Winter weather alerts are in effect for portions of New Mexico and Colorado as a powerful cross-country storm dumps heavy snow across the region. FOX Weather Meteorologists Britta Merwin and Jane Minar have the latest forecast.
Fast Facts:
- Heavy snow to blanket snow-starved mountains in Southwest.
- Denver metro area now on alert for snow starting Wednesday night.
- Travel could be significantly impacted.
DENVER – Winter weather alerts are in effect for portions of New Mexico and Colorado as a powerful cross-country storm gains strength on its journey across the U.S., and now the Denver metro is on alert for potential impacts.
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This storm system is the same one that brought beneficial rain to Southern California earlier this week. It’s expected to blast millions of people from the Southwest to the Northeast with a trio of threats, including heavy snow, severe weather and flooding rain, which will significantly impact travel in these regions.
As of Wednesday morning, the system has been cut off from the jet stream and has evolved into an upper-level area of low pressure. Because of that, it has become detached from strong steering winds, so it’s slowly moving across the region.
Although the cold air has been limited, the FOX Forecast Center said there’s still enough of it to allow snow to break out in the mountains of the Four Corners region.
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The storm began to dump snow in Arizona on Tuesday, with the highest snow totals so far ranging from 4.5 inches in Williams to 10 inches in Walker.
Flagstaff picked up about 1.3 inches of snow.
Denver braces for potential impact
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As of Wednesday morning, snow is continuing to fall in Arizona’s higher elevations, while some rain is falling at the lower elevations.
Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for portions of New Mexico and Colorado, which are next up to feel the winter storm’s wrath.
“So, we have a couple snow flurries in these overnight hours, but it’s really going to pick up with a vengeance,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said early Wednesday morning. “I mean, Taos (New Mexico) is going to get pounded with maybe a foot of snow. You’re talking about elevation there.”
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The snow is expected to pick up in coverage and intensity by Wednesday evening, and Denver is now on alert for potential impacts.
“Denver is going to get more out of this than first advertised,” Merwin said. “You know, we’ve seen a big shift in the computer models where this low kind of takes a push all the way to the north before it gets pushed out to the east.”
(FOX Weather)
Wind coming up and over the Colorado Rockies could help to allow a line of snow to break out in the Denver metro.
“So, this is going to impact your drive likely for (Thursday) morning, but definitely showing a lot more snow for the Front Range than what was previously thought because of that change.”