Light rain and low clouds are settling over the Denver area Wednesday morning, with temperatures in the mid-40s and a soggy, gray day ahead. The rain is expected to become more widespread this afternoon, keeping the high near 49 degrees and making Wednesday feel more like late fall than mid-October.
Rain Builds Wednesday Afternoon
Showers are likely through the day, with the steadiest stretch arriving from afternoon into early evening. According to the National Weather Service, Denver could see between a quarter and half an inch of rain, while northeast winds around 9 mph may gust to 16 mph.
Rain continues Wednesday night, with a low near 39 degrees. Thursday brings another round of wet weather, a high near 52 and north winds between 10 and 20 mph, with gusts reaching 36 mph.
Mountain Snow And A First Freeze
Above 9,000 to 10,000 feet, several inches of snow are expected from late Wednesday through Thursday morning, with lighter snow possible in mountain valleys and higher foothills. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from noon Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday for parts of the mountains, making westbound travel a more complicated proposition than the calendar might suggest.
Denver’s sharper cold snap arrives Thursday night, when skies clear and temperatures fall to around 32 degrees. The first freeze of the season is likely across much of the plains late Thursday night into early Friday, so gardeners may want to protect sensitive plants before heading to bed.
Sunshine Returns For The Weekend
Friday turns sunny with a high near 61, followed by a dramatic warmup into the 70s Saturday and Sunday. Monday and Tuesday stay sunny and warmer, with highs near 74 and 76, respectively—taking the forecast from rain jackets to short sleeves in just a few days.
