‘Biggest Snowstorm of the Season’ as Up to 36 Inches of Snow Loom in Colorado and Wyoming

Despite the calendar turning to May, a massive Pacific storm is currently slamming the Rocky Mountains, threatening to deliver the single largest snowfall of the season for parts of Colorado and Wyoming. After a winter defined by Accuweather as "snow-starved," this late-season surge is proving to be the most significant weather event of the year.

A Record-Breaking Shift for Colorado

This storm is arriving with historic implications for a region that has spent months under a "snow drought," according to the Accuweather report. Denver has only received 27.5 inches of snow since early October — just 57% of its historical average — while the mountains near Aspen have seen less than 30% of their typical seasonal snowfall.

Meteorologists note that if this storm delivers more than 3.5 inches of snow to Denver in a single day, it will be the city's largest one-day May snowstorm since 1983. For the metro area, the current seasonal high was 8.5 inches on March 6; this May system is expected to rival that number, potentially marking a dramatic late-season peak.

Up to 3 Feet Looms for the Rockies and Wyoming

The heaviest impacts are concentrated in the high country and across the state line into Wyoming:

• The Colorado Rockies: Totals of 14 to 24 inches are expected in the northern Front Range, with isolated areas above 9,000 feet potentially seeing up to 30 or 36 inches of accumulation.
• Cheyenne and Laramie: Southern Wyoming is in the crosshairs for 6 to 12 inches of snow, particularly along the I-80 Summit, where travel is expected to be hazardous through midday Wednesday.
• Pikes Peak and Sangre de Cristo: Heavy snow between 8 and 16 inches is forecast for the higher peaks, with winds gusting as high as 35 mph.

Where Winter Weather is Holding On

While the storm is a welcome sight for those fighting long-term drought and wildfire risks, it is creating a nightmare for travelers. Winter Storm Warnings remain in effect across a massive corridor, including:

• Boulder and Jefferson Counties: Heavy snow and slippery conditions are impacting the morning and evening commutes.
• Northern El Paso County: Totals between 5 and 10 inches are making roads slick over Monument Hill.
• Casper and Laramie Valley: Ongoing warnings highlight the risk of broken tree limbs and power outages due to the "clinging" nature of the heavy, wet snow.

As the storm clears out on Thursday, temperatures are forecast to rebound into the 60s for Denver, leading to rapid snowmelt and a quick return to spring conditions.