A foot is possible as “historic” snow totals batter Colorado

DENVER – Denver’s first official snow of the season has already surpassed the normal monthly total for all of November, as the metro reporting station at Denver International Airport recorded 8.9 inches of snow accumulation so far, as another major snowfall is on the way.

The average November snowfall for Denver is 7.3 inches.

According to Denver7 meteorologist Danielle Grant, Denver’s snow totals could increase by another foot by the time this storm system moves away on Saturday.

“We have a winter storm warning here in Denver with 6 to 12 inches possible. Many schools are already closed and maybe you can work from home,” Grant said. “I would advise that as travel will be a bit difficult out there – particularly on the south and east sides of the metro.”

Denver7 morning meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo said snowfall should increase in intensity during the mid-morning hours on Friday before conditions continue to deteriorate throughout the day. “A dangerous evening commute lies ahead,” Hidalgo said.

“This storm system means business,” Grant added. “Around 1pm Friday we expect showers in the far north of the state, but there will be heavy snow in the city.”

Forecasters said to expect continuous waves of snow throughout the day and evening in Denver on Friday before the final burst of the storm around noon or a little later Saturday.

Denver7’s Futurecast shows heavier snowfall across Denver around 2 to 3 p.m. “Around 3pm to 5pm it won’t be good on the roads, with temperatures reaching over 30°C and a northerly wind it feels like” around the 20s, and at that point it will snowing pretty heavily,” Hidalgo said. “These heavier snowfalls will continue overnight and it will really taper off tomorrow morning.”

Hidalgo said Saturday afternoon will finally bring clear skies.

A winter storm warning is in effect for the entire Denver metro area, most of the I-25 corridor, the Palmer Divide and the eastern Plains, with double-digit snowfall accumulations expected, with forecasters and law enforcement advising against travel to areas most exposed to the brunt of the storm affected by winter storms.

“If you must travel, take winter storm gear with you, including tire chains, jumper cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra clothing. “Also, take water, a first aid kit, and anything else that will help you survive in the event of a stranding,” wrote the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder.

Click this link to view the snowfall total infographic in full screen mode.

Snowfall could range from 1 to 2 inches per hour in Denver between noon and 6 p.m. on Friday, according to the NWS. The Palmer Divide is expected to experience intermittent snowfall of 2 inches between noon and midnight.

The NWS said it expects “historic” snow levels in Eastern Elbert and Lincoln counties – up to 3 feet in places – as Lincoln County law enforcement told Denver7 on Thursday that conditions were “dangerous” and the heavy, persistent snowfall was expected Snow complicates efforts to get there for stranded motorists.

“We find people on county roads who have no business being so far from the highway. So we don’t know who we’re missing because some of these drifts on these county roads are 7, 8 to 10 feet deep,” Lincoln County Sheriff Tom Nestor told Denver7. “I haven’t seen a storm like this for many, many years. I have worked at the sheriff’s office for 36 years and we have a lot of trouble getting around. We just can’t get people out.”

The message from Lincoln County officials was, “Just stay home.”

Areas north of I-76 will see less snow, but there will be travel impacts, the NWS said.

NWS boulders

A winter weather advisory is in effect for northern Colorado counties and the northern and central mountain ranges until noon Saturday. Greeley and Fort Morgan are included in the winter weather advisory, where between 2 and 8 inches of snow is possible, according to the NWS.

Snow levels in Fort Collins are expected to be between 2 and 4 inches.

“The sky will start to clear tomorrow afternoon. If you’re going to the mountains, I’m not so sure the ride will be great on Saturday morning. We may see some closures west of I-70,” Hidalgo said. “If you arrive on Friday, it will be much better to come back on Sunday.”

This storm will likely go down as the largest November storm Denver has experienced in nearly three decades. Denver7’s Grant said the last major November storm was a two-day blast on November 13th and 14th, 1994. Stapleton Airport received 12.1 inches of snow, with a total of 16.9 inches of snowfall this month.

Prior to the storm, Governor Jared Polis verbally declared a state of disaster and activated the Colorado National Guard to assist in the storm response.

If you’re looking for a break from the snow, start on Sunday – temperatures will climb into the 50s and plenty of sunshine will mean the snow begins to melt.

The 7-day forecast for Denver shows mostly sunny skies and highs in the 50s Sunday through next Thursday.

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