Snowstorm Blankets Rockies, Front Range

Heavy snow will pile up over the Rockies through this afternoon, prompting more winter storm conditions.

Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories extend across the higher elevations of Colorado, northeastern New Mexico, and eastern Utah. These include Denver, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs, Colo., and Raton, N.M.

The dramatic passage of one of the most memorable cold fronts in history brought about the change. In Denver, temperatures that were in the 90s in the middle of the afternoon on Monday had plunged into the 40s by Midnight. And that was after highs in the upper 90s on Sunday.

This wintry weather will continue to blanket Colorado today. Areas seeing rain will rapidly change to snow in the Rockies as well as in the Front Range, including Denver and Fort Collins. The heavy intensity of the falling snow will allow it to overcome ground and road temperatures well above the freezing mark.
 
The result will be a paste of heavy, wet snow lasting through most of this morning before tapering off and ending. The snow could accumulate 2 to 6 inches across metro Denver, with higher elevations of the Rockies picking up as much as 6 to 12 inches of September snow.

The snow is likely to cause major headaches across the region as roads become slick including the Interstate 25, 70 and 80 corridors. Moreover, the heavy, wet nature of the snow will weigh down on trees and power lines, causing them to snap from the added weight. Power outages are likely tonight across the Denver metro area.
 
The good news is that the snow will be short-lived. Temperatures will quickly rebound as the week progresses, getting back to more typical 70s and 80s by the end of the week.