Metro Denver is seeing misty conditions on Monday, providing some much-needed moisture to the drought we’re in right now.
The National Weather Service had issued a freeze watch earlier for tonight, but temperatures aren’t expected to get that low anymore.
“We’ll have enough cloud cover now to keep temperatures just above freezing for the most part,” David Barjenbruch, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Boulder office, told Denverite.
Barjenbruch says the rain might mix with a “snowflake or two” this afternoon, but temperatures won’t get cold enough for snow to stick around like it did a couple weeks ago.
“We could even see a thunderstorm this afternoon before things diminish again this evening,” he said.
Though this period of rain puts a “small dent” into drought concerns, Barjenbruch warns there’s still a whole summer of fire risk to worry about.
“This precipitation helps the grass green up. It does help alleviate some of those issues,” he said. “That said, we're still in severe to extreme drought here across all of the I-25 corridor and Front Range.”
There won’t be a hard freeze tonight, so don’t worry about pipes bursting, but crops and sensitive plants are still at risk, so make sure to take precautions if you have a garden.
“If you've already planted tomatoes or those types of plants that are really sensitive to frost or freezing temperatures, I recommend covering them up with buckets or sheets or newspaper,” Barjenbruch said. “A thin covering should do it tonight because we're not going to get that cold.”
Barjenbruch advises to drive carefully along the Interstate 70 corridor today, where “slushy, slick” conditions are expected going into the afternoon. The foothills are also set for heavier snow, so be prepared if traveling to the mountains this afternoon.
Denver hasn’t activated a cold-weather shelter plan today, but people experiencing homelessness can find resources here.
According to Barjenbruch, the precipitation and cold weather could last through Thursday, but temperatures should start warming up by the weekend.
