790
FXUS65 KBOU 070031
AFDBOU

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
531 PM MST Fri Mar 6 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Snow to gradually diminish and become more intermittent for the
  high country and I-25 corridor through early this evening. All
  areas will be dry by midnight. Slick roads will remain possible
  through early Saturday morning as temperatures drop well below
  freezing.

- Warming trend returns Saturday, and continues through
  Monday/Tuesday. Dry weather favored for the foreseeable future,
  aside from slim (20%) chances for light mountain snow showers
  Tuesday-Wednesday,

&&

.DISCUSSION /Through Friday/...
Issued at 1209 PM MST Fri Mar 6 2026

The winter storm is on its exit glidepath already for the
mountains, foothills and urban corridor, although banded snow
continues to produce moderate to heavy snow east of I-25 as it
pushes deeper into the rural plains. Table Mountain and KFTG
profilers indicate strengthening north flow through 11,000 ft MSL
as anticipated, acting to reduce snowfall rates for areas west of
I-25. This trend is set to continue through the coming hours.

With the above in mind, potential for snow accumulation on lower-
elevation roadways, especially along/west of I-25 (excluding the
Palmer Divide), will be very limited for the remainder of the day.
The current Advisories for the Denver metro area may thus be ended
early once the current band progresses east of Denver International
Airport. Nonetheless, temperatures will more readily descend below
freezing this evening, so lingering wet and locally slushy
conditions on area roads may lead to re-freezing and some slick
conditions that could persist through early Saturday morning.
Precipitation will taper off further this evening, with all areas
dry by midnight. Lows tonight will drop to near 20F for the metro,
upper teens in the plains, and single digits to locally below zero
for our high mountain valleys.

Subsident flow returns Saturday along with clear sky conditions,
allowing for some modest warming into the upper 40`s to low 50`s
for the plains and I-25 corridor, with 30`s for mountain
communities.

The warming trend will accelerate on Sunday and continue into
Monday/Tuesday, when highs will rebound into the upper 60`s or even
scrape 70F around the Denver metro. We`ll remain under dry zonal
flow aloft through Monday, with no precipitation expected. Winds
will gradually increase as the jet stream nudges southward closer to
Colorado, especially for the high country. There`s a slim shot (~20%
chance) for some very light mountain snow showers Tuesday into
Wednesday as a shortwave skirts by to our north, and slight cooling
on Wednesday as a result, but mountain precip chances may drop to
zero soon if current trends in ensemble guidance continue. Dry
and unseasonably warm weather is set to prevail thereafter and
carry us through the end of the work week.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS through 00Z Sunday/...
Issued at 457 PM MST Fri Mar 6 2026

Snow is ongoing at all three TAF sites, causing visibilities to
dip down to 1/2SM at times. Hi-res guidance now keeps snow through
04-06Z for DEN and APA (snow likely to end for BJC by 03Z due to
downsloping winds), so have kept a TEMPO group for 3/4SM
visibility through 03Z, with light snow showers through 06Z.
However, there is a chance (~30%) that snow will end at APA by
03Z as winds turn slightly more northwest. Dry conditions expected
through the rest of the TAF period.

Ceilings will begin improving as snow comes to an end - lifting to
1000 ft by 03Z and 4000/5000 ft by 06Z. There could be a few
lingering low-level clouds overnight, however expect clearing of
skies by 12Z.

In terms of winds, northerly winds are expected through at least
03Z. The gusty winds we have been seeing all day should decrease
in the next hour, with sustained winds of 15-20 kts through 03Z.
After that, expect lighter northwesterly winds generally less than
10 kts before drainage flow by 08/09Z. For tomorrow,
south/southwesterly winds less than 15 kts are expected.

&&

.BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Weather Advisory until 8 PM MST this evening for COZ031.

Winter Storm Warning until midnight MST tonight for COZ033>036.

Winter Weather Advisory until midnight MST tonight for COZ037-
041.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...BRQ
AVIATION...MAI

NWS BOU Office Area Forecast Discussion