WASHINGTON — Denver is getting slammed by a big late season blizzard or "bomb cyclone", bringing the city to a pause Wednesday before the storm heads into the northern plains. This storm is connected to our weather, because it shapes the temperature pattern on the east coast this week.
Blizzard Ramps Up for the Rockies
The bomb cyclone brings 5 to 8 inches of snow to Denver along with 60 mph to 70 mph wind gusts, creating dangerous driving conditions and potential for power outages. This storm carries from eastern Colorado up through the northern Plains as it rapidly intensifies as a "bomb cyclone". A bomb cyclone is one that has pressure drops of at least 24 millibars in 24 hours. Blizzard warnings are posted from Denver, Colorado to Bismarck, North Dakota.
According to the National Weather Service, a blizzard is defined as a storm with "considerable falling or blowing snow" and winds in excess of 35 mph and visibilities of less than 1/4 mile for at least 3 hours. Snowfall intensity is not part of the definition.
A spring snow storm in Denver is not unusual! In fact, the city averages snowfall all the way until the end of April. It's not that unusual to see measurable snow into the month of May either!
Denver Snow Stats:
- Average Last Measurable Snow - April 27
- Average Last 1 inch Snow - April 22
- Last 1 inch Snow in 2018 - April 21
- Latest Ever Measurable Snowfall - June 5, 1953
For comparison, DC's average last measurable snowfall is March 8.
Denver Snow Shapes Our DC Weather
As the storm moves into the plains, warmer air from Mexico and the southern U.S. will be forced northeastward. That will putt temperatures into the 50s on Wednesday and well into the 60s, if not flirting with 70 degrees, Thursday and Friday.
A cold front, which will be pushed by the big storm, will push through D.C. later Friday. Ahead of that front, we will see a threat for a few showers and maybe a thunderstorm on Friday. Behind the front, the weekend will be dry, but colder with mid 50s on Saturday and low 50s on Sunday.
More than 500 flights to or from Denver International Airport have already been canceled ahead of the storm, according to tracking website FlightAware.
A vast majority of those flights – 367 as of Tuesday night, to be precise – are operated by Southwest Airlines. Southwest is offering travelers the option to rebook their flights or travel standby without extra fees.
