Snow in Colorado mountains expected to hamper Thanksgiving travel this week

DENVER — Colorado airports and highways will be crowded during Thanksgiving week as record numbers of people travel this holiday season. However, heavy snowfall in the mountains is expected to slow things down considerably.

Here’s what to expect this week.

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A winter storm system is moving toward Colorado, bringing heavy mountain snow with it. This system is expected to have a significant impact on travel, especially along the Interstate 70 mountain corridor, with slick, snowy roads and closures Tuesday through Wednesday.

The National Weather Service advises avoiding non-essential travel to the mountains during this time.

A winter storm warning has been issued for the high country as the storm begins to impact the mountains and valleys. Snow will be relatively persistent from Monday evening through Wednesday evening, with the heaviest snowfall occurring on Tuesday.

Heavy snowfall in the Colorado mountains just before Thanksgiving

Total accumulation from this system is expected to be approximately 10 to 20 inches in the mountains. In the Denver metro area, rain will change to snow Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning, but only a trace amount of snow is expected to fall.

The snow will disappear early Thursday morning, with mostly dry but cool conditions across the metro area. Temperatures in Denver will reach the 30s on Thanksgiving Day.

The weekend forecast is mostly dry and sunny, with cool temperatures remaining. The mountains may see scattered snow showers, but we will see a quiet period after the midweek storm.

Forecast warns of possible winter storms in the United States during Thanksgiving week

In other parts of the country, the weather is not looking as good.

The Midwest and Great Lakes regions will see rain and snow Monday and the East Coast will be hardest hit over Thanksgiving and Black Friday, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service office in Sacramento, California, issued a winter storm warning for the Sierra Nevada from Saturday through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at higher elevations and wind gusts up to 55 mph. Snowfall totals of around 4 feet were forecast, with the heaviest accumulations expected Monday and Tuesday.

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AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and the following Monday, most by car. However, snow in higher Colorado from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning will likely slow things down considerably.

Snowfall is expected to impact travel along the I-70 mountain corridor during this period, with light snow and minimal accumulation expected along the Interstate 25 corridor.

The Colorado Department of Transportation will sometimes require traction or chain laws during periods of heavy snowfall, and they advise travelers to check their tires before leaving. Worn tires don’t grip the road well, which can turn into a potentially dangerous experience. A good test to find out if you need new tires requires only 15 minutes.

CDOT is also warning drivers about increased DUI enforcement during the busy holiday season. From now until Dec. 4, the Colorado State Patrol and 75 local law enforcement agencies will be out in force during a Heat is On Thanksgiving campaign, complete with sobriety checkpoints and officers additional law enforcement officers on duty.

According to CDOT, between 2020 and 2023, Thanksgiving had the second highest average of fatalities on Colorado roadways during a holiday period. Additionally, Thanksgiving ranks third for holiday drunk driving deaths during the same time period.

Drivers should also be aware that Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons will be the worst times to travel by car, but navigating highways should be smooth on Thanksgiving, according to transportation analytics firm INRIX.

On the way back, the best travel times for motorists are before 1 p.m. on Sunday and before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on Monday, the company said.

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Denver International Airport officials said they plan more than 844,033 passengers by Monday, December 2. This represents an increase of 7.5% compared to last year’s travel period.

According to the DIA, the busiest travel days will be November 22, November 30 and December 1. More than 266,000 passengers are expected to pass through TSA security checkpoints, and the airport said Dec. 1 is expected to be the busiest day. , with more than 90,000 passengers.

If you plan to travel during this busy holiday period, we encourage you to arrive at the airport two hours before your boarding time, especially during peak times, which are 3:00 a.m. to 4:30 a.m., 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

As of Monday afternoon, only 23 flights had been delayed outside of DIA, according to FlightAware. On the East Coast, 44 fights were canceled and nearly 1,900 were delayed as of midday.

According to the organization MiseryMapSan Francisco International Airport is currently experiencing the most problems, with 53 delays and three cancellations between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. EST.

While that may seem like a lot of delays, they may not be that bad compared to last Friday, when the airport suffered 671 delays and 69 cancellations.

Tips to Make Holiday Travel a Little Easier

Traveling can be stressful in the best case scenario. Now add the high-functioning anxiety that seems to be ingrained in every holiday season and it’s clear that travelers might need some help calming their frazzled nerves.

Here are some ways to make your vacation travel a little less stressful:

• Make a checklist of what you need to do and what you need to bring
• Take your comfort with you: consider noise-canceling headphones, comfortable clothes, snacks and extra medications.
• Stay hydrated
• Stay informed of delays, gate changes and cancellations with your airline app

The Associated Press contributed to this report