Significant snowstorm bearing down on Fort Collins, Northern Colorado

Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·3 min read
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Wednesday will pack a powerful punch of snow and cold with up to a foot of snow, wind gusts to 45 mph and the low temperature falling below zero in Northern Colorado.

Poudre and Thompson public school districts on Tuesday canceled classes and all afterschool activities scheduled for Wednesday in preparation of the storm. Here's what to know as winter weather returns to the area Wednesday and Thursday:

  • This storm is taking aim at Northern Colorado and southern and central Wyoming.

  • Fort Collins has the highest probability of receiving more than 8 inches of snow, according the National Weather Service.

  • Fort Collins' forecast calls for a low of minus 10 Wednesday night.

Here's the timing of the storm, travel impacts and snowfall total forecast, according to the National Weather Service.

Looking for updates on the storm's impacts Wednesday? You can find those here.

Fort Collins and surrounding area under winter storm warning

  • A warning means heavy snow of at least 6 inches in 12 hours or at least 8 inches in 24 hours is expected.

  • A warning is in effect for the northern mountains (Rocky Mountain National Park) from midnight Tuesday through 5 a.m. Thursday.

  • A warning is in effect for the northern Front Range/foothills (Fort Collins, Estes Park, Boulder, west Denver) from midnight Tuesday through 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Timing of snowstorm to impact Wednesday commutes

The weather service has high confidence regarding timing of the storm:

  • Tuesday afternoon: Snow starts in the northern mountains.

  • Late Tuesday night: Snow begins in the foothills and northern Interstate 25 corridor.

  • Snow continues through Wednesday.

The heaviest snowfall will occur in Park Range and Larimer County foothills. This will likely lead to periods of poor visibility and difficult travel conditions starting in the mountains.

Slow travel is expected for morning and afternoon commutes on Wednesday.

North Interstate 25 expected to take brunt of travel impacts

The weather service has medium confidence regarding travel impacts:

  • I-25 from Fort Collins to the Wyoming border

  • U.S. Highway 287 from Fort Collins to Wyoming border

  • U.S. Highway 85 from Greeley to Wyoming border

  • U.S. Highway 34 from Loveland to Estes Park

  • U.S. Highway 36 between Longmont and Estes Park

  • Colorado Highway 93 north of Golden

  • Interstate 80 in southern Wyoming

For road conditions, visit cotrip.org or call 511 in Colorado or https://www.wyoroad.info/ or call 511 for Wyoming roads.

Here is a look at snowfall total ranges for Colorado and southern Wyoming

The weather service has medium confidence regarding snowfall ranges:

  • Fort Collins: 7 inches expected, range 6-8 inches. 98% chance of more than 1 inch, 96% chance of more than 2 inches, 83% chance of more than 4 inches, 55% chance more than 6 inches and 19% chance of more than 8 inches

  • Estes Park: 8-12 inches

  • Greeley: 4-6 inches

  • Cheyenne: 6-9 inches

  • Sterling: 2-4 inches

  • Boulder: 6-8 inches

  • Denver (downtown): 4-6 inches

  • DIA: 2-6 inches

  • Golden: 4-7 inches

  • Steamboat: 4-6 inches

  • Winter Park: 6-8 inches

  • Walden: 2-3 inches

  • Castle Rock: 4-6 inches

  • Eisenhower Tunnel: 5-8 inches

  • Vail Pass: 4-6 inches

  • Colorado Springs: 2-4 inches

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins, Northern Colorado to see big snowfall, travel impacts