Winter Storm Warning Issued For Denver As Colorado, Wyoming Brace For Heavy May Snow

A late-season snowstorm is expected to move into the Rocky Mountains late Tuesday and peak through Wednesday, with the most significant snowfall forecast at higher elevations in Colorado and Wyoming. FOX Weather said the system’s winds are expected to shift from the north and northeast, forcing moist air up the terrain and allowing heavy snow to accumulate even when temperatures hover near freezing. The FOX Forecast Center said Winter Storm Watches and Warnings have been posted for the Interstate 25 corridor from Denver to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and that some of the highest peaks and passes could see between 1 and 2 feet of heavy, wet snow. In Denver, Monday’s rain is transitioning to a rain-and-snow mix Tuesday as temperatures struggle to reach the low 40s, with 5 to 8 inches expected through Wednesday.

The National Weather Service expanded the warning area to include the I-25 corridor, including Fort Collins and Denver, as the storm intensified ahead of May 5 impacts. The Coloradoan reported that heavy, wet snow is expected to impact travel and that the brunt of the storm was set to impact Colorado on May 5, with the greatest travel impacts happening the afternoon of May 5 into the morning of May 6. Forecast snowfall totals listed by the National Weather Service ranged from 4-7 inches for Denver to 7-12 inches for Cheyenne, Wyoming, while Estes Park was forecast at 13-23 inches. The Denver Post added that just 3 to 5 inches of wet snow is enough to break small tree limbs, while 8 inches can cause significant damage to large trees and up to a foot “could result in widespread/nearly catastrophic tree damage.”

As the storm continues through Wednesday morning, the Denver Post said it is expected to damage trees and cause scattered power outages across the Denver metro, citing the National Weather Service. Xcel Energy plans to place crews on standby to respond to and repair any outages caused by the spring snowstorm, and the utility warned, “If you see a downed or sagging power line, stay away.” The Weather Channel said Denver could see up to a half foot of heavy, wet snow, so tree damage and power outages are possible. Even with the snowfall, the Denver Post said the storm “won’t be enough to reverse the drought,” and it described the storm as on track to be one of Denver’s largest May snowstorms on record.