Snow Chances in Denver: A Quick Look

Denver folks can expect showers through mid‑May, but the rain is unlikely to solve the long drought. The weather office says any snow that falls this week will probably stay high up in the mountains, not touch city streets. A local meteorologist told reporters that May snow is rare but possible. He added that only a few flakes might drift over the city overnight, with no build‑up. A tiny chance of a similar brief snowfall could appear Thursday night, again with no accumulation. Cool air hit the Front Range on Sunday and is expected to bring heavy snow above 6, 000 feet. In Denver itself temperatures hit about 53 degrees on Monday and the forecast includes afternoon thunderstorms. On mountain roads, snow showers will make travel risky: low visibility and slick surfaces on higher passes. A winter weather advisory was issued for the north central mountains, with expected snow totals up to eight inches by Tuesday morning. Looking further ahead, weather experts project more moisture over the next two weeks, followed by warmer temperatures until the end of July.This pattern could ease an unusually dry winter and early spring, but the mountain snowpack remains among the lowest on record. Denver’s March temperatures—normally a snowy month—surpassed 80 degrees, setting new records. The region faces varied drought levels across Denver and the Front Range. Precipitation is expected through May 10, hopefully sparking some greening. After that, the outlook remains hot and dry through July, with an above‑normal fire risk. Last Sunday, up to a quarter inch of rain fell in parts of north Denver, the best rainfall seen in five months. Yet overall deficits remain huge and are growing month after month, according to a climate scientist at Colorado State University. The average mountain snowpack this week was only 15 percent of the long‑term norm. Stream flows are below average across the state and will likely stay low through summer. Only high elevations above 10, 000 feet still hold snow. To reverse the drought, a long‑term shift in weather patterns is needed—just a few weeks of rain won’t be enough.