With Blizzard, Winter Storm and Avalanche Warning’s in effect for much of the High Country and West Slope it would be smart to put off travel to your favorite ski area until at least Saturday. If you were planning to travel Interstate 70 West of Denver to Grand Junction or beyond just stay put until conditions improve. If for some reason you must travel west make sure you keep your fuel tank full and have tire chains. And any time you travel in winter weather conditions you should have emergency supplies in your vehicle, item’s like blankets and food could save your life.

As for Denver Metro and the Eastern plains, we could see some snow showers move across the area this afternoon but mostly colder temperatures and wind will be the changes we will see. The forecast high temp for today is 38 before noon then temp’s well cool to the mid 20’s and we will have the wind around again and we could see gusts nearing 40 mph. So if you head out scoop up some of those day after Christmas bargain’s dress warm and hang onto your hat.

We all hear the stories about our military men and women serving Our Country around the world and see them giving Holiday Greeting’s on TV.  That is good, and I would not take anything away from the media calling our attention to that.  It is a great service, and our men and women deserve to be acknowledged for the great things they do on our behalf.

Often times we forget about Firemen, Policemen, and EMS folks who spend the Holiday’s away from their families so that they can be ready to respond to our emergencies. When you have an emergency and you dial 9-1-1, what if you were greeted with business hour’s and holiday closure’s instead of “9-1-1 what is your emergency?”  And if someone was breaking into your house and the Police dispatcher told you there would not be an officer available until tomorrow at 3 p.m.?  Please take a few minute’s to think about these men and women who serve our communities, and although they are with their work families they don’t get to spend the holiday’s at home. Maybe you could stop by a Firehouse and wish the Firemen Merry Christmas, maybe even take them a plate of cookies and let them know how much you appreciate them. Or make a non-emergent call to the Police or Sheriffs Dept. and tell them you appreciate (most of the time) what they do. 

Saturday will make you wonder ifSundays weather could really be as nasty as is forecast? The short answer is yes! With forecast high temp’s in the mid 60’s and windy Saturday, we could find it hard to believe that we could be looking at much colder temp’s and snow when we get up Sunday morning. But it is true the strong winds today are ahead of an Arctic Front that will move through the area late tonight/early tomorrow morning bringing very cold temperatures and snow. The overnight low is forecast to be in the lower teen’s with 1″ or 2″ of snow before sunrise Sunday, gusty North winds will bring some blowing and drifting snow. During the day Sunday it looks as though the temp’s will be nearly constant in the lower to mid teen’s most of the day, With added snow accumulation of 1to3 inches expected. If you have lived in the area any time at all you know that means we could see a little snow or 6 to 8 inches depending on where you live, so be prepared!

Friday brings a mix of cloud’s and sun with a forecast high temp of 46 and Saturday brings sun and light wind’s with a forecast high of 57. Both day’s look to be good opportunities to finish up some of the Christmas shopping you have been putting off, or like myself it might be a good time get started. With record breaking snow in the South and a disabling ice storm in the Northeast as well as a strong storm moving into the Northwest we have some of the better weather in the country. But the bottom drops out Saturday night and Sunday the storm front is expected to move through after mid-night Saturday with temp’s dropping into the teens and snow fall beginning. Sunday temp’s probably won’t get out of the teens and snow fall is expected to be in the 1″ to 3″ range. So Sunday could be a good day to do some Christmas baking.

The weather ups and downs continue for the Front Range and Urban Corridor with the high temperature to reach the mid to upper 60’s Sunday with west wind between 14 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Then increasing clouds, with a low around 32 overnight and light winds of 5 to 10 mph. Undoubtedly the highway’s into ski country will be crowded with folk’s headed up to enjoy the great snow that the ski areas received last week.

Monday the cool temp’s arrive and a 60 % chance for snow, at this point the NWS is forecasting an accumulation of around an inch possible. Overnight Monday a low of 19 and a 70% chance of snow. The amount of snow depends on your location in and around the Metro-Plex or along the Urban Corridor as you know if you have lived here any time at all there can be a big difference in snow amounts depending on your location. There can be 4 to 6 inches of snow in the Arvada and Golden areas and only a trace at DIA.

Tuesday remains cool and wet with a high near freezing and a 30% chance of moisture. Then Tuesday we recover with forecast high’s in the mid to upper 40’s, so all in all a very typical week of Colorado weather.