Colorado Weather: First Alert For The Arctic Express On The Way

DENVER (CBS) - After another unseasonably mild day to end to the month on Monday, February will start with a frigid blast of arctic cold and winter snow. Both Tuesday and Wednesday have been declared First Alert Weather Days.

There is a deep trough of low pressure from Canada poised to bring in the major weather change by mid-week.

Monday will still be a mild day statewide with increasing wind. The first wave of cooler air moves in Monday night into Tuesday.

Then by the time we get to Tuesday afternoon the colder air and snow start to really move in and sit over the Rockies for a couple days to kick off February.

There are two main features with the mid-week weather change: extreme cold and accumulating snow. At this point our temperatures will drop below freezing Tuesday evening and not get back above freezing until Friday.  Most high temperatures across the state will be below freezing on Wednesday.

Snowfall will begin in the mountains and foothills by Tuesday afternoon and then develop over the Front Range and Eastern Plains by Tuesday evening. The snow should start in the Denver metro area during the Tuesday evening commute and will continue through at least  Wednesday morning The heaviest snow will be in the higher foothills of Jefferson, Boulder, and Larimer Counties where the forecast is 6 to 12 inches. At lower elevations, locations and along and west of I-25 should see 4 to 9 inches while areas east of I-25 should generally get 2 to 5 inches.

Statewide snow amounts will likely be higher than the averages shown below. But, there will be significant amounts in Colorado's high country come Wednesday. Areas in the purple over the southern mountains may see a foot or more.

The snow will end statewide Wednesday night and Thursday will remain very cold before temperatures gradually climb through the weekend. That said, it will stay colder than normal in Colorado through at least Saturday.