The Denver metro area and nearly all of Colorado is preparing for a deep freeze over the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. 

A low-pressure system is bringing an arctic blast of cold air southward from Canada and the effects of the storm will be felt for four days, including the entirety of the holiday weekend.

Colorado weather forecasters initially predicted low temperatures over the three-day weekend to range from -10 to -20, but those numbers have been dialed back some, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder. However, sub-zero temperatures each night are still forecast, and highs won’t climb out of the teens.

The NWS forecast for Friday afternoon has the arctic air mass making its way southward from Wyoming, bringing a 10-15 degree drop in temperatures over a one- to two-hour period. Accompanying the dramatic drop in temperatures will be snow, with showers developing around 4 p.m. in the north metro area. Accumulations of between 2-4 inches are forecast.

Saturday is forecast to have continued snow in the morning, with cloudy conditions and gusty winds. The high temperature will only reach 19, but wind chills are forecast to be in the single digits.

Sunday could bring a brief return of the sun. However, the cold air will remain in place and the high is forecast to be 15 degrees. Snow showers are expected to develop in the evening hours with another 2-4 inches possible.

Monday will be the coldest day of the outbreak, with a high temperature forecasted to only reach 10 degrees, with light snow continuing to fall throughout the morning hours. Monday night is expected to be the coldest night of the deep freeze, with a low temperature of -6 degrees in the city and -7 at Denver International Airport, the city’s official weather recording station.

Tuesday the sun will make a full return, with sunny skies and a high near 31 degrees, weather forecasters said. Tuesday night’s low is forecast to be around 10.

On average, the coldest recorded temperature annually in Denver since 1872 is -12 degrees.

Denver’s freezing-cold weather history

The National Weather Service recorded a low temperature of -19 degrees on both Jan. 15 and 16, 2024, during last year’s MLK Day weekend; the most recent bout of sub-zero temperatures. 

The last time -20 degrees or lower was recorded in Denver was Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, when the low was -24 degrees.

The last time -25 degrees or lower was recorded in Denver was Saturday, Dec. 22, 1990, when the low was -26 degrees.

The coldest low ever recorded in Denver was on Saturday, Jan. 9, 1875, when the low reached -29 degrees.

Emergency shelters open

Denver is offering four emergency shelters for homeless people to stay warm this weekend.

Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST) extended its operations of emergency shelters through 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21. By that time, HOST will have operated its emergency shelter sites for 22 days straight through two different extensions since Dec. 30.

The 24/7 sites include: The Stone Creek shelter (former Best Western hotel), 4595 Quebec St., the Aspen shelter (former DoubleTree hotel), 4040 Quebec St., plus city facilities located at 2601 W. 7th Ave. and 375 S. Zuni St.

Amid this weekend’s arctic blast, HOST is offering an additional shelter within the former DoubleTree hotel’s ballroom.

Additionally, Denver offers “Front Door” shelter access points for specific homeless demographics. Those sites include:

• For individual men: Denver Rescue Mission Lawrence Street Community Center, 2222 Lawrence St.

• For individual women: Samaritan House, 2301 Lawrence St.

• For youth ages 15-20: Urban Peak, 1630 S. Acoma St.

• Families in need of shelter should call the Connection Center at (303) 295-3366.

Reporter Noah Festenstein contributed to this report.