.
After this potent storm, a dome of high pressure is forecast to build over the West during the second half of the week, providing dry and warmer weather across the region. Rockies residents should keep an eye on the forecast for the end of the week, however, as another storm has the potential to move in.
For the latest weather news, check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
Report a Typo