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Snowy start to week for truckers in Rockies

Late-season storm could dump up to 12 inches of snow in mountains west of Denver

(Photo: Colorado DOT)

Rockies snow

Snow will blanket parts of the Colorado Rockies Monday through Tuesday as a low-pressure system moves through the region. This storm could bring the Denver metropolitan area its first measurable snowfall this month.

The heaviest snow will hit the mountains west of Denver along the I-70 corridor, with totals of 8 to 12 inches possible in the Eisenhower and Johnson tunnel areas. Berthoud Pass could see 8 to 14 inches, with 4 to 8 inches around Vail Pass and Winter Park. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for these areas.

Many spots in the Upper Foothills will get hit with 4 to 8 inches. However, some high elevations could see 12 inches or more. Places like Evergreen and Palmer Lake in the Lower Foothills may see up to 6 inches, with Golden and Estes Park likely getting 4 inches or less.


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In the Denver metropolitan area, the low elevation areas are not in favor of much snow accumulation as temperatures will probably stall out in the middle 30s, and precipitation will start as rain. But most spots will see measurable snowfall — at least one-tenth of an inch — for the first time this month. Most locations should end up with 1 to 4 inches by late morning Tuesday, with just a few areas at less than an inch or more than 4 inches.

Winter storms are common in the late spring in Colorado, but they don’t always include Denver with a chance for snow accumulation. The last time there was May snow accumulation in Denver was May 22, 2019.

SONAR ticker: Van Outbound Tender Volume Index (VOTRI)

Denver has a decent amount of dry van freight available for drivers to pick up. The latest FreightWaves SONAR data shows the Denver market’s Van Outbound Tender Volume Index in medium blue, indicating a fairly high amount of loads being offered by shippers to carriers.

Southern soaker

Periods of heavy rain could lead to flash flooding and potential road closures this week across the South. Totals of 6 inches or more may drench areas from Texas to southern portions of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. Thunderstorms could produce severe winds, large hail and isolated tornadoes.


Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Nick Austin.

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Nick Austin

Nick is a meteorologist with 20 years of forecasting and broadcasting experience. He was nominated for a Midsouth Emmy for his coverage during a 2008 western Tennessee tornado outbreak. He received his Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from Florida State University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Management from the Georgia Tech. Nick is a member of the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association. As a member of the weather team at WBBJ-TV in Jackson, Tennessee, Nick was nominated for a Mid-South Emmy for live coverage of a major tornado outbreak in February 2008. As part of the weather team at WRCB-TV in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Nick shared the Chattanooga Times-Free Press Best of the Best award for “Best Weather Team” eight consecutive years.