Denver Weather: Coldest Valentine's Day On Record Possible With Incoming Polar Plunge

THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE FROM COLORADO'S WEATHER CENTER: Frigid Colorado Weekend Ahead With Snow Likely In Metro Area

DENVER (CBS4) - The Denver area has yet to experience sub-zero temperatures this season which is unusual by early February. Arctic air straight from Canada will change that later this week. Temperatures will not only plunge below zero, it could be the coldest weather in February in 6 years.

Prior to the true arctic air arriving on Friday, temperatures will remain cold and far below normal in many areas through Thursday.

High temperatures along the Front Range on Tuesday will vary significantly but most neighborhoods around Denver, Boulder, and and Fort Collins will only reach the 20s or 30s which is far below normal. Locations at higher elevations to the south and west such as Evergreen, Conifer, Estes Park, and Castle Rock will be warmer with highs in the 40s.

Statewide, many mountain towns like Breckenridge and Aspen will also be warmer than Denver by at least a couple degrees.

There will also be snow in the mountains through Wednesday morning with the heaviest accumulation north of I-70. The mountains of Summit County will likely get 2-6 inches while the mountains surrounding Steamboat Springs and across the Rocky Mountain National Park region are under a Winter Weather Advisory for 6-12 inches of snow.

The frigid weather expected later this week will arrive on Friday and will stay through at least Sunday before gradually moving east early next week. The arctic air will invade most of the state - not just lower elevations east of the mountains where the cold air has been stuck early this week.

High temperatures will likely not reach out of the teens in the Denver metro area and overnight lows should drop below zero Friday night, Saturday night and likely Sunday night. Some weather models are suggesting temperatures could drop to at least -10 degrees Sunday morning. That is the current record low temperature in Denver for February 14 set in 1903.

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There also appears to be a chance for snow in the metro area starting Friday but any accumulation is expected to be minor at this time.