A winter storm that could bring more than a foot of snow to parts of Colorado has officials urging drivers to avoid travel, if possible, on Friday.
Between six and 14 inches of snow could fall in northwestern Colorado, including parts of the Front Range and Summit County mountains, with the highest accumulations expected near Berthoud Pass and north, forecasters at the National Weather Service in Boulder said in an advisory Thursday morning. The winter storm warning goes into effect midnight Thursday through midnight Friday.
Blowing snow, amid 40 mph wind gusts, could reduce visibility and make travel treacherous, forecasters said.
The Front Range foothills could see between 4 and 10 inches of snow and winds gusts hitting 35 mph, the weather service said. The Denver metro area could see between 1 to 3 inches.
Travel could be very difficult and will likely impact Friday morning and evening commutes, forecasters said, urging drivers to check the latest road conditions at cotrip.org.
“If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency,” the service wrote in its winter weather warning for northwestern Colorado.
While parts of the state prepare for snow, officials are warning those in the Eastern Plains of windy and dry conditions that could cause a small spark to rapidly grow.
Temperatures across the plains Thursday are expected to be in the upper 60s and low 70s and relative humidity levels are as low as 10%, the weather service said.
“Critical fire weather conditions will develop over the Palmer Divide and Lincoln County as winds will gust up to 30 mph there,” forecasters said in a post on social media.
The red flag warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday.