By AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Sep. 5, 2020 12:01 PM
A drastic temperature swing and a dose of early season snow will have residents from Montana to New Mexico wondering what month it is by Tuesday.
A storm is forecast to bring a mixture of rain and snow across the Intermountain West and the Plains Monday through Tuesday night, spreading precipitation from northern Montana to Texas.
Snow is forecast to begin falling in the northern Rockies of Montana and Wyoming on Monday, before extending southward through northeastern Utah, Colorado, and northern New Mexico into midweek.
Ski resorts in Montana have had a few snow showers already this year. Big Sky Resort in southwestern Montana got a few flakes on the last day of meteorological summer, Aug. 31.
"Snow is common for the northern Rockies in the month of September, but the earliest measurable snow accumulation on record for a place like Denver is Sept. 3," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Nicole LoBiondo.
With snow set to arrive in the greater Denver area early Tuesday, that's less than a week after the earliest snowfall on record.
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A significant snowfall is in store above 7,000 feet, on average, from western Montana to Wyoming and Colorado. It is in this area that 6-12 inches of snow is forecast and an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 18 inches is possible.
With elevations of 5,000 to 7,000 feet from Montana to northern New Mexico, a few inches of snow can fall, especially on non-paved surfaces. But, overall, snowfall levels will tend to be lower across the northern part of the Rockies, amounting to more snow.
Elevations below 5,000 feet are forecast to see a few flakes, which at times are likely to be mixed in with rain. Perhaps enough snow could fall for a dusting of snow on non-paved surfaces, but any accumulations will likely be slushy.
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Roadways are likely to initially be wet given the magnitude of the heat ahead of the storm. As the cold air arrives with the storm and the ground begins to cool, however, roads and sidewalks could turn slick early on Tuesday. Pedestrians and motorists alike should be aware of the risk for slippery travel.
The weight of the snowfall on fully leafed trees could cause limbs and branches to break. In addition to damage to trees, fallen limbs could also lead to more widespread power outages.
In addition to the snow, this storm will usher in a temperature swing of as much as 65 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 48 hours.
A dip in the jet stream will allow cold air from Canada to rush southward and bring record-challenging low temperatures in cities like Billings, Montana, Cheyenne, Wyoming and Denver.
After Denver set an all-time record high for September of 101 F on Saturday, a strong cold front of the will help cold air to infiltrate the Colorado capital, bringing temperatures into the 30s Monday night.
This surge of winterlike air will bring a stark temperature contrast from Monday into Tuesday. It will feel about 50 degrees lower Tuesday morning, compared to the midday hours Monday in cities like Billings, Cheyenne and Denver.
Following a high temperature near 85 degrees during the day Monday, Cheyenne's low on Monday night is projected to bottom out near 25 degrees, which would tie the record set in 1962.
Temperatures this low have not been felt since early May in most locations.
Cold air will continue to rush southward through the middle of the week into New Mexico, northern Texas and Oklahoma. A blast of air this drastically cool is unusual for the South Central states for so early in the season. A charge of cool air in this manner in over the southern High Plains is often called a "blue norther."
The rush of cold air, contrasting with the heat being suppressed along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coats, will create windy conditions from Wyoming to Texas.
The drop in temperature plus the rainy and windy conditions forecast through Tuesday evening, will make it feel even more brisk than what the actual thermometer reading.
By Wednesday, places in northern Texas will have afternoon high temperatures in the middle to lower 60s. Conditions this cool have not been felt in these areas since late March.
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