If you are in Denver on Wednesday, this storm is going to look pretty tame. Cold rain, gray skies, highs in the upper 40s.
Do not let that fool you into thinking the drive west will be the same.
Up at the passes, Wednesday into Thursday is shaping up to be the first major snow of the season on I-70. Rain down low, real snow up high, and a very cold night to finish it off. That split is the whole story this week.
What the forecast shows right now
Forecast checked Tuesday morning, October 13. All of the totals below are forecast, not what has fallen yet.
Around Eisenhower Tunnel, snow is in the forecast all day Wednesday, with a high near 35 degrees. Wednesday night looks like the heaviest stretch, with snow continuing and a low near 23 degrees. Thursday morning could still see snow before it tapers off, with a high only near 28 degrees.
Across the passes, plan on roughly 6 to 10 inches possible through Thursday, with more possible on the highest peaks. That is the range National Weather Service guidance and OpenSnow are pointing to for the high country in this storm. That range can still change, up or down, as the storm gets closer. Treat it as a planning range, not a promise.
Vail tells a different version of the same storm. Wednesday starts as rain, with a high near 48 degrees. Wednesday night the rain is expected to flip to snow, with a low near 34 degrees. Thursday morning could see snow showers, a high near 43 degrees, and then skies start to clear Thursday night as temperatures drop to near 20 degrees. Totals in town look lighter than at the tunnel, around an inch is possible in Vail itself. Up at Vail Pass, expect totals closer to that pass level range.
Denver stays on the rain side of the line. Rain is likely Wednesday and again Thursday morning, with a high near 53 degrees on Thursday. No snow is in the forecast for the metro from this system. Friday clears out for just about everyone, with sunshine and a high near 54 degrees in Vail and near 62 degrees in Denver.
The timeline to plan around
Wednesday daytime: This is the transition day. Wet in the metro, snowy at pass level. If you can cross early, you are likely to have an easier drive than later in the day.
Wednesday night: This is the window to watch most closely. Snow picks up around the tunnel, temperatures fall, and wet roads can get slick fast after dark.
Thursday morning: Snow could still be falling at the passes while Denver is just dealing with leftover rain. Give yourself extra time and expect a slower drive if you are headed west early.
Thursday night into Friday morning: The snow moves out, but the cold sticks around. Lows could drop into the teens near the tunnel and near 20 degrees in Vail. Any moisture left on the road can freeze overnight, so Friday morning can still have icy patches even with clear skies.
What to do before you drive
Check conditions right before you leave, not the night before. Conditions on this corridor change fast, and the forecast alone does not tell you what is happening on the road in real time. We will check CDOT and COtrip for live road status before we post any update about current requirements or closures.
Check your tires now, not in a parking lot on Wednesday. Good tread matters more on the first storm of the season because a lot of drivers are still in summer mode.
Slow down and leave room. The first snow of the season almost always catches people off guard. It is not just the snow. It is the mix of rain, slush, and ice in the same drive, sometimes within a few miles.
Pack the basics. Water, a phone charger, a warm layer, and a full tank or a solid charge. Most of the time you will not need any of it. On the days you do, you will be glad it is there.
If you can move your trip, consider it. Crossing on Friday after the system clears looks much easier on the current forecast than crossing Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
Why the first one hits different
By January, everyone is back in winter driving mode. In mid October, we are not there yet.
People are still running tires that should have been swapped. Afternoon rain makes the road look fine until you climb a few thousand feet and it is not fine anymore. And because Denver can look so different from the tunnel on the same day, it is easy to leave the city underprepared for what is waiting at the top.
That is exactly what this storm looks like on paper. Easy to underestimate in the metro, serious at pass level.
Stay safe out there, take it slow, and welcome to winter on I-70. It showed up right on schedule.
Photo: CDOT camera via COtrip, I-70 at the west side of Eisenhower Tunnel, captured Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
Forecast note: Sources checked Tuesday, October 13, 2026 include National Weather Service guidance, OpenSnow Colorado forecasts, and Weather.com forecasts for the Eisenhower Tunnel area, Vail, and Denver. Snow totals are forecast amounts and can change.