On Thursday evening, the weather station at Christman Field in northwest Fort Collins established a record for the biggest temperature decrease in the station's 26-year history.
After 6 p.m., according to Russ Schumacher, a state meteorologist, between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., the temperature fell 26 degrees, from 82 degrees to 56 degrees, in 15 minutes and 29 degrees in 30 minutes.
According to the National Weather Service, the cold front will be met by easterly upslope winds on Friday, resulting in some remarkable snowfall totals.
Winter storm in Colorado
According to the Boulder National Weather Service, a winter storm is anticipated to move over sections of Colorado this weekend, as per CBS News.
The National Weather Service predicts 3 to 12 inches of heavy snow in Denver and the Palmer Divide, with snowfall reaching over 2 feet in the Continental Divide.
The rush of cold air associated with a deep upper trough will blanket most of the western United States today with abnormally cold temperatures and about of heavy mountain snows, first from the northern Rockies and then down to the Colorado Rockies, according to the National Weather Service.
The rush of cold air will cause temperatures to plummet from the 90s to freezing throughout the central High Plains, where a late-season winter weather event is expected to occur.
More than a foot of snow is possible throughout the higher altitudes of the Colorado Rockies, with additional snowfall forecast down into the middle High Plains.
The news comes barely 24 hours after Colorado had unusually high temperatures, with average temperatures in the upper 80s on Wednesday and Thursday.
Residents are already bracing for dangerous driving conditions and very cold temperatures.
Flights and boat ramps are being closed
If you are traveling out of or into DIA today or tomorrow, you should verify with your airline.
As of 1:30 p.m. According to FlightAware, there were 197 total cancellations at DIA on Friday. It is uncertain how many of them are weather-related, as per Coloradoan.
According to the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources' Twitter feed, all boat ramps at Horsetooth Reservoir and Carter Lake are closed until Saturday due to bad weather.
Also Read: SPC Issues Fire Weather Warning for Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas for April 29
Roads are being closed and significant tree damage are expected
Drivers should avoid driving in the mountains and foothills between Friday and Saturday morning and mid-afternoon, as major roadways such as the Cameron Pass are expected to have 19 to 30 inches of snow, as well as an avalanche hazard.
According to the NWS, significant tree damage can be predicted in areas with higher snowfall.
Residents in Colorado are advised to charge mobile phones and generators ahead of time, protect outside plants, dress correctly for the weather, and avoid parking or walking under snow-weighted trees.
According to the weather service, the mountains and foothills will likely have snow-covered roads by Friday evening, but the worst driving conditions will be Saturday morning through Saturday night, with hazardous travel conditions by then.
Drivers on I-25 may encounter slush on the roadways on Saturday, but travel along that section is not anticipated to be significantly hampered.
Related article: Denver Weather: Sudden Temperature Drop of At Least 50 Degrees Possible This Week