Denver, CO – Thanksgiving weekend travelers across the Rockies face an early winter blast as Arctic air drives in from the north, colliding with Pacific moisture to spark rounds of mountain snow and a sharp temperature drop. This pattern shift could bring hazardous road conditions from Montana passes to Colorado’s Front Range by Sunday night.
According to the National Weather Service offices in Billings, MT, and Boulder, CO, below-normal temperatures are favored across the northern and central Rockies from November 28 through December 4, with highs dropping into the teens and 20s at higher elevations and 30s across lower valleys. The Climate Prediction Center also shows above-normal precipitation, signaling potential for multiple snow events—particularly over the Tetons, the Wasatch, and Colorado’s central mountains.
According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, icy and snow-packed conditions are likely along I-70 west of Denver and I-25 north of Fort Collins through Sunday. Wind gusts up to 40 mph may create areas of blowing snow, while temperatures plummet below zero in parts of Wyoming and western Montana by early next week.
Travelers heading home after the holiday should be prepared for chain laws, slow traffic in high passes, and extreme wind chills. Officials urge packing emergency supplies, checking tire tread, and keeping full fuel tanks before crossing the Continental Divide. Outdoor enthusiasts should watch avalanche advisories as new snow layers atop older crusts.
