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894 FXUS65 KBOU 302016 AFDBOU Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 216 PM MDT Thu Apr 30 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Mountain snow expected through this evening and decreasing overnight, with travel impacts likely. - Chances for rain showers over the Urban Corridor and adjacent plains have decreased. - Warmer and drier conditions expected for the weekend. - Unsettled weather returns Monday night increasing chances for mountain snow and rain showers over the plains. && .DISCUSSION /Through Thursday/... Issued at 216 PM MDT Thu Apr 30 2026 Current radar imagery shows snow showers are picking up over the Front Range. While the latest high-res model guidance has trended drier over the plains and lower elevations, there is still a good chance for snow accumulations between 4 and 10 inches for the high elevation areas under the Winter Weather Advisory. Travel will be poor to hazardous, particularly at the higher passes and as road temperatures cool after sunset. We decided to lower PoPs a bit over the plains, but there is still a decent chance (50-70%) for a few showers to develop over the Denver metro area this afternoon and early evening. We have also reduced QPF amounts across the region given that we do not expect QPF to be greater than 0.10"-0.20" over Denver. Snow levels around 6500-7000ft this evening may lead to some light snow accumulations on grassy surfaces over the Palmer Divide as well as some slush on pavements. Snow and rain shower activity will taper off overnight except for a few lingering snow showers over the southern Front Range and Mosquito Range into early Friday morning. There is a small chance (20%) for an afternoon shower over the Denver metro area Friday afternoon as daytime destabilization occurs, but QPF amounts will be limited to no more than a few hundredths. Warm and dry weather will arrive for the weekend as an upper level ridge sits over Colorado, allowing temperatures to climb into the upper 60s and low 70s over the plains. Cloud cover will increase late Sunday afternoon due to a surge of mid-level moisture from the Pacific. However, it appears that the main source of moisture for next week`s unsettled weather will be a a push of moisture sliding down from Alberta into the northern plains as a ridge axis sits over southeast Alaska and a trough strengthens to the east. While it is still too early for specific amounts, Monday evening into Tuesday looks to be the next best chance for measurable snow in the mountains and a few showers over the plains. A cold front will bring cooler temperatures for Tuesday and Wednesday. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday/... Issued at 1201 PM MDT Thu Apr 30 2026 The lower ceilings finally settled over the airport at about 16Z earlier this morning. Will keep ceilings down in the BKN-OVC012-022 range the rest of today and much of this evening and maybe a tad lower with the showers. Will mainly keep a PROB30 in for -SHRA the rest of today. Models are still hanging on to better chances of rain this evening at DIA so will go with a TEMPO group from 0100/0103 for -SHRA. Ceilings should lift significantly around 07Z tonight. For winds, the current northeasterlies are expected to go due easterly later this afternoon, maybe even southeast by early evening. Speeds look to be under 10 knots by late afternoon onward. Some sort of weak drainage, or a downslope/drainage mix is expected by 07Z. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 6 AM MDT Friday for COZ033-034-037. && $$ DISCUSSION...AA AVIATION...66