From 9,000-Foot Snow to Weekend Warmth: Navigating Western Colorado’s Wild 48-Hour Weather Reset

Winter threw one last elbow at Western Colorado overnight, and Friday morning is going to be a rude awakening for a lot of people.

Sub-freezing temperatures are already showing up in some valleys along and north of I-70, so if you're heading out early, watch yourself, icy roads and reduced visibility are real possibilities where precipitation has been accumulating overnight.

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Friday: Ugly Morning, Decent Afternoon

The cold front that's been pushing through will continue exiting west to east through the morning, with shower chances dropping off after sunrise.

Snow levels are falling fast behind the front, so expect a quick changeover.  Mountains will see accumulations; valleys could see some snow mixed in, too.

The saving grace: once the front clears, most of the region dries out for the afternoon. Temperatures are still going to be rough, though; a lot of locations will struggle to hit 40F. Dress accordingly.

Friday Night: Protect Your Plants. Seriously.

This is the part that matters most for a lot of people.

Freeze Warnings are in effect Friday night into Saturday, and forecasters are putting a 90 percent chance that Saturday morning lows drop below 25 degrees across most of the area.

That's a hard freeze, not a light frost.

Get your tender plants covered or inside, and if you've got exposed outdoor plumbing, take care of it now, not at 2 a.m. when it's already frozen.

Read More: Living in a Postcard: Why Most Coloradans Haven’t Visited the State’s Top Bucket List Spots

The Weekend and Beyond: Back to Good

Saturday warms into the 50s and 60s under mostly clear skies.

Sunday kicks off a stretch of unseasonably warm weather that carries into early next week.

A possible low-pressure system lurking over the northern Pacific could bring moisture back later next week, but details are fuzzy.