Colorado Weather: Snow Starts Pounding Colorado's Mountains

DENVER (CBS4) - Ample moisture from the Pacific Ocean will stream directly into Colorado through Friday night. The result will be very difficult travel in the mountains thanks to multiple feet of snow. The Denver metro area has a good chance for at least a few inches.

The mountains are under a Winter Storm Warning through midnight Friday night for up to 3 feet of total snow accumulation. This includes the Interstate 70 mountain corridor between Georgetown and Avon.

As a result of the forecast, Dew Tour at Copper Mountain has had to cancel some events that were set to take place on Thursday.

A semi crash on Highway 6 over Loveland Pass also closed the highway late Thursday morning.

Accumulation will be somewhat less around Aspen and Crested Butte but up to 18 inches is still possible in these areas through Friday night. Meanwhile, mountain valleys and the northern half of the Western Slope are under a Winter Weather Advisory for 2-5 inches of snow around New Castle, Mesa, Parachute, Rifle, and Silt. Farther north the Craig and Meeker areas will see 5-10 inches while North Park, Middle Park, Dillon, Fraser, Granby, Grand Lake, and Hot Sulphur Springs will see 8-16 inches.

The snow forecast for the Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins areas is far more complicated compared to the high country.

Periods of snow are likely Thursday night through Friday night but accumulation will vary significantly. The snow isn't being caused by a traditional storm system. Instead it will be generated by the jet stream which will stay directly over Colorado through Friday night. This setup will cause narrow bands of snow instead of a large widespread batch of snow. Areas hit with a heavy snow band could easily see 10 inches or more of snow. Without a heavier band, total accumulation will be in the 2 to 6 inch range. Therefore our forecast for Denver and the Front Range is for 2-6 inches with localized higher amounts. A Winter Weather Advisory starts for the metro area at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Once the snow ends Friday night, dry and somewhat milder weather will prevail on Saturday before a good snow chance returns to the mountains and eventually the metro area on Sunday.