Here it comes, the extreme cold
we've been talking about all week,
just about to show up in Colorado.
Over the next 24 hours we will experience
a severe drop in temperature resulting
in wind chills well below zero.
Yeah, it's the crazy cold,
but also there is snow coming
along with the cold front.
Taking a live look near the
Eisenhower Tunnel where you
can see traffic is heavy,
not even moving in some
some cases right there,
the mountains are going to get a
pretty good snowfall through today.
And tomorrow
here in Denver though, we're really,
really focused on the cold.
We have a thermometer in the backyard
that you're looking at live right
now sitting around 4546 degrees.
We expect that to drop into
drop quickly all throughout
the evening and the afternoon,
not in the backyard.
Thank you, Mart. Here
in studio with us is Kathy,
but Kathy this door is about to
slam shut cause it's been pretty
mild even breezy at times today,
but generally OK and if you didn't know
what was coming you'd be really shocked.
Well first let me say happy
winter solstice to both of you.
It is officially winter.
Yeah, it is going to feel like it.
We're going. It's just going to be
kind of a rapid smack from fall into
winter with this system coming in.
The leading edge of it is just
now moving into Northern Colorado.
Into Wyoming and Montana,
where we certainly do have the
potential for some accumulating
snow in areas of blowing snow.
Wind chill warning for Denver,
wind chill advisories are going to go out
across much of the lower 48 with the system.
That's going to be a big
problem for holiday travelers.
You wouldn't know there
was a system coming in.
When you look off to the east,
don't let that sunshine fool you.
In the high country,
it's been snowing all day and that snow is
going to turn heavier overnight tonight,
so this isn't the worst of it up there.
The front is knocking on
the door of northeastern.
Colorado,
we do have Denver now dropping to 42.
It's 4IN, Greeley,
Zero and Sterling minus six in Sydney.
So here is that cold air just
starting to move in from the north.
And we do see the coldest
air Stillwell north of us,
but it's going to come down the
Front Range and all the way down to
Texas over the next 12 to 24 hours.
So we made it to 50 today.
Nice way to say goodbye fall,
hello, winter,
because as we get into about the 8:30 hour,
we're down to 0 here,
minus five in Greeley 13.
Below 0 and sterling,
here you are at 3:00 AM here you
are at about 8:30 tomorrow morning.
Minus 12 in the city,
minus 15 in Greeley,
15 below 0 in Fort Collins,
and almost 20 below 0 in Sterling.
We do not get above 0 tomorrow.
Some of the models are suggesting we could
be minus 8 tomorrow for a high temperature.
We're hoping that is not the case,
but with the wind that's coming
with this system,
wind chill warnings continue.
We could see windchills east
of Denver to 55 below 0.
And that is life threatening
and very dangerous.
So you gotta remember the
pets you're exposed skin.
We have advisories for snow
and I'm going to cover this in
much more detail in Maine.
Weather in just a bit.
But here's the timing.
Clouds increasing,
winds increasing by 7:00 o'clock
should see the snow flying here into
the 8:00 and 9:00 o'clock hours and
then temperatures drop like a rock.
So in Maine weather,
winter is here,
dangerous Arctic cold coming
with the new season.
And I'll detail the snow forecast
because the morning drive tomorrow
will definitely be affected by that.
So a lot to talk about.
The guys in just a few
more minutes, Kathy,
I always think like sports fans,
whether people really are into the numbers,
the statistics that often tell a story of
what happened or what's going to happen.
We're used to in Colorado having a 70
degree day and then a 20 degree day,
things like that.
This seems like this might set a
record for sudden change though.
I mean, as sharp and quickly
as it can change this much,
it absolutely is.
It will be a storm for the record books.
It could be considered historic.
And unfortunately Tom,
when this system slides E to Colorado,
Blizzard warnings are already out.
Minneapolis, Chicago.
These areas could be in that wind and
snow that will impact holiday travel.
The cold goes all the way
to Texas and into Florida.
This is going to be a storm that a
lot of people are going to remember.
The Christmas of 2022.
This Christmas storm is going to
affect 1,000,000 millions of people.
It hasn't happened yet and I
already remember it. Thanks Kathy.
We'll see you in a few minutes,
alright. The impending cold means even
more pressure on city resources as
Denver responds to an ongoing influx
of migrants arriving in the city.
And today Denver's Mayor Michael
Hancock was addressing the city's
plan to deal with the weather.
Over these next few days.
The city's rec centers and the libraries
are going to be open during regular
hours for people to stop in and warm up.
The Denver Coliseum is going to be
open 24/7 at least through Saturday.
Denver's already declared a state of
emergency in hopes of getting more
resources to help the city accommodate.
More than 1300 migrants that have already
arrived since the start of the month,
Mayor Hancock also urged residents to take
precautions amid this dangerous cold.
The weather we are anticipating this
afternoon and through the next two days,
we'll be extremely dangerous,
and I encourage everyone to stay aside,
to seek shelter and to limit time outdoors.
And the Department of Housing
Stability and its partners are
also conducting outreach to those
in Denver who are unhoused.
Just an hour ago,
the Denver Coliseum opened its doors
for people who are looking for a
place to escape the dangerous cold.
Tonight, Denver City and county.
Officials say they have 250 beds ready.
Anyone is welcome news.
Reporter Courtney Ann Jones joins
us live from the Coliseum now,
I'm curious if anybody's shown
up yet at this point, Courtney.
Yeah, Jenny, people actually
started waiting outside the
Coliseum earlier this afternoon,
and you can see them here now,
lined up, waiting to get inside.
The doors opened at 3:00 PM
Denver City and county officials
are urging people to get indoors
as this extremely dangerous
cold weather approaches here,
and they say they're committed
to finding a place,
a warm place to stay for anyone who needs it.
The Department of Housing Stabilities
Outreach team and our partners have
three dozen staff members working
extended hours till till 9:00 PM daily,
putting all their efforts to getting
people inside safe from this
incoming storm so we can save lives.
The Denver Coliseum is one option for
people to come if they need shelter.
There's space for 250 people,
and Denver officials say if
they're if they run out of beds,
that they're working with community partners
to help with overflow accommodation.
The National Guard and Red Cross are
also here helping to hand out hygiene
kits and food for people who need it.
People looking to come to stay
at the Coliseum can bring their
service animal if they like.
The Denver Animal Protection and Denver
Dumb Friends League will be here to
assist people with service animals.
Britta Fisher with the Denver
Department of Housing Stability.
Says they have outreach workers out and
about today trying to look for people
who are experiencing homelessness,
urging them to get indoors,
giving them information about frostbite
and how to find a shelter to stay in.
The warming center here at the Coliseum
will be open through Saturday morning.
Denver City and county officials
say they'll assess the weather
conditions this weekend and decide
whether they need to stay open longer.
And
you hope, Courtney,
that the folks in the city can find
the people who need this resource.
You said they're out trying to do
outreach on the streets today because
not everybody has a TV now, but,
you know, has access to the Internet.
So hopefully they can get that message
to the people who need to hear it.
Courtney and thank you for reporting.