What a rarity in southern Colorado! Showers and thunderstorms all night are atypical over our area because our thunderstorms are usually driven by the heating of the sun. However, an approaching area of low pressure has kept the lift, instability and moisture streaming into the area overnight and early this morning.

Rain and thunderstorms will continue for the Front Range and plains through 9 am. It’s possible that one or two of the storms east of the Interstate becomes capable of some hail around 1″ in diameter, or some wind gusts around 60 mph. There’s enough turning in the atmosphere that I can’t rule out an isolated tornado either. Overall, I think the threat for severe weather is pretty low, but we’ll keep an eye on it for you.

As the storm circulation moves into the area from the southwest, we should see snow increasing over the mountains this morning with accumulating snow becoming possible down to about 8,000′ on the grass and trees. We may even see some snowflakes mixing in at times over the top of the Palmer Divide.

Get the windshield wipers, rain boots, and umbrellas ready before you go this morning. We don’t always need them in southern Colorado – but today is that day!