Forecasters say 2012 will wrap up with cold and snow as a storm rolling into the Pikes Peak region Sunday.
The high temperature for Sunday is expected to be around 40 degrees, but cold and snow will likely blow in late in the day, said Steve Hodanish, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Pueblo.
“After midnight we’ll see a good chance for some snow,” he said. More snow could arrive Monday afternoon.
Any moisture is welcome after an exceptionally dry year. December has brought just over a quarter inch of precipitation, bringing the 2012 total to just over 8 inches, about half of the normal total.
Forecasters said high temperatures Monday will hang near 20 degrees.
People in the city could see two inches of snow from the storm and areas including northern El Paso County could get double that amount, Hodanish said.
“People need to be careful new Year’s Eve,” he said, “The roads will be slick.”
The storm may hide a New Year’s tradition: The AdAmAn fireworks launched by hikers from the top of Pikes Peak could be veiled by storm clouds.
Although there isn’t a good likelihood that people in at the foot of the mountain will be able to see the colorful display, Hodanish said the clouds could part.
“It depends how fast it moves out,” he said.