Denver area pummeled by Easter weekend snowstorm that's complicating holiday travel
Snow delayed hundreds of flights at Denver International and snarled traffic along highways and interstates as a late-season snowfall blanketed the Rockies.
Winter storm moving out after disrupting Colorado travel
FOX Weather's Brandy Campbell is in Boulder, as a winter storm moves out of the area Saturday morning. The storm brought heavy, wet snow to Boulder and surrounding areas, snarling Friday travel ahead of Easter weekend.
DENVER - A significant late-season snowstorm is bringing high winds and as much as 1-2 feet of snow to the Rockies through Saturday, including multiple inches of snow around the Denver area.
The wintry weather made things difficult for drivers and travelers ahead of Easter. FlightAware.com reported nearly 750 flight delays on Friday morning out of Denver International Airport.
FlightAware.com reports nearly 750 delays at Denver International Airport as of 11:30 am MT on April 18, 2025. (FOX Weather)
Colorado's Department of Transportation warned drivers icy conditions on Interstate 70 west of Denver. Part of I-70 was closed between Golden and Silverthorne on Friday morning due to spun-out vehicles, according to the department.
According to Findenergy.com, the storm knocked out power to at least 27,000 customers on Friday morning in Adams County, Colorado, which includes North Denver.
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Families play in the snow in Boulder on Friday, where up to half a foot of snow is expected to fall. FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell reports.
The inclement weather led to Friday night's game between the Colorado Rockies and the Washington Nationals being pushed to Sunday. The game scheduled between the two teams for Saturday was also postponed by one hour.
Estes Park, Colorado recorded 6 inches of snow before 9 a.m. local time on Friday. By Saturday morning, about 2-4 inches fell around much of the Denver metro area, with some spots getting as much as 7 inches, according to FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell.
Farther west, Utah's DOT reported crashes on Interstate 80 Friday morning in Salt Lake and Tooele counties.
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Temperature whiplash
The snow is courtesy of a strong cold front that chopped temperatures by dozens of degrees in just hours. Denver reached a balmy high temperature of 77 degrees on Thursday afternoon but saw snow by Thursday night.
Video shot by Campbell showed people huddled in Boulder on Thursday night. Some were still wearing short-sleeved shirts.
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Late-season snowstorm begins in Boulder, Colorado
Snow began to fall in Boulder, Colorado Thursday evening, a late-season snowstorm could bring as much as 1-2 feet of snow to the Rockies through Saturday.
Parts of Montana picked up more than a foot of snow Wednesday into Thursday as the quick-moving low-pressure system made its way down the Rocky Mountains.
Places south of Jackson, Wyoming, saw fresh powder, including a herd of cows at a ranch in Sublette County, who could be seen trudging through the snow.
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Cows plod through snow-covered ranch as late-season snowstorm blankets Wyoming
Cows trudged through a snow-covered ranch in Sublette County, Wyoming. The significant late-season snowstorm is expected to bring high winds and as much as 1-2 feet of snow to the Rockies through Saturday (Video Credit: @RanaePape via Storyful).
Snow reached the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in New Mexico and the San Francisco Peaks of Arizona on Friday.
All told, parts of Colorado and Wyoming could see between 1 and 2 feet of snow.
The system begins to move into the Plains by Saturday afternoon, where snow will drop off.
April is actually the snowiest month for several Western states. Parts of Colorado, Wyoming and the Black Hills of South Dakota all usually receive their greatest average snowfall in April.
This graphic shows expected snow accumulations through Saturday, April 19, 2025 (FOX Weather)