A large winter storm will impact Colorado tonight through Wednesday. Follow this blog over the next 24 hours for storm updates and snowfall changes.
Tuesday Evening Update (1/17/23):
The storm has arrived, with rain and a few thunderstorms on the Plains, and snow now falling above 6,000 feet. Snow is already beginning to collect in some areas and as the roads become snow covered later tonight, please be extra cautious when traveling.
With the storm now here, confidence has grown that this storm will hit hardest from Teller County to northern El Paso County, the Denver metro, and the NE Plains
Road safety closures are going to be possible along I-25, Highway 24, I-70 and I-76 through Wednesday due to the dangerous combination of heavy snow and 45 mph wind gusts. CDOT will certainly have to monitor I-25 between Monument and Castle Rock for a snow safety closure tonight and early tomorrow morning.
Winter Storm Highlights
- Snow, heavy at times tonight
- Snow and blowing snow from northern El Paso County and Teller County north to Denver and the NE Plains on Wednesday
- Monument & Black Forest could see 3 times as much snow as downtown Colorado Springs
- 8-12" in Monument vs 2-5" in downtown Colorado Springs
- Highway 50 should see very little snow, with totals up to 1" in Pueblo, and 1-3" for Canon City
- I-25, I-70 and I-76 could see snow safety closures overnight through Wednesday afternoon
- DIA will likely see widespread delays and cancellations overnight and Wednesday
- COS could also experience delays and cancellations
- School delays and closures can also be expected on Wednesday for the hardest hit areas from the Pikes Peak Region to Monument Hill to Teller County
Current Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories
Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories remain in place across Colorado through Wednesday evening.
Out west, heavy snow could lead to a general 5 to 10 inches of accumulation along I-70 with 1 to 2 feet over the San Juans and La Garitas.
Mountain Pass travel will deteriorate quickly today and stay dangerous overnight. Monarch Pass could see as much as 10 inches of snow, with nearly 2 feet up on Wolf Creek Pass.
UPDATED snow forecast map for Southern Colorado
Northerly winds that are expected to develop by early Wednesday morning will severely cut into the storm's snow producing potential south of Monument Hill tomorrow.
Snow totals across the Pikes Peak Region will stay much higher across the north halves of both El Paso and Teller Counties, compared to the southern halves.
UPDATED snow forecast map for the Pikes Peak Region
30 to 45 mph wind gusts out of the north will form after 3 am Wednesday morning from the Denver metro south through El Paso County. This could lead to blizzard-like conditions over most roadways along and east of I-25 by the Wednesday morning commute.
Please know that travel Wednesday morning to and from Denver could be extremely dangerous due to snow and ice on the roadways combined with low visibility. This goes for Highway 24 west through Teller County and east to Limon. This is advised only if absolutely necessary.
If you must travel through The Gap, bring extra supplies. Driving in these weather conditions could mean getting stuck and you want to make sure that you're absolutely prepared for the worst in case that happens to you. Think extra clothes, blankets, batteries, cell phone charger, food, water, etc.
Resources:
- Get your latest First Alert 5 Weather Forecast
- Find the current school closing and delay list
- Keep track of flight delays at Denver International Airport or the Colorado Springs Airport
- Watch KOAA News5 LIVE newscasts and updated content throughout the day in your browser, the News5 App, or your favorite streaming device.
- Download the free News5 App for your iOS or Android device to get the latest headlines and news across Colorado.
- Download the free First Alert 5 Weather App for your iOS or Android device to get the latest headlines and news across Colorado.
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