A major, long-duration storm is developing near the Rockies and is set to dump heavy amounts of snow in Denver and the foothills and mountains to its west. The sprawling storm will not only affect Colorado; winter weather alerts for snow stretch from the mountains of Arizona and New Mexico to southern Montana. But the heaviest amounts are forecast in the mountains of Colorado, where some locations could see 4 feet.
Denver, CO
Major storm could blanket Denver with 15 inches of snow, most in years
Winter storm warnings are now in effect in Denver and Boulder, where double-digit totals are predicted and perhaps the most snow from a single storm since 2021. Rain developing Wednesday is predicted to turn to snow by nightfall and then become heavy.
The National Weather Service office serving the Denver-Boulder area expects a wet snow that could damage trees and power lines. The office also warned of “difficult to nearly impossible travel” in Boulder, Denver’s western suburbs and other Front Range communities through Thursday night.
The most significant impacts are expected in the zone from near Boulder to the west of Colorado Springs. There, the Weather Service anticipates “extreme” Level 5 out of 5 impacts, including dangerous travel, widespread closings of roads, schools and businesses, as well as a threat for power outages.
The same storm system is expected to unleash strong winds between eastern New Mexico and western Oklahoma, generating a dangerous fire threat. Farther to the east and northeast, it is forecast to fuel severe thunderstorms and possibly tornadoes, first between eastern Kansas and northern Missouri, including Kansas City on Wednesday. That threat will spread over a larger section of the Midwest on Thursday, spanning from Dallas to just south of Chicago.
The storm is organizing in the lee of the Rocky Mountains as the jet stream takes a sharp dip over the Intermountain West. As the storm strengthens, it will draw an abundance of moisture northward from the Gulf of Mexico.
This surge of moisture is a critical ingredient in the snowfall forecast. Projections suggest atmospheric moisture levels could be more than double the norm.
How much snow is predicted
The Weather Service is forecasting 8 to 15 inches for Denver itself, and up to 20 inches in its western suburbs. In the mountains, a widespread 18 to 36 inches is anticipated, with peak amounts near 4 feet. Snowfall rates of up to 2 to 3 inches per hour are likely in the Front Range, according the Weather Service. Here are some forecasts for specific locations:
- Boulder: The forecast for the city 30 miles northwest of Denver calls for 12 to 22 inches and the potential for thundersnow Wednesday night.
- Denver: The Mile High City is potentially looking at its biggest snowfall since 27.1 inches fell in March 2021. In addition to around a foot of accumulation, the forecast calls for the possibility of thundersnow and gusts of 30 mph causing blowing and drifting.
- Evergreen: Less than 40 miles west-southwest of Denver, this Front Range town could see a foot or more Wednesday night, another foot Thursday and some more thereafter. Temperatures fall into the 20s, with winds gusting to around 30 mph.
- Cheyenne: Just across the border from Colorado, and about 100 miles north of Denver, Cheyenne sits near the edge of an area of predicted heavy snow. The forecast here is for 4 to 8 inches and wind gusts around 35 to 45 mph.
- Colorado Springs: About an hour south of Denver on Interstate 25, Colorado Springs is also on the edge of more substantial snow potential. It’s predicted to receive about 6 to 12 inches.
Snow should wind down from north to south as the storm moves away between late Thursday and midday Friday.
Snowstorm predictions are typically challenging, and this storm is no different. Three factors, in particular, make this forecast difficult:
- Uncertainty as to when the rain changes to snow: If the changeover to snow is slower than forecast, this could lower amounts, especially in lower-elevation areas like Denver.
- Where heavy areas of snow start and stop: Snow amounts are forecast to vary widely from west to east, with totals that peak in the high elevations and drop off into the high plains east of Denver. Where the drop-off occurs and where particularly heavy bands of snow concentrate are difficult to predict.
- An unusual setup: The Weather Service office in Boulder said in a discussion that the track of this storm is “typically not favorable for a big snowstorm” but that other factors — such as the large amount of moisture available — should compensate for the less-than-ideal track.
Despite uncertainties, the Weather Service concluded, “confidence is high for a major winter storm in/near the Front Range mountains and foothills.”
It’s prime time for heavy snow
Unlike many places, late winter and early spring is prime time for snow in much of the Rockies and High Plains.
Brian Brettschneider, a climatologist based in Alaska, recently shared the image above on X, showing where March is the snowiest month of the year. Many of the same locations threatened by this storm are included in shades of pink where March ranks as either the snowiest or second-snowiest month.
Jason Samenow contributed to this report.
Denver, CO
Defensive lineman Jordan Miller has a tough battle to make the Broncos’ final 53-man roster
As the Denver Broncos prepare for the 2026 season, they have a lot of positives going for the franchise. One of them would be their defensive line. Once a position group with a lot of questions marks, it has ascended to one of the best units in the National Football League over the past few seasons.
The departure of John Franklin-Myers in free agency may have an impact on the group’s performance for the upcoming gridiron campaign. Though the Broncos are hoping a combination of young players they have drafted over the past several seasons can offset the loss of Franklin-Myers.
One player hoping to make the squad is defensive lineman Jordan Miller. At the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Broncos signed Southern Methodist standout and gave him one of the biggest signing bonuses from that cycle. For the past two seasons, Miller has been a practice squad player for the Broncos. After two years learning the ropes, is Miller finally ready to earn a spot on Denver’s final 53-man roster? Let’s discuss.
Age: 26 | Experience: 2 | College: SMU (via Miami) | Height: 6’3” | Weight: 307 pounds
Arm Length: 33-3/8” | Bench: 27 reps | 40-Yard Dash: 5.18 seconds
Jordan Miller’s 2026 outlook with the Broncos
Several years ago, I highlighted Miller’s strengths in our 2024 roster review series. His strength and size at the point of attack are enticing. Additionally, he boasts a tremendous wingspan on the interior which routinely gave opposing offensive linemen in his collegiate career fits.
The physical traits Miller has are certainly promising. However, entering his third year with the Broncos, he faces steep competition in order to make the final 53-man roster. That’s no fault of his own—it’s just the reality of the situation—Denver’s defensive line is stacked.
I believe the franchise will keep six defensive lineman in the rotation once again this season. Having six players in their trenches will help keep the rotation fresh and give them a shot to be at their best. Zach Allen, Sai’vion Jones, Tyler Onyedim, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, and Eyioma Uwazurike appear to be the favorites set to make the squad. With that in mind, it is hard to see a viable path for Miller to make the squad.
Given the aforementioned, it seems like Miller will once again be a practice squad candidate for the Broncos. In the event that something were to happen to Jones or Roach, I could see Miller getting called up to the active roster to help handle spot duty reps on the interior of Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph’s defensive front.
DENVER — A lieutenant with Berthoud Fire who was injured after he was struck head-on by a wrong-way driver in Denver last month is making progress, according to a Tuesday update.
The wrong-way driver, identified as 25-year-old Kevem Dos Santos, was killed in the May 17 crash inside the barrier-separated HOV lanes on Interstate 25.
Ken Bradley, the Berthoud Fire lieutenant, was traveling to work when the crash occurred. He was transported to the hospital with serious injuries.
The crash left Bradley with multiple fractures in both legs, fractures to his left arm, a dislocated right shoulder, several broken ribs, and a collapsed lung.
Bradley’s family said he is now able to get in and out of his wheelchair on his own. But he faces additional surgeries this week to reconstruct his ankles and feet.
His family thanked the more than 800 donors who have contributed $85,000 to his GoFundMe and said he remains in good spirits.
Police have not said how Dos Santos managed to access the gate-controlled HOV lanes, leaving many questions unanswered.
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Denver will reimburse developers working on reviving the Rossonian Hotel up to $15.5 million in sales and property taxes after the council approved the urban development proposal during its meeting Monday.
The decision comes after Denver Urban Renewal Authority found that the site was “blighted,” meaning there are unsafe living or working conditions and environmental contamination.
DURA recommended the city allow “tax increment financing,” or TIF, to remediate those problems and get the project off the ground.
“This tax increment financing is one of the final pieces that makes the Rossonian possible. Without it, this project does not happen,” said Paul Books, one of the owners of the building. “But with it, we are working through the last remaining steps to break ground this summer.”
The project, in the Five Points neighborhood, is part of the Welton Corridor Urban Redevelopment Plan. The six-parcel property is in the namesake intersection of Welton, 27th and Washington streets.
The building, once called the Baxter Hotel, was a popular event space for jazz performances between the 1930s and 1950s. Performers such as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday took the stage there. It is on the National Register of Historic Buildings. The building has been vacant since the 1990s.
Palisade Partners, who purchased the property in 2017, plan to build 126 hotel rooms, a restaurant and an event space. They will also construct a new 8-story building between the Rossonian and the Hooper building as part of the redevelopment.
“We’ve concluded that the project does require assistance in order for it to be delivered as it has been contemplated,” said Bill Pruter, executive director of DURA.
Tax-increment financing, which is essentially a tax break or subsidy, allows developers to freeze how much is paid in property or sales taxes at a base level for up to 25 years, and then reinvest what would be paid above that back into certain elements of their projects.
For this project, the developers will be able to reinvest up to $15.5 million — which would otherwise go to the city’s bank account — into their project.
The city will reimburse the tax dollars for specific project costs mostly related to rehabilitation of the building. That includes up to $6.7 million on the plumbing and HVAC work in the new building and up to $2.3 million on the visible structure of the Rossonian Hotel.
The city will also reimburse up to $155,000 for “project art,” according to a presentation from DURA. DURA requires that 1% of the project’s costs be spent on art.
The tax freeze will last until the $15.5 million is reimbursed or in 25 years, whichever comes first.
“This project will bring new life to one of the most important corners in our neighborhood while preserving one of Denver’s most iconic cultural landmarks,” said Norman Harris, executive director of the Five Points Business Improvement District.
The total project is expected to cost $101 million and to be completed in 2028.
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