Colorado weather: Prepare for a cold, potentially snowy Thanksgiving weekend

turkey-pardon-polis-thanksgiving
Hart Van Denburg/CPR News
Gus and three other turkeys, Maple, Matilda, and Pumpkin, were pardoned by Gov. Jared Polis at the Colorado State Capitol on Monday, Nov. 21, 2023. They will live out the rest of their lives at Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary in Weld County.

Those making last-minute Thanksgiving dinner grocery trips should add extra hot cocoa or tea to the shopping list. Temperatures are expected to drop drastically starting Thursday night, with lows statewide consistently below freezing for the foreseeable future. 

Before conditions get too cold, Coloradans statewide will see relatively warm temperatures up until Thanksgiving. In the Denver metro area and the rest of the I-25 corridor, highs will reach the 60s before dropping over the holiday weekend. 

The I-70 corridor and parts of the Western Slope will also see highs in the 40s or 50s through Wednesday. 

Following Thanksgiving dinner, temperatures will dip. The I-25 corridor is expected to see lows in the 10s through Monday, with highs reaching just the 20s or 30s. Some mountain areas may get lows in single digits or below zero. 

Friday will also bring a chance of snow. The National Weather Service hasn’t issued a forecast for how much snow could fall. 

“Minor travel impacts from snow remain likely (80 percent chance) beginning late Thanksgiving night, through Friday, and possibly into early Saturday, with locally moderate impacts not out of the question just yet,” a NWS forecast said.

Low temperatures and snow could lead to significant travel delays for drivers and air travelers. Those traveling through Denver International Airport, which is experiencing one of its busiest times of the year, may face flight delays or cancellations.