A significant late-season snowstorm is expected to bring high winds and as much as 1-2 feet of snow to the Rockies from Wednesday night through Saturday.
DENVER – People in the Rocky Mountains are going on a weather roller coaster this week. A significant late-season snowstorm is expected to bring high winds and as much as 1-2 feet of snow to the Rockies from Wednesday night through Saturday.
Ahead of the winter weather, temperatures may climb to record levels in Colorado, with highs in the 70s to lower 80s expected before the snow arrives.
Winter Storm Watches and Winter Weather Advisories are in place for Montana, Wyoming and Utah.
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While Denver is expected to climb into the 70s on Wednesday afternoon and again Thursday morning, the Mile High City could see snowflakes by Thursday evening as a fast-moving area of low pressure swings in from the northwest and sends temperatures plummeting.
This area of low pressure combined with the colder temperatures will help bring rain and snow to higher elevations.
Denver will have the chance of accumulating snow by Friday. Salt Lake City, Utah, could see accumulations as well.
Snow will persist through Friday before the system begins to move into the Plains by Saturday afternoon.
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Snow will reach the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in New Mexico and San Francisco Peaks of Arizona by Friday. Flagstaff, Arizona, is forecast to drop to 18 degrees Friday night.
Thundersnow is also not out of the question for eastern Colorado into Friday.
All told, parts of Colorado and Wyoming could see between a foot and 2 feet of snow.
April snow is not unusual in the West
While winter‘s grasp may seem longer than usual this year, April is actually the snowiest month for several Western states.
Parts of Colorado, Wyoming and the Black Hills of South Dakota all see their greatest average snowfall in April.
Denver, Salt Lake City and Cheyenne, Wyoming, have all had their last recorded snow in June.
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(FOX Weather)