Some areas of Colorado can expect up to 30 inches of snow in high elevation areas, and the Denver metro area is expected to be under 4-8 inches of snowfall by Saturday, according to The Denver Post.
Weather whiplash: This winter weather is a huge contrast to the 86 degree weather the metropolitan area experienced on Thursday.
- The city is set to see a record low of temperatures in the high 20s on Saturday and Sunday morning, according to CNN.
- Snow will continue in Denver through Saturday, but temperatures will be back up to 86 degrees by next Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
- Snow had already begun to fall in the mountains on Friday morning, with rain drizzling in the valley. This storm is set to break a city record of 3.9 inches of snow in May 2019, The Denver Post reported.
How should residents prepare? The National Weather Service predicts that the snow could lead to some potential problems for the community. Accumulating snow could possibly cause some weak tree branches to break, which could fall on power lines, leading to power outages.
- Residents have been encouraged by the weather service to prepare for the storm. The weather service recommends charging phones, portable chargers and other electronics ahead of time. Use of outdoor generators has also been encouraged, in case of power outages.
- It is also recommended that those who have already started gardening should cover their plants to protect them from the freezing temperatures.
- The weather service states that travel could become “difficult to impossible.” They recommend that people traveling through the area alter their travel plans. There is also a potential avalanche risk in the mountains, due to the rapid heating and cooling of the snow, according to CBS News.