Cold Front Blasts Denver Overnight, Cooler Weather Doesn't Last Long

DENVER (CBS4) - Temperatures dropped almost 20 degrees in two hours early Thursday morning as a cold front swept over the Denver metro area. The front also generated wind gusts up to 30 mph and turned skies mostly cloudy.

The official temperature in Denver at 1 a.m. Thursday was 43 degrees. By 3 a.m. it was 26 degrees and temperatures stayed in the 20s for the morning commute.

The clouds associated with the front also made for a spectacular sunrise along the Front Range.

Cooler air means temperatures will drop 5 to 10 degrees on Thursday compared to Wednesday when Denver officially reached 65 degrees. The city will quickly recover on Friday with highs back in the mid and upper 60s.

Meanwhile, the mountains will experience almost no change on Thursday thanks to the shallow nature of the cold front. The front was not able to reach up and over the Continental Divide so most mountain areas will be experience a repeat of Wednesday with sunny skies and highs mainly in the 40s.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Denver has the potential for near record heat on Saturday. The record is 72 degrees set on March 7, 1879. It's the oldest March record high temperature still on the books in Denver. Odds are it's probably safe because while 70 degrees is possible, at this time it seems 72 degrees (or warmer) is unlikely.

Then the weather pattern changes again on Sunday with a good chance for snow returning to the mountains and possibly a rain shower in Denver late in the day. It will be too warm for snow at lower elevations.