Late-April Winter Storm Sweeps Through the Rockies and High Plains, Including Denver

Tom Moore
Published: April 30,2016
Despite the calendar switching to May, more snow will fall in the Rockies and High Plains this weekend.
The latest in a series of late-season winter storms that have been riding into the western U.S. from the Pacific has already dumped up to 20 inches of snow in the mountains of Colorado, and there's more to come.
The weight of this heavy, wet snow downed power lines and tree branches in Holyoke and Julesburg, Colorado, and also downed branches in Alliance, Nebraska. Up to 8 inches of snow had been measured in Julesburg as of early Saturday.

Two inches of snow had fallen at Denver Int'l Airport northeast of the city through Friday night, and 2.4 inches had fallen in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Estimated Snowfall, So Far

Snow will continue through Sunday in the central and southern Rockies, and through Saturday night in the High Plains of western Nebraska, Wyoming, and parts of northeast Colorado as one sluggish upper-level low slowly moves out, but is replaced by another rotating out of the Desert Southwest.
Slush or snow-covered roads are possible in areas of heavier snowfall rates, particularly in the higher elevations, including the famously difficult stretch of Interstate 80 between Laramie and Cheyenne, Wyoming, which was closed by an accident early Saturday.

Current Radar

In the Denver metro area, the snow may mix with rain at times with perhaps an inch or so of additional accumulation expected, mainly on grassy areas. Although the snow will taper off, wind gusts could reach 25 mph along the Front Range Saturday.
The heaviest additional accumulations will be either in the higher elevations from northern New Mexico into Colorado and Wyoming, or where High Plains snow is most persistent in western Nebraska and southeast Wyoming. Another 6 inches of wet snow may fall in these areas through Saturday night or Sunday.
For the rest of the High Plains, only an additional inch or so is expected.
(FORECAST: Denver | Cheyenne)

Additional Snowfall Forecast

Forecasting can be tricky this time of year with lower elevation snowfall accumulations because the sun angle is so high and temperatures will be near, or slightly above, freezing. Snow has a tough time accumulating during the daylight hours and it accumulates better at night in these locations.
As a result, snow in some areas has been mainly confined to grassy surfaces in these areas and there has been some melting or compaction of the snow, as well.

MORE: Photos From Winter Storm Vexo April 2016