Updated Oct. 30, 2019 2:40 PM
As the calendar gets closer to November, it might as well be the middle of winter across the northern Rockies and High Plains.
A wave of Arctic air has infiltrated the northern tier of the United States this week, shattering record lows, and threatening as many as 70 others through Halloween.
A new monthly record was observed in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning. At 3:37 a.m. local time, the mercury dropped to 14 F, setting a new daily record as well. The old record low for Oct. 30 and the month of October in the city was 16 F.
In remote northern Utah, temperatures reached an astounding minus 45 F in Peter Sinks early Wednesday, easily making it the coldest location in the contiguous U.S and setting a new record for lowest October temperature in Utah. This temperature came one day after a low of minus 35 was reported in the area.
Subzero temperatures were reported in Wyoming Monday, smashing another round of temperature records.
The airport in Rawlins reported a low of minus 18 F, well below the previous record for the date of 7 F set back in 1991. In Laramie, the cold air brought temperatures to minus 10, well past the old record for the date of zero in 1996.
Multiple record lows were set in northeastern and central Nevada on Monday. The mercury dipped to 2 degrees Fahrenheit at the Ely, Nevada, airport, while at the Winnemucca airport, a reading of 3 degrees surpassed the previous low for the date of 10. Both records date back to 1970.
"This intense winter blast will be with the Intermountain West and High Plains for a couple days, with the coldest conditions lasting through Wednesday morning," Bill Deger, AccuWeather meteorologist, said.
Deger said some locations could experience temperatures around 45 degrees below normal. On Tuesday, Cheyenne, Wyoming, had a high of 8 degrees. A normal high for Oct. 29 in Cheyenne is 54.
AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures in Cheyenne ranged from minus 20 to 25 F on Tuesday morning.
Those planning to partake in Halloween festivities will certainly want to dress warmly on Thursday night.
By the end of the week, a modest rebound in temperature is forecast, but it will remain up to 20 degrees below normal in many areas, according to Deger.
AccuWeather meteorologist Jake Sojda pointed out that the cold this week will be extreme for even mid-winter standards in Colorado and Wyoming.
"Normal high temperatures in January for Denver and Colorado Springs are in the lower 40s, Sojda wrote. "High temperatures in both locations Wednesday will struggle to reach 20 degrees."
In addition to the frigid air, a winterlike storm brought snow from areas of Idaho to Nebraska.
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A cross-country skier moves through Washington Park as an autumn snowstorm sweeps over the intermountain West, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Snowplows were out and about in Colorado Monday as the storm dropped accumulating snow, adding to what's been a very snowy October for parts of the state.
AccuWeather National Weather Reporter Jonathan Petramala is in Boulder, Colorado, and spoke to residents as well as Boulder officials as the snow fell.
"Normally here in Boulder we'll get snow, then it'll be a blue bird day the next day… bright and sunny and [the snow] will melt off, but three, four days of snow in a row [is] really atypical, especially for this time of year in October," Rich Mauro, a Boulder resident, told Petramala.
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Julie Causa, a spokesperson for the city of Boulder, told Petramala that motorists are being urged to give snow plow crews plenty of room to operate.
"Our snow crews have been on it since 3 a.m. Sunday, 24/7, clearing routes for roads and multi-use paths," Causa said.
Thanks to the 6.6 inches that arrived Tuesday, about 12.2 inches have fallen at Denver International Airport, making this the snowiest October since 2009 when 17.2 inches fell.
Over 400 flights were canceled at the airport Tuesday, according to FlightAware. Some travelers forced to stay overnight at the airport were given blankets at several different terminals and concourses.
A 67-mile stretch of Interstate 70 from Aurora to Limon was closed for several hours due to accidents and poor weather, according to KDVR.
State government offices in Denver and the surrounding suburbs closed at 2:30 p.m. local time Tuesday as a result of the disruptive weather. Denver Public Schools announced that all schools and administrative offices would be closed Wednesday.
On top of the snow, Denver only recorded a high of 18 F Thursday, which tied a record for the coldest October high temperature on record. The old record for Oct. 29 was 25 set in 1993.
A normal high for this time of year in Denver is 63.
The Mile High City also set a daily record low on Wednesday, with a temperature reading of 6 F, replacing the old record of 7 from 1991.
Denver Police responded to over 90 traffic accidents on Monday and credited Denver Public Works drivers for helping keep roads as clear as possible during the hazardous conditions. However, 143 crashes were reported on Tuesday.
By the time the storm winds down on Wednesday, there could be around 6-10 inches of new snow around Boulder and Denver.
"If you must drive, take your time, take it slowly," the Denver Police Department said on Twitter.
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