Colorado Storm Dumps Heavy Snow And Disrupts Schools

It was a week of dramatic weather swings across Colorado, as a major winter storm swept through the state from Thursday afternoon into Friday morning, January 9, 2026. After an unseasonably warm and dry December, residents from Denver to Colorado Springs were jolted by heavy snowfall, gusty winds, and travel disruptions that left their mark on schools, commutes, and daily routines.

According to the National Weather Service in Pueblo, snow began falling in the Colorado Springs area Thursday afternoon, intensifying throughout the evening. By the time most people woke up Friday, the landscape had transformed into a wintry scene, with accumulations ranging from a few inches in some places to more than a foot in others. Security, in El Paso County, topped the charts with a whopping 15 inches, as reported by KDVR. Other notable totals included 14.3 inches near Sawpit, 13.3 inches near Peterson AFB, and a solid 12 inches in Woodland Park.

The storm didn’t strike everywhere equally. Denver, which had just experienced its second latest first snow in city history and its second warmest December, saw a relatively modest 1.1 inches at Denver International Airport, though some western suburbs like Arvada and Golden received between 4 and 6 inches, according to the Denver Gazette. The southern metro area, including Castle Rock, picked up 3 to 4 inches. Warmer ground temperatures in Denver caused much of the snow to melt on contact, but slick roads still posed hazards for Friday’s morning commute.

For many in the Pikes Peak region, the storm’s impact was immediate. School District 49, which covers northeast Colorado Springs and the Falcon area, called off classes for Friday. James Irwin and CIVA charter schools also shut down, while other schools opted for two-hour delays. Even Fort Carson, the area’s major military installation, delayed its start to 10 a.m. to give personnel time to navigate the treacherous roads. The Gazette noted that a winter storm warning remained in effect for El Paso County until 2 p.m. Friday.

Travelers faced a gauntlet of challenges. "Icy or snow-packed roads will make for slippery conditions, and visibility may be reduced due to blowing snow," warned Alex O’Brien, meteorologist with KOAA, as cited by the Gazette. Gusts reached up to 40 mph in Colorado Springs and as high as 50 mph in some areas, according to KKTV. The bulk of the snow fell overnight, with rates of one to two inches per hour recorded between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. Friday. The result? A messy morning commute, with the worst conditions reported along the Palmer Divide, I-25 between Denver and Colorado Springs, and I-70 east toward Limon.

Winter weather advisories and warnings blanketed the state, stretching from Pueblo County and the plains to El Paso County, Walsenburg, and Trinidad. The National Weather Service in Boulder advised Denver motorists to “allow extra time for your commute. If you can delay it a little bit until after 8 or 9 a.m., you should be better off.” Meteorologist Russell Danielson added, “Especially downtown and westward, those area might have some slick roadways.”

The storm’s origins traced back to a robust system moving across Arizona and into New Mexico on Thursday evening. As it developed into what meteorologists call an Albuquerque Low, the heaviest snow targeted southern and southeastern Colorado. The northern Front Range, including Denver, was spared the worst thanks to a lack of upslope conditions, but Castle Rock still managed to pick up between 2 and 6 new inches, while foothills communities like Conifer, Evergreen, and Bailey saw 1 to 3 inches.

In Colorado Springs and its surrounds, the numbers were even more impressive. Forecasts called for 4 to 10 inches in Colorado Springs proper, 5 to 10 in Monument, 7 to 12 in Manitou Springs and Woodland Park, and 5 to 10 in Palmer Lake. Fort Carson was in the 5 to 10 inch range as well, with places like Rye topping out at 7 to 14 inches. Even outlying areas like Fountain, Cripple Creek, and Falcon were blanketed with several inches.

The snow was accompanied by a sharp drop in temperatures. Highs on Friday hovered in the upper 20s to low 30s in Colorado Springs and Denver—about 10 degrees below Denver’s average for January 9, according to National Weather Service records. Overnight lows dipped into the teens and 20s, and the wind chill made it feel even colder. For those hoping for a quick thaw, forecasters had some good news: by Friday afternoon, the snow was expected to taper off and skies would begin clearing, with the sun making a welcome return for the weekend.

Saturday promised a chilly start, with lows in the single digits in some parts of southern Colorado, but highs rebounded into the upper 30s and 40s. By Sunday, more seasonable mid-40s were expected in Colorado Springs, while Denver was forecast to enjoy highs of 44 on Saturday, 53 on Sunday, and even warmer temperatures into the following week, as reported by the Denver Gazette.

Despite the rapid return to sunshine, the storm’s effects lingered in the form of icy sidewalks, snow-packed side streets, and the occasional school closure or delay. The region’s weather teams, including KOAA’s Pinpoint Weather and KRDO13, urged residents to keep abreast of changing conditions and to use caution when venturing out, especially in the high country and areas where winds continued to whip up drifts and reduce visibility.

For many Coloradans, the storm was a stark reminder of how quickly winter can arrive—even after a stretch of record warmth. The snow brought much-needed moisture to a state that had been running dry, but also served up a fresh set of challenges for schools, commuters, and anyone brave enough to tackle the roads. As the sun returns and the snow melts, residents will no doubt be keeping an eye on the forecast, wondering just what the next twist in Colorado’s ever-changing weather might bring.