‘Accumulating Snow’ Expected as Strong Storm Hits Central US

National Weather Service meteorologists have warned of “accumulating snow” across parts of Colorado as an early winter storm moves into the region this weekend.
This week, Colorado has experienced above-normal temperatures and dry conditions, but Friday is forecast to be the last day with higher temperatures. Breezy winds and low humidity—both of which elevate fire conditions—are expected before the storm this weekend.
Temperatures will start to drop over the weekend, when snow is expected in some higher elevation areas, the NWS said.
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“The next storm system arriving this weekend will bring much cooler and unsettled weather to the region. Widespread rain and a few thunderstorms can be expected Saturday afternoon through Saturday night, with showers diminishing Sunday morning,” a forecast from the NWS office in Boulder said. “There is potential for several inches of snow across the Front Range Mountains, generally above 9,000 feet. Snow levels could briefly drop a little lower than that Saturday night.”
Temperatures will plummet on Saturday and remain low through Sunday night, the forecast said.
The low temperatures in Colorado will likely be short-lived, as a six- to 10-day temperature outlook from the NWS Climate Prediction Center shows above-average temperatures are expected from September 25 to September 29.
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“A gradual warming trend is expected next week,” the NWS Boulder forecast said.
NWS Boulder also warned of the incoming storm on X, formerly Twitter, with a post that shared the expected rain and snow accumulations across its forecast area. Up to 1.5 inches of rain is expected across lower elevations. Snow amounts of up to a foot will be seen in higher elevations, according to the snow forecast map.
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“A strong system will arrive this weekend with widespread precipitation arriving late on Saturday. Most of the area will experience rain but the mountains will see accumulating snow above 9,000 feet,” NWS Boulder wrote on X.
NWS meteorologist Kenley Bonner told Newsweek that high-elevation snow is common for this time of the year. The incoming snow will be the first measurable snow of the season, and the “mountains will turn white,” Bonner said.
In addition to the hazardous weather outlook, the NWS office in Pueblo, Colorado, has a winter weather advisory in place from noon local time Saturday until noon local time on Sunday for the western Mosquito Range, the eastern Sawatch Range and east Lake County above 11,000 feet.
“Wet snow expected. Total snow accumulations of up to 9 inches. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph,” the advisory said. “Plan on slippery road conditions at times. Hiking at higher elevations will become dangerous.”
The advisory urged motorists to “slow down and use caution while traveling.”
Other snow events have already happened across the U.S., including multiple early winter season events that hit at the end of August and in mid-September across parts of California. The most recent event brought snow to three national parks and several Californian cities.