Colorado weather: Snow starting in the mountains Sunday spells trouble for Thanksgiving travel

Snow already falling in the mountains Sunday morning is forecast to spread to the Denver area on Tuesday, potentially putting a kink in any Thanksgiving travel plans, according to the National Weather Service.

Colorado’s Rocky Mountains will see between 4 and 8 inches of snow Sunday and 3 to 6 inches will stack up along the Interstate 70 mountain corridor, NWS forecasters said in a Hazardous Weather Outlook.

Sunday snow showers will be heaviest in the mountains during the afternoon and evening, forecasters said. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for Jackson and Grand counties above 9,000 feet until 6 a.m. Monday.

“Ski traffic may be particularly bad this evening on the I-70 mountain corridor as a couple bands of snow create slick travel conditions,” NWS forecasters said.

Rain showers and light snow will fall across the Interstate 25 corridor and metro area Sunday night, but forecasters said little to no snow accumulation is expected.

“Significant” snowfall will continue in the mountains through Thanksgiving morning, causing “widespread travel impacts” for all mountain routes, forecasters said in the Hazardous Weather Outlook.

No snow is forecast for the Denver area on Monday, but winter weather will return Tuesday night, according to NWS forecasters.

Rain starting in the metro area Tuesday night will turn to snow overnight as temperatures fall below freezing, forecasters said. The heaviest wave of snow will hit the Denver area between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Denver-area roads will be slick and hazardous from Tuesday night to Wednesday night, forecasters said in the Hazardous Weather Outlook.

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