Another winter round The weather will sweep across Colorado’s Front Range and Eastern Plains on Fridaywith forecasters expecting treacherous road conditions and nearly a meter of snow in some areas.
Metro Denver and the southern foothills will see 3 to 14 inches of snow beginning Friday morning and continuing through Saturday, with the heaviest snowfall along Interstate 70 and to the south.
“Travel will be impossible east and southeast of Denver.” National Weather Service forecasters said this in a winter storm warning Thursday. “Do not travel or expect to travel in these locations through Saturday as heavy snow will continue well after this storm.”
People living in rural areas of eastern Douglas, Elbert, Lincoln and southern Washington counties should prepare for several days of being stranded, NWS forecasters said.
Historic snow accumulations are expected in Elbert and Lincoln counties, with snow reaching nearly 3 feet in some areas.
Metro riders can expect a difficult evening commute as the heaviest snow will begin to fall around noon and continue to fall at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour into the evening.
Colorado Department of Transportation officials urged drivers not to travel east of Interstate 25 and south of Interstate 76 toward the New Mexico and Kansas state lines due to “treacherous, persistent adverse winter conditions.”
“The storm may appear to move out later this afternoon, but the next round is expected to be worse than what we have already seen,” John Lorme, director of maintenance and operations for CDOT, said in a statement.
CDOT officials expect “moderate to extreme impacts” in the eastern half of the state, with the most severe weather hitting the Eastern Plains and southern Colorado.
Motorists should expect extended road closures in those areas, according to the agency.
Northern Colorado is likely to see more mild snow, including Fort Collins, Greeley and the Eastern Plains north of I-76, according to the National Weather Service.
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