FRIGID CONDITIONS
Snow hit Loveland Wednesday, with temperatures hitting in the single digits
Loveland saw 4.5 inches of snow and frigid cold temperatures with wind chills into the negatives on Wednesday.
Loveland weather spotter Chris Knoetgen said that, as of around 5:20 p.m. Wednesday he had measured 4.5 inches of snow and .45 of liquid equivalent, adding that he believed that overnight Tuesday to Wednesday the weather started as rain before turning into snow.
Loveland also saw lower temperatures throughout Tuesday night into Wednesday. According to data from the National Weather Service, Loveland saw a high of 9 degrees throughout the day with a wind chill value as low as 8 below zero; the east northeast wind sat around 11 mph with gusts as high as 18 mph.
The weather also put Loveland into a winter storm warning that went into effect at 8 p.m. Tuesday until 8 p.m. Wednesday. The frigid temperatures led to the closure of the Thompson School District as well as the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office Wednesday, while Loveland and Larimer County offices started late, opening at 10 a.m.
It also put Loveland and Fort Collins on accident alert. Both police departments tweeted that people involved in any minor crash that does not involve injury, impairment, an uninsured vehicle or vehicles that are immovable should just exchange information and make a report on the Department of Motor Vehicles website.
While the temperatures were frigid as light snow fell Wednesday morning, local first responders did not receive many calls for crashes.
Loveland Fire Rescue Authority Battalion Chief Jason Goodale said they responded to a few minor crashes Wednesday morning as people were headed to work.
“Other than that it has been a routine day for us,” he said.
Temperatures are expected to gradually rise throughout the rest of the week.
Loveland was expected to remain in a wind chill advisory Wednesday night into Thursday with an overnight 7 below zero and a wind chill as low as 16 below zero; the weather service predicted a chance of less than 1 inch inch of new snow falling overnight.
Thursday is expected to see a high near 14 degrees, though wind ranging from 6 mph to 15 mph gusts could bring the temperature down to a wind chill of 15 below zero.
Temperatures are expected to rise Friday and into the weekend, with a Friday high of 33, a Saturday high of 46 and a Sunday high of 49.