English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Highlands Ranch, CO

DENVER — It wouldn’t be Colorado if we didn’t have critical fire danger conditions followed by heavy snow just a day later. But that’s exactly the scenario that will play out across parts of the state as we head into the tail end of the work week.

Warm and dry conditions were felt Thursday across the Denver metro as temperatures reached the upper 60s to low 70s. Windy conditions along and south of I-70 also gave way to high fire danger, with unseasonably warm temperatures in the 70s and near 80 degrees in far southeast Colorado.

Those winds, along low humidity values, prompted the National Weather Service in Boulder to issue another red flag warning from Castle Rock all the way down south the New Mexico border until 6 p.m. Thursday.

But in true Colorado fashion, weather conditions will drastically change late Thursday night into Friday, when a powerful winter storm swings into Colorado, ushering in heavy mountain snow that will then spread across the plains Friday.

What’s going to happen in the mountains?

A winter weather advisory will go into effect for the next 24 hours starting midnight Thursday for the High Mountain Parks, the Front Range Foothills, the Park Range mountains, and the Palmer Divide. Between 3 inches and up to a foot of snow are forecast for the area, with the heaviest amounts falling in the southern foothills.

The northern and southern Front Range foothills, as well as Castle Rock, Elizabeth, and Larkspur will be under a winter weather advisory for about 24 hours starting midnight Thursday. Total snow accumulations for these areas could be anywhere between 3 inches and a foot of snow, according to the National Weather Service.

The biggest impacts from this snowstorm, however, will be felt across the Front Range mountains, the Medicine Bow Range, the mountains of Summit County and the Mosquito Range.

A winter storm warning will be in effect midnight Thursday through midnight Friday for those areas due to gusty winds reaching 40 mph. Blowing and drifting snow along the higher mountain passes will make for extremely treacherous driving conditions. The NWS said Thursday they expect between 6 and 15 inches of snow to fall along these areas.

Weather service officials said localized snowfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour can be expected under the heaviest showers/snow bands, “most likely along and south of the I-70 mountain/foothills corridor, and across the Palmer Divide.”

Those traveling to the mountains or foothills will encounter a tough morning commute Friday, with evening ski travel also particularly impacted by the evening, according to the NWS.

How much snow can we expect in the Denver metro?

So far, it looks like it’ll be a slushy and snowy Friday for the Denver metro area, according to Denver7 chief meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo.

The shift will begin late Thursday night when the cold front moves over into the plains, bringing temperatures down to near freezing by sunrise.

NWS officials said a few rain/snow showers are possible overnight for the urban corridor, mainly north of Denver, “but almost all of the snow will hold off until after daybreak Friday.”

“Friday morning will see the bulk of the impacts as steady snow develops across the I-25 corridor and becomes heavier in our mountains and foothills,” they wrote in Thursday’s forecast discussion.

Between a trace to 2 inches of snow are expected for Denver, with heavier snowfall totals south and west of the metro, according to the NWS.

"Overall, it looks like light amounts of snowfall ... should be pretty slushy here for our area; it's just been so warm lately," said Denver7 meteorologist Stacey Donaldson. "If you are skiing in the next couple of days, some great powder on the way."

Friday’s snowstorm will break Denver’s long spell of unseasonably warm temperatures this winter. The last time the Mile High City had any measurable snowfall was on Jan. 25.

“Commuters should prepare for slick conditions in the morning regardless,” forecasters wrote Thursday, adding northern portions of the I-25 corridor will be less favored.

The plains will also see limited accumulations as temperatures hovering in the mid to upper 30s, “despite a likely band of greater precipitation extending northeast from the Palmer Divide into the Morgan, Washington and Logan county lines, forecasters said.

Highs on Friday for the I-25 corridor will be in the mid to upper 30s, with temps below freezing in the high country.

Milder and drier weather will return Saturday with a high of 50, and the warming trend continues through Monday, with a high for Denver of 71 degrees.

Colorado snow totals

Here are possible “expected” and “high-end” snow totals across Colorado and the Denver metro area from the NWS.

Here are links to cold weather shelter information and other resources for Denver metro communities.

The City of Denver has activated its cold weather shelter plan.

"All shelter sites are pet-friendly and provide food, showers, and blankets. Transportation will run daily from downtown shelters to cold weather shelter sites. Security will be present at each site, and shelters will deactivate once weather improves," wrote the city in a news release.

Here's additional information from the city on places to find shelter:

Posted

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — A woman, who was a 2025 Colorado Teacher of the Year finalist, has pleaded guilty after she was charged in connection with an inappropriate relationship with a student at STEM School Highlands Ranch.

Tera Johnson-Swartz, 45, of Castle Rock was arrested in February 2025 and was charged on various counts, including second-degree kidnapping and sexual assault on a child from a potion of trust. She was a former English teacher at the school.

She pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of cybercrime. Both are class 3 felonies. Her sentencing hearing has been set for March 30, 2026.

According to Johnson-Swartz's arrest affidavit obtained by Denver7 in 2025, a Douglas County detective began working this case on Feb. 18, 2025. The detective spoke with the male victim, a juvenile of unknown age, who said he had known Johnson-Swartz for about a year and a half and was in a small class led by her. The two exchanged music and the juvenile made a playlist for her. Johnson-Swartz put her number in his phone, the affidavit read.

When asked by a detective, the juvenile said some of the texts back and forth were "more intimate discussions," the affidavit reads. At some point, the teacher picked the student up in her car and they kissed, according to the document. The juvenile said they both knew what they were doing was wrong.

On Jan. 22, 2025, detectives met with a couple — who appeared to be the parents or guardians of the juvenile, though it is unclear in the redacted affidavit — who said they are the only ones who can give permission for him to leave the school. The couple found deleted texts between the juvenile and Johnson-Swartz that contained about 2,400 messages and confronted the juvenile about it. In several of the messages, Johnson-Swartz told the juvenile to delete the texts, the affidavit reads.

That same day, a detective reviewed downloaded text exchanges from the juvenile's phone. The conversation between the student and Johnson-Swartz appeared to begin on Dec. 18, 2024 and the last message visible was Jan. 15, 2025.

On Jan. 29, 2025, an attorney reached out to the sheriff's office to say she had been retained as counsel for Johnson-Swartz.

A few weeks later, on Feb. 20, a detective spoke with the juvenile again, who admitted that they had seen Johnson-Swartz two days prior, when she picked him up at school and they drove around before parking in a neighborhood and talking about the investigation. Johnson-Swartz then drove the juvenile back to school, the affidavit reads. A license plate recognition program confirmed these movements of Johnson-Swartz's car.

After her arrest, Johnson-Swartz was charged with second-degree kidnapping, two counts of sexual assault on a child from a position of trust, electronic sex communications, sexual assault with at least a 10-year age difference, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. A grand jury indicted her on those charges.

When the Douglas County Sheriff's Office announced her arrest, Denver7 learned she was named a 2025 Colorado Teacher of the Year finalist — one of seven out of a pool of 1,300.

In July 2025, new charges were added because Johnson-Swartz allegedly violated a protection order by contacting the student, the district attorney's office confirmed to Denver7. Those charges included tampering with a witness and three counts of a violation of a protection order.

Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.

Copyright 2026 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Posted 7:36 PM, Jan 19, 2026

DENVER — Winter returned to Colorado overnight Sunday after a heatwave brought near record-breaking temperatures to the Front Range.

Most of Denver picked up around 2 inches or much-needed snow accumulation, but the Mile High City remains behind for the season.

Parts of the high country experienced a stronger impact, with some areas seeing up to 8 inches of fresh powder following Sunday’s storm.

Snowfall ended across Denver and the Front Range by 7 a.m., and the skies rapidly turned sunny, but cold temperatures remain.

Here are the latest snow totals reported to the National Weather Service as of Monday morning. Scroll down to see 24-hour snow reports from Colorado ski resorts.

1 SW Eldora, CO — 8

Limon, CO — 5.3

2 NE Rollinsville, CO — 4.3

Nederland, CO — 4.1

Genoa, CO — 4

Hugo, CO — 4

1 WNW Loveland Pass, CO — 4

11 NE Ponderosa Park, CO — 3.5

1 W Allenspark, CO — 3.3

5 S Manila Village, CO — 3.2

3 NE Nederland, CO — 3.1

4 SSW Buckley AFB, CO — 3

5 S Cedar Point, CO — 3

4 NE Nederland, CO — 3

2 ESE Buckley AFB, CO — 2.8

3 S Aurora, CO — 2.8

4 NW Agate, CO — 2.7

4 SSE Pinecliffe, CO — 2.7

1 N Lawson, CO — 2.7

10 E Arapahoe Park, CO — 2.6

3 WSW Aurora, CO — 2.5

2 SW Estes Park, CO — 2.5

1 E Cherry Hills Village, CO — 2.5

3 N Cherry Creek Reservoir, CO — 2.4

2 S Estes Park, CO — 2.3

3 NW Columbine, CO — 2.3

1 SE Littleton, CO — 2.2

1 WSW Aurora, CO — 2.1

4 NNW Aurora, CO — 2.1

2 SW Estes Park, CO — 2.1

1 SE Lakewood, CO — 2.1

3 N Foxfield, CO — 2

2 E Foxfield, CO — 2

5 NE Parker, CO — 2

1 NW Lone Tree, CO — 2

2 NNW Lone Tree, CO — 2

1 N Centennial, CO — 2

1 SSW Denver Intl Airport, CO — 2

1 S Crescent Village, CO — 2

3 NNE Pinecliffe, CO — 2

1 NNE Lafayette, CO — 2

2 SSE Winter Park, CO — 2

2 SSE Loveland, CO — 2

2 WNW Estes Park, CO — 2

2 NNW Sheridan, CO — 2

1 N Littleton, CO — 2

Littleton, CO — 2

1 NE Littleton, CO — 2

2 SW Blue Valley, CO — 2

1 WSW Greenwood Village, CO — 2

1 ESE Ken Caryl, CO — 2

2 ESE Lakewood, CO — 2

1 SSW Copper Mountain, CO — 2

3 SW Breckenridge, CO — 2

Georgetown, CO — 2

2 N Timnath, CO — 2

1 SW Wellington, CO — 2

3 NNW Horsetooth Mountain, CO — 2

1 ENE Littleton, CO — 1.9

2 NE Cherry Hills Village, CO — 1.8

3 E Denver, CO — 1.8

1 NW Laporte, CO — 1.8

3 ENE Highlands Ranch, CO — 1.7

2 SE Timnath, CO — 1.7

1 E Gary, CO — 1.6

1 E Gary, CO — 1.6

2 NW Loveland, CO — 1.6

1 W Windsor, CO — 1.6

1 N Sunshine, CO — 1.6

1 SSE Wellington, CO — 1.6

1 SE Fort Collins, CO — 1.6

1 WNW Crescent Village, CO — 1.5

2 SE Boulder, CO — 1.5

2 N Boulder, CO — 1.5

2 N Campion, CO — 1.5

2 NW Loveland, CO — 1.5

4 W Pinewood Springs, CO — 1.5

4 E Denver, CO — 1.5

2 ENE Denver, CO — 1.5

2 WSW Lakewood, CO — 1.5

3 NW Fort Collins, CO — 1.5

2 NNW Fort Collins, CO — 1.5

4 S Fort Collins, CO — 1.5

1 N Fort Collins, CO — 1.5

1 ENE Fort Collins, CO — 1.5

1 NW Pinewood Springs, CO — 1.4

5 NW Campion, CO — 1.4

2 NNE Loveland, CO — 1.4

1 ENE Windsor, CO — 1.4

3 SSE Laporte, CO — 1.4

Burlington, CO — 1.3

1 SSE Lone Tree, CO — 1.3

1 NNE Edgewater, CO — 1.3

Pinewood Springs, CO — 1.3

3 E Loveland, CO — 1.3

3 WNW Loveland, CO — 1.3

1 E Greeley, CO — 1.3

7 E Virginia Dale, CO — 1.3

1 SE Waverly, CO — 1.3

1 SSW Fort Collins, CO — 1.3

2 ESE Foxfield, CO — 1.2

2 NW Boulder, CO — 1.2

3 W Campion, CO — 1.2

1 E Milliken, CO — 1.2

2 E Greeley, CO — 1.2

4 SSW Mead, CO — 1.2

5 E Jamestown, CO — 1.2

1 NE Brookvale, CO — 1.2

1 ESE Highlands Ranch, CO — 1.2

Wellington, CO — 1.2

3 NNW Fort Collins, CO — 1.2

3 SW Ponderosa Park, CO — 1.1

1 ESE The Pinery, CO — 1.1

2 NW Boulder, CO — 1.1

3 SSW Boulder, CO — 1.1

2 S Boulder, CO — 1.1

2 NE Northglenn, CO — 1.1

4 WNW Arvada, CO — 1.1

3 E Loveland, CO — 1.1

3 E Longmont, CO — 1.1

2 ENE Longmont, CO — 1.1

2 WNW Timnath, CO — 1.1

2 WNW Cherokee Park, CO — 1.1

2 NNE Monument, CO — 1

3 ESE Lone Tree, CO — 1

4 W La Salle, CO — 1

2 WSW Greeley, CO — 1

1 W Boulder, CO — 1

2 W Boulder, CO — 1

1 WNW Boulder, CO — 1

1 SE Todd Creek, CO — 1

1 W Brighton, CO — 1

2 W Boulder, CO — 1

3 NNW Marshall, CO — 1

2 NNW Marshall, CO — 1

1 NW Federal Heights, CO — 1

2 SE Mountain View, CO — 1

1 W Wheat Ridge, CO — 1

1 ENE Arvada, CO — 1

1 NNW Arvada, CO — 1

3 S Drake, CO — 1

4 WSW Berthoud, CO — 1

2 E Longmont, CO — 1

2 N Longmont, CO — 1

1 S Wiggins, CO — 1

5 E Jamestown, CO — 1

Lyons, CO — 1

1 W Firestone, CO — 1

3 SSW Evergreen, CO — 1

2 SSE Kittredge, CO — 1

2 S Tiny Town, CO — 1

2 ESE Fort Collins, CO — 1

3 S Fort Collins, CO — 1

4 ENE Cedar Point, CO — 0.9

2 SE Castle Pines, CO — 0.9

1 NW Broomfield, CO — 0.9

1 NW Broomfield, CO — 0.9

3 NW Louisville, CO — 0.9

2 WNW Erie, CO — 0.9

2 E Broomfield, CO — 0.9

2 NE Thornton, CO — 0.9

Arvada, CO — 0.9

3 SSE Hygiene, CO — 0.9

3 WSW Frederick, CO — 0.9

3 W Frederick, CO — 0.9

1 NW Niwot, CO — 0.9

2 WNW Chatfield Reservoir, CO — 0.9

3 N Milton Reservoir, CO — 0.8

2 NW Boulder, CO — 0.8

3 W Westminster, CO — 0.8

2 N Louisville, CO — 0.8

1 ENE Boulder, CO — 0.8

2 NE Westminster, CO — 0.8

4 WSW Drake, CO — 0.8

3 S Hygiene, CO — 0.8

3 SSE Hygiene, CO — 0.8

1 N Castle Rock, CO — 0.7

3 SSW Castle Pines, CO — 0.7

3 SE The Pinery, CO — 0.7

1 WSW Lafayette, CO — 0.7

2 WSW Northglenn, CO — 0.7

1 NNE Milliken, CO — 0.7

2 S Hygiene, CO — 0.7

3 SSW Niwot, CO — 0.7

3 SW Highlands Ranch, CO — 0.7

6 NE Nunn, CO — 0.7

1 NNW Louisville, CO — 0.6

3 SSE Woodlin School, CO — 0.5

2 SSE Woodlin School, CO — 0.5

3 ENE Castle Rock, CO — 0.5

2 NW Todd Creek, CO — 0.5

3 S Evergreen, CO — 0.5

3 WSW Roxborough Park, CO — 0.5

3 SSE Four Corners, CO — 0.5

Briggsdale, CO — 0.4

2 SSW Castle Rock, CO — 0.3

3 S Windsor, CO — 0.3

2 NNE Shaffers Crossing, CO — 0.3

1 NNW Grant, CO — 0.3

Walden, CO — 0.3

3 WNW Fairplay, CO — 0.2

Elizabeth, CO — 0.1

COLORADO SKI AREA SNOW REPORTS

Eldorahttps://www.eldora.com/the-mountain/conditions-weather/current-conditions-forecast

Keystonehttps://www.keystoneresort.com/the-mountain/mountain-conditions/snow-and-weather-report.aspx

Loveland Ski Areahttps://skiloveland.com/snow-report

Steamboat https://www.steamboat.com/the-mountain/mountain-report

Wolf Creek Ski Areawolfcreekski.com/wcs-snow-report/

Denver weather stream

Copyright 2026 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.