DENVER — A strong, late-season snowstorm has moved into northern Colorado and the Front Range Tuesday evening and will continue into Wednesday, making for a hazardous morning commute.

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The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning from midnight Tuesday through 3 p.m. Wednesday.

How much are we getting?

The NWS forecasts 5-8 inches of snow for the Interstate 25 corridor, while areas closer to the foothills could receive up to 9 inches.

For the Eastern Plains, forecasters expect 2-6 inches of snow, a lower total than in the Front Range.

The Northern Mountains and foothills could receive as much as 2 feet of snow, with Estes Park and surrounding areas seeing early accumulation Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Southern Mountains are forecasted to get 6-14 inches.

When will it get here?

In Denver, rain began to transition to snow around 5 p.m. And snow accumulation is expected to continue into Wednesday afternoon, according to the NWS.

Forecasters expect that from Tuesday at midnight to 9 a.m. Wednesday will see the brunt of this storm in the Denver metro area.

NWS

What are the biggest concerns?

That midnight-to-9 a.m. stretch of snowfall should have the biggest impact, according to the NWS.

Wet, heavy snowfall poses the greatest risk for broken branches and tree damage, especially in areas with the largest accumulations, which can cause scattered power outages.

Hazardous conditions, especially for the morning commute in the Denver metro area, are expected due to heavy snowfall. The Colorado Department of Transportation is prepared for these impacts.

CDOT said there will be about 100 plows throughout the storm, focusing on clearing interstates and major roadways first before secondary roads.

Tuesday evening forecast

When will it skidaddle out of here?

Snow accumulation should end north to south by midday Wednesday, with drier weather moving in Wednesday night into Thursday.

Denver will see a high of 39 degrees with a low dropping below freezing on Wednesday. A freeze warning is likely on Wednesday night.

Thursday, we may see a shower or two, but mild springlike conditions will return.

NWS

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Denver will welcome representatives from the Democratic National Committee on Tuesday for a three-day show-and-tell highlighting the city as Mayor Mike Johnston tries to woo the party’s leaders into hosting their 2028 convention in the West.

If he’s successful, it will mean 50,000 people will pour into Denver for four days in August of that year.

“It’s kind of like four Super Bowls in a row,” Johnston said in an interview with Denver Post journalists in advance of the delegation’s site visit.

Throughout the visit, much of which could happen during a spring snowstorm, Denver city leaders will attempt to demonstrate the city’s logistical, financial and merriment potential.

Denver is the only one of five finalist cities that is located west of the Mississippi River. The other options are Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago. DNC leaders, including chair Ken Martin, have already visited Atlanta and Philadelphia.

The competition between the rival cities has already begun.

Atlanta’s mayor recently called out most of the other bidding cities, saying, “Boston is history. Philadelphia is played out. Denver is nostalgia. Atlanta is now,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Johnston responded to that, saying: “Of all the disses, I thought ours was actually the best.” It refers to the city’s much-lauded hosting of the 2008 Democratic National Convention, where then-Sen. Barack Obama accepted his party’s nomination on his way to becoming the nation’s first Black president.

Denver’s plan is to focus on what the city has to offer instead of attacking the others, Johnston added. He did take a few jabs throughout the conversation, though.

“(Denver) is cool in the summertime and it’s not 110 degrees in August, like it is in some other places that I won’t name,” he said.

Talking about some of the criteria the DNC will consider in the decision, he said: “It’s very much like, you either have a 20,000-person arena or you don’t. Atlanta does not.”

The visit plan

During the site visit, Johnston and other city leaders will try to infuse “little moments of joy” while also showing off the city’s infrastructure. That will include visits to some of the city’s best restaurants and bars, along with a tour of Rockmount Ranch Wear in Lower Downtown.

If Denver wins the bid, the city plans to host excursions for the delegates in two years. While they’re in the city, visitors are likely to have downtime to explore the region. For their entertainment, Denver will offer things like craft beer tours, history courses on neighborhoods like Five Points and a trip to the city’s mountain parks, Johnston said.

Different bars would be dedicated to delegates from each state — including miniature versions of Denver’s big blue bear in front of each, with a painted flag from their state.

This week’s site visit won’t all be about bid leaders’ ideas for fun, though.

Johnston’s team will also have to show that hosting the convention in Denver will make things easier on the event planners.