An ocean of cold air pushing south from Canada will plunge Denver into bitterly cold temperatures from Friday night through Tuesday morning.
Snowfall and a rapid temperature drop could begin between 4-6 p.m. on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. It could result in a “flash freeze” on the roads — with early snowfall melting, then suddenly freezing into a slippery glaze.
“You really rapidly cool the road surfaces to below freezing, where the residual moisture freezes almost instantly,” said Greg Heavener, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Heavener is hopeful the freeze will come after 6 p.m., when it will affect fewer commuters. If it does hit, it will come “within a matter of minutes,” he explained. “All of a sudden, there’s ice.”
The front could drop 3 to 7 inches of snow on Denver’s east side from Friday night through Saturday. Denver’s west side could see 4 to 8 inches. Boulder and points west could see up to 12 inches.
And that’s just the beginning. Forecasters predict temperatures will remain well below freezing for four days straight, lasting well into Tuesday.
Across the Front Range, local governments, medical centers and nonprofits are preparing for the dangers the cold weather may pose, while one of the weekend’s biggest local events — the Denver Marade in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. — will be delayed and shortened.
Saturday and Sunday may see highs around just 16 degrees in Denver, and Monday could be just 8 degrees, according to a National Weather Service forecast on Friday afternoon. With wind chill, temperatures could feel significantly colder each day.
The plains will see even worse wind chill, perhaps down to 30 below, posing a significant threat to people and animals.
It looks to be Denver’s coldest temperatures since a year ago, when Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend saw single-digit temperatures for several days. The cold weather is the result of arctic air that has been “locked up” over Canada, Heavener said.. Low pressure in the U.S. is now allowing that “dense and heavier” air to drain down onto the Great Plains, where it will settle against the foothills, the forecaster explained.
The cold air shouldn’t have much of an effect on the high country, Heavener said, with temperatures in the mountains being about equal, or perhaps a little warmer, than on the Front Range.
Extreme weather spells danger for Denver’s unhoused
When the temperature is below zero, it only takes about 30 minutes for exposed skin to get frostbite. At 15 degrees below zero with even a little bit of wind, frostbite is possible within 15 minutes.
“Your fingers, your toes, your nose, all those extremities are at risk for frostbite which can ultimately cause permanent damage or disability to those body parts,” said Dr. Jay Lemery, a professor of emergency medicine with the University of Colorado.
The extreme cold is especially dangerous for those without shelter. The city of Denver has opened its cold-weather shelter network, offering all-day shelter, emergency intake and longer hours at certain shelters. The network stays open anytime that overnight lows are below 25 degrees.
This weekend, the Denver Rescue Mission is expecting a surge of demand, said public relations manager Stephen Hinkel.
“Between Friday and Monday evening, we're probably going to serve upwards of 15,000 hot meals across all of our locations,” Hinkel said. They’ll also plan to offer a warm place to hang out for the day, and beds to keep people sheltered when temperatures are most frigid overnight.
Outreach teams will also try to convince people to come inside from the cold. Some people may stay outside for a variety of reasons, including mental health and substance issues.
The Denver Fire Department is expecting to see more illegal outdoor fires this weekend, said Capt. Luis Cedillo.
“When the sun goes down and temperatures drop, that’s when we get called out,” Cedillo said.
But firefighters are not just assessing the fires themselves. “First, we assess people to determine whether they need medical attention. The next concern is how big the fire is, where it’s located, and whether there’s an immediate danger to people or structures,” he said.
If the fire is not a threat, and if the people around it won’t come inside, fire officials may allow it to burn.
“We can’t force people into a shelter. So if we determine there’s no danger to the community we will allow people to maintain their fires. The last thing we want is for people to expose themselves to frostbite or even death,” Cedillo said.
Stay warm for the Marade
“People planning to be outdoors for any period of time this weekend need to be mindful that prolonged exposure to the cold can cause injury,” Lemery said.
That includes those planning to march in the Marade in downtown Denver. The morning will be especially cold, with 9 a.m. temperatures expected to be as low as -1, with wind chill of -11. The high Friday is expected to be only 8 degrees, with a 40 percent chance of snow.
“They may not have awareness of just how cold it’s going to be. They may say ‘I’ll just bring gloves this time’, but that won’t be enough. If you’re planning to march, be very judicious about wearing good protective layers: thick mittens, winter boots, face coverings,” Lemery said.
Lemery also recommends attendees bring hand and foot warmers and warm fluids to drink like tea, coffee or hot chocolate.
“One thing to remember though is that hot chocolate won’t keep away frostbite. It is very important to be mindful that these conditions are the extremes in Colorado. They happen, but they’re rare. Understand that there may be large crowds and not enough space to warm up indoors along the route, so bring extra ways to stay warm,” he said.
Organizers are encouraging seniors and children to mark the holiday by volunteering indoors rather than marching in the Marade due to the extreme cold.
Denver’s lowest recorded temperature was -29 in January 1875. The lowest temperature in recent years was -25 in December 1990.
Ski resorts will operate as normal
Martin Luther King, Jr., Day and the three-day holiday weekend are traditionally a ski weekend for Coloradans. Director of Communications for Colorado Ski Country USA Sarah Beatty says ski resorts are expecting to operate as normal despite the cold.
The weather in the mountains should be similar to Denver, with daytime temperatures around the low teens and high single-digits — cold but not extraordinary temperatures for Colorado’s ski resorts.
“We are encouraging skiers and snowboarders to be ready for the cold, put on extra layers, make sure that there's no exposed skin. Consider switching from gloves to mittens if you've got them,” Beatty said.
Winter Park similarly expects to see families on the slopes this weekend and confirmed the resort will operate as usual.
“When the air temperature reaches -25 degrees, that’s when we’ll shut down our high alpine lifts, but before that, they stay open,” said spokesperson Jennifer Miller.
Beatty reminds those skiing and riding with kids this weekend that they may need to take things at a slower pace than usual.
“When I'm out with my kids skiing on cold days, we take a few more hot chocolate breaks and maybe take a little longer at lunch to warm up,” she said.
Regardless of the cold temperatures, it’s expected to be a weekend of fresh powder in the high country.
“The resorts have been getting lots of fresh snow over the last week or so. It should be a really fantastic weekend in the mountains. And I've even heard that it's due to be a little bit warmer in the mountains than it is here on the Front Range,” Beatty said.
Pet exposure to cold
If you see an animal exposed to the dangerous cold without appropriate shelter, call the Denver Animal Protection Dispatch number, 720-913-2080. In the city of Denver, failure to protect a pet could lead to a $999 fine and up to 300 days in jail.
