Colorado weather: How much snow will Denver, the mountains get?

Denver’s first snowfall of the season is headed for the city on Wednesday, but little is expected to stick, according to the National Weather Service.

Less than an inch of snow is expected to fall in downtown Denver on Wednesday, according to NWS forecasters.

Forecasters said other metro area cities — including Arvada, Aurora, Centennial, Highlands Ranch, Lakewood, Littleton, and Parker — could see up to 2 inches of snow accumulate.

Most of the Denver area snow is expected to fall Wednesday morning, but a Freeze Watch will be in effect from Wednesday evening through Thursday morning, NWS forecasters said.

The watch will be active from 10 p.m. Wednesday through 9 a.m. Thursday and covers Denver, Fort Collins, Boulder, the western suburbs of Denver, Castle Rock, Greeley and Byers.

Frost and freeze conditions overnight Wednesday — including temperatures as low as 22 degrees — could kill unprotected vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing, forecasters said in the alert.

The snowstorm headed for Denver arrived in Colorado’s mountains Tuesday morning, according to NWS meteorologists. Colorado’s highest peaks and mountain passes could see more than 20 inches of snow before the storm moves out Wednesday.

Mount Zirkel, the highest summit of the Park Range of the Rocky Mountains, could see up to 20 inches of snowfall between Tuesday and Wednesday, forecasters said. McClure Pass, Buffalo Pass and Wolf Creek Pass are also expecting more than a foot of fresh snowfall.

NWS forecasters issued a Winter Weather Advisory until 3 p.m. Tuesday for the San Juan Mountains, including Cumbres Pass and Wolf Creek Pass.

A second Winter Weather Advisory that covers the Elk Mountains, Grand Mesa, Battlement Mesa and Park Mountains above 9,000 feet of elevation will remain in effect until noon Wednesday.

Roads, especially bridges and overpasses, will become slick and hazardous, forecasters said in the advisories. Travel could be very difficult to impossible.

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