Late-season snow blankets Parker, Black Forest in unusual May storm

Snow was piling up in Parker and Black Forest on Tuesday as an unusually late spring storm raised the risk of slick roads, commute delays and scattered power outages across Douglas County and the Front Range.

The National Weather Service said the system would continue across most of northern and northeastern Colorado through early Wednesday afternoon, with snowfall totals of 4 to 10 inches expected along much of the I-25 corridor. In colder, snowier pockets, the Denver area could see 8 to 12 inches.

That much wet snow was a concern well beyond simple accumulation. Weather officials warned the heavy, dense snow could break tree limbs and bring down power lines, creating scattered outages along the Front Range and the I-25 corridor. The Wednesday morning commute could also turn slushy or slick as temperatures stayed cold enough for snow to stick in spots.

The timing made the storm stand out. Denver’s average date of last freeze is May 5, according to National Weather Service climate statistics, which puts this storm right against the usual end of the region’s freeze season. Even so, forecasters said snow in May is hard to pin down because warm ground temperatures and a high sun angle can limit how much snow actually accumulates.

Forecast discussions showed how much the atmosphere was changing over a short period. Snow levels dipped to around 4,600 feet early Tuesday, then rose to about 5,500 to 6,000 feet later in the day. Forecasters said snow could change to all snow above roughly 4,500 to 5,000 feet overnight, with the best chance for accumulation through early Wednesday morning before the storm tapered off from north to south.

The broader system had already produced major totals in the mountains. By Tuesday afternoon, Trail Ridge and Bear Lake had each picked up 20.4 inches, while Denver was starting to switch from rain to snow later in the day. FOX31 Denver said Tuesday and Wednesday were Pinpoint Weather Alert Days, underscoring the storm’s potential impact.

The storm also landed after a warm and dry winter. FOX31 Denver reported Denver had no measurable snow in February 2026, only the second time on record the city finished that month snowless. That made the white coating in Parker and Black Forest more than a weather oddity; it was a reminder that even in early May, Douglas County can still get hit with a storm that adds travel headaches, utility risk and unexpected costs in a single day.