Snow falling in Colorado as potent spring storm impacts the region

A significant spring storm is forecast to bring several inches of heavy, wet snow to Colorado, including the Denver metro area, from Tuesday through Thursday. The 9NEWS Weather Impact Team has issued a Weather Impact Alert for Tuesday, Wednesday and early Thursday.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for most of the Colorado Front Range including the Denver metro area and foothills from Tuesday evening through Wednesday afternoon.

In Denver, there will mostly be a mix of rain and snow through the day on Tuesday. Most of the snow should melt on contact with the ground with temperatures in the middle to upper 30s, so there is not much accumulation expected initially. However, it should look and feel a lot like winter with snowfall and cold temps. The northern Front Range has a better chance for snow in places like Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley.

A cold front is forecast to push in early Wednesday morning, bringing the possibility of very heavy snow in the Denver metro area starting overnight and lasting until about 1-2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. Early estimates show most of the metro getting 3 to 6 inches of snow accumulation with a few outliers closer to 8 inches.

Downed trees, damaged branches, and destroyed gardens are likely outcomes of the heavy, wet snow. Driving on Colorado mountain passes will be difficult at times. Heavy snow is forecast in the mountains, with total snow accumulations between 10 and 24 inches, heaviest above 8,000 feet, in Rocky Mountain National Park, the Medicine Bow Range, and the northern Front Range foothills, including Red Feather Lakes, Estes Park, and Nederland, as well as Summit County, the Mosquito Range, and the Indian Peaks.

Temperatures could drop to the upper 20s Wednesday and the low-to-mid 20s by Thursday morning — conditions that would constitute a hard freeze and pose a threat to gardens and vegetation.