After a record-breaking Labor Day weekend with temperatures in the 90s and 100s in the South Rocky Mountains, winter suddenly appeared in Colorado on Tuesday morning, according to CBS Denver reports.
Denver officially broke the record with 101 degrees on Saturday, set a record with 97 degrees on Sunday, and came within two degrees of the record with 93 degrees on Sunday. Overall it was one of the hottest Labor Day weekends on record in Colorado. And that was made worse by it Ongoing Wildfire This led to air quality warnings and smoker skies.
The coldest weather seen in the last five months was followed by a record heat wave on Tuesday morning.
“We have a temperature difference of 60 to 70 degrees in the Rockies in 24 hours,” CBS News meteorologist and climate expert Jeff Bardelli said on CBSN on Tuesday. “Yesterday in Denver you were swimming in your pool … hopefully today you are wearing long pants, a sweater … and a coat because it’s in the 30’s.”
That kind of temperature swing isn’t necessarily in Colorado during the winter months, but it’s unprecedented for September.
“This is a very rare occurrence when measurable snow was once felt in Denver in early September.” “And certainly not all of these extremes happen at once that I can remember ever seeing before.”
Cold air was enough to turn rain into wet snow in most areas on Tuesday morning. A slight change in rainfall below 2,000 feet is possible on Tuesday afternoon, but all rain is expected to be snow on Tuesday evening. And Tuesday night is when most of the accumulation will occur along the Southern Rocky Mountains.
The Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins areas are under winter weather advisory for 2-6 inches of snow until 12 noon Wednesday.
Elsewhere, winter storm warnings are in effect until 12 noon Wednesday for the foothills of Jefferson, Boulder and Larimer counties for more than 8 inches of summer snow in some areas. Palmer Divide, including Castle Rock, Franktown, Kiova and Elizabeth, is also under winter storm warning with up to 10 inches of snow.
In the mountains, the average amount of maximum snow will be in the Pueblo, Walsenberg and Sangre de Cristo mountains to the west of Trinidad and the wet mountains. Up to 18 inches of sluggish snow will be found in these areas. The far west will be up to 12 inches in the San Juan Mountains. At least 6 inches of snow will be visible in the mountains of Summit County and North Park County, including the I-70 Corridor above Georgetown and Highway 285 above Morrison.
Even on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays the storm will slow out of Colorado with extra snow dampened with rain in the mountains. The snow should be completely cleared for Denver and the front range on Wednesday afternoon, but it will take several more days before the return of warm weather.
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