Spring Storm Talking Points                                                                                                                    04/10/2019 10:30 AM

• Strong spring storm is moving into Colorado. Temperatures are a little cooler than originally forecast, with some snow already mixed in with the rain west of I-25.  Rain will become widespread and heavier, and quickly change to a heavy, wet, wind-driven snow. Blizzard conditions and whiteouts expected East of I-25 and across Palmer Divide.  Effects will continue overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning.

• Precipitation will start as rain in lower elevations (already mixed with snow already west of I-25) with a fairly rapid changeover to all snow;

• 1-2 PM Fort Collins/Boulder/Denver/Greeley

• 1-2 PM Palmer Divide

• 2-4 PM Northeast Plains

• Strong winds and snow will likely produce scattered power outages, especially east of I-25

• Impacts:  Afternoon/evening commute on Wednesday will be hazardous/dangerous with heavy, wet, wind-driven snow.

• Remains dangerous over the eastern plains & Palmer Divide through Thursday AM, should see improvement Denver to Fort Collins late tonight through early Thursday morning.

• Significant impacts at DIA due to strong winds, low visibility, and blowing snow.

• Scattered power outages

• Harsh transition for livestock - shelter if possible

• Road temperatures are starting out warm, some initial melting/slush

• Rapid cooling will result in icy roads for the late evening commute, faster freeze-up where snow is blowing. Lows in the lower 20s tonight with icy/snow packed roads.

• Confidence

• HIGH for winds  (40-55 mph gusts east of I-25, 25-40 mph west of I-25)

• HIGH for snow amounts in the mountains, foothills, Palmer Divide stretching to the northeast plains east of Akron-Sterling line

• MODERATE for snow amounts I-25 corridor Wednesday afternoon into the afternoon commute. Timing of changeover and exact storm track are factors.  

• Snowfall Amounts:  Heavy at times

• Mountains & Foothills: 6-14 inches

• Urban Corridor and Eastern Plains: 4-10 inches, heaviest favoring south metro Denver and Palmer Divide east/northeast toward Akron & Julesburg.

• Amounts will vary - banded precipitation likely/heavy snow 2” per hour

• Heaviest snow time frames are 3 PM - 9 PM for the mountains & I-25 Corridor, 6 PM - 3 AM for the eastern CO Plains.

• Ending

• I-25 Urban Corridor Denver - Fort Collins, tapers off late Wednesday night to Thursday AM

• Eastern Plains: Snow tapers off Thursday morning, but strong winds and blowing snow through the day

• Mountains: Light snow through Thursday