Chilly and snowy Thanksgiving forecast ahead for Colorado
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Icy, snowy roads in Denver during Thanksgiving week in 2019. Photo: Jason Connolly/AFP via Getty Images
The weather this week could mess with some Thanksgiving travelers' plans — and you'll probably want to pack your winter coat, wherever you're headed.
The big picture: The holiday stretch is forecast to be colder and snowier than usual across large swathes of the U.S., threatening to snarl what AAA projects to be record-setting traffic.
- The National Weather Service warns a "polar vortex" could expand southwards and combine with two other systems to bring "cooler than normal temperatures" from Seattle to Dallas to Chicago through the week.
Zoom in: Denver is likely to get its first punch Tuesday, with lows dipping into the 20s.
- Out west, a stormy pattern is lining up for the high country, with a "moderate risk of heavy snow" across the Central Rockies from Saturday through Monday, per the NWS' Climate Prediction Center.
Yes, but: If you're sticking around Denver for the holiday, Thanksgiving itself looks downright delightful with clear skies and highs in the mid-50s.
What we're watching: Denver's first snow of the season is finally in sight for Saturday into Sunday — a remarkably late debut that's on pace to be the city's second-latest snowfall on record.
The bottom line: Colorado weather is notoriously unpredictable. Keep an eye on the forecast and see if it's worth adjusting your plans as the week unfolds.