Today’s Forecast:
A dangerous mix of arctic air, strong winds, and blowing snow moved into Colorado overnight while most of us were asleep.
We are going to see persistent arctic cold all day with highs likely just at or below zero for most of the afternoon along and east of I-25. Above-zero highs are more likely along I-25 south of Pueblo and west of the interstate into the mountains.
Wind chills will stay far below zero all day with readings ranging from -10 to -30 degrees below zero in the afternoon.
Early snow showers will wrap up shortly after sunrise, but subzero temperatures will not allow for daytime snow melt.
Tonight, the winds will die down and the actual air temperatures will plummet into the negatives. Widespread readings between -5 and -15 are possible through Friday morning.
Colorado Springs forecast: High: 0; Low: -11. Mostly cloudy with some sunshine in the afternoon. Daytime highs will likely stay at or below zero all day with wind chill readings between -10 to -20 for most of the day. Early morning snow will stop by mid-morning,and we won't see much if any snow melt through the afternoon. Lows will be dangerous tonight with calming winds.
Pueblo forecast: High: 2; Low: -13. Mostly cloudy with some clearing in the afternoon. Daytime highs will likely stay near or below zero all day with wind chill readings between -15 to -25 all day. Any early snowfall will stop by mid-morning with most of the snow generally staying north towards El Paso County. Lows tonight will be extremely cold with calm winds.
Canon City forecast: High: 10; Low: -1. Mostly cloudy with some sunshine by the afternoon. Daytime highs will likely warm a little above zero today but wind chill readings could range from - 5 to -15 degrees. Any light snow will stop quickly this morning with worse road conditions north into the mountains toward Teller County. Overnight lows will be extremely cold with calm winds.
Woodland Park forecast: High: 8; Low: -5. Mostly cloudy with portions of daytime sunshine. Light snow should stop by mid-morning, and the extreme cold will not allow for much if any daytime melting. Temperatures will likely warm a few degrees above zero today but wind chills will stay between - 8 to -18 degrees. Overnight lows will be dangerously cold even as the wind dies down.
Tri-Lakes forecast: High: -2; Low: -12. Mostly cloudy with some sunshine in the afternoon. Daytime highs will stay below zero all day with wind chill readings between -20 to -30 all day. Early morning snow will stop by mid-morning, and we won't see any snow melt through the afternoon. Travel north to Denver will be extremely slow, slick, and dangerous this morning, especially at the apex of Monument Hill. Lows will be dangerous tonight with calming winds.
Plains forecast: High: 0 to -5; Low: > -5 to -15. Mostly to partly cloudy skies with windy and dangerously cold daytime conditions. Highs in the plains will likely stay below zero for most locations along and north of Highway 50. Wind chill values will range from -20 to -40 degrees all day long, generally staying worse north of Highway 50 for areas likely Ordway, Limon, and Kit Carson. Any light snow this morning will stop by mid-morning with no daytime melting expected. Dangerous overnight temperatures are expected with calming winds.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: High: >5; Low: 0 to -5. Mostly to partly cloudy skies with windy and cold daytime conditions. High temperatures are likely going to stay above zero from Colorado City through Trinidad, but wind chills will range from - 10 to -25 through the evening. Other than a few morning flurries, snowfall is not expected to impact the southern I-25 corridor. Overnight, lows will likely fall below zero with any light wind pushing chills below -10 degrees.
Mountains forecast: High: 20s; Low: >0. In an odd twist, the mountains and valleys will actually be some of the warmest locations in southern Colorado! This shallow arctic air wants to stay as low as it can, so it won't climb the mountains very well. It'll still be very cold in areas like Woodland Park, Rye, Beulah, and La Veta, but daytime highs will likely range from 10 to 20 degrees with lows around or just below zero. Early morning snow will stop by mid-morning with the main impact along the Front Range.
Extended outlook forecast:
As the winds die down tonight, the coldest actual air temperatures will settle into the region.
Lows by Friday morning are expected to range from -5 to -15 degrees for most towns and cities along and east of I-25. A minor warm-up is expected Friday afternoon with highs in the teens and a few 20s.
The weekend will be outstanding, despite lingering arctic air through Saturday morning. We should be dry all weekend with highs in the 50s by Christmas Day!
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Curious about the First Alert 5 Weather Storm Impact Scale? Check out our cheatsheet explainer.
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