The Denver area is forecast to receive several inches of snow Tuesday, with areas along the Front Range expecting up to a foot.

While Denver itself is only expected to receive up to four inches, areas west of the city — including Estes Park and Evergreen — could get at least a foot, if not two feet, the National Weather Service said Monday.

Douglas County municipalities, such as Castle Rock and Kiowa, could get up to eight inches of accumulation, the NWS said.

The snowfall is expected to be wet and heavy, leaving higher potential for broken tree limbs, officials said.

Here’s what you need to know about the storm.

When will it start snowing in Denver?

After Denver-area temperatures dip near 40 degrees overnight, precipitation will begin lightly falling Tuesday morning, starting off as rain before becoming snow throughout the day as temperatures continue to fall, according to the NWS.

Snow accumulation will significantly pick up around Tuesday’s 6 p.m. evening rush hour — just as temperatures near freezing — and will continue into Wednesday, likely disrupting the morning commute as well. In total, the Denver area is expected to receive up to four inches.

While those in the Denver area can expect only minor impacts from the storm, those in Douglas and Jefferson counties should drive more cautiously and expect closures and delays, the NWS said. Those west of Fort Collins could get up to two feet of snow and should avoid travel if at all possible.

Will my power go out?

Xcel Energy said it will have an estimated 165 employees and crew members on standby Wednesday to help restore any electric or natural gas outages.

Despite the caution, a spokesperson for the energy provider said there were no Public Safety Power Shutoffs planned for the week — a tactic usually reserved for instances of extreme wildfire risk.

Outage information, including anticipated restoration times when available, is accessible via the app or the online outage map.

Is it going to be safe to drive on I-70?

While the daytime temperatures will likely prevent much snow accumulation on metro area pavement on Tuesday, heavier snowfall in the foothills and mountain corridors, including along Interstate 70, is expected to impact driving conditions, the Colorado Department of Transportation said in a Monday news release.

Those who are expecting to travel during the storm’s peak impacts — Tuesday night into Wednesday morning — should prepare ahead of time and use extreme caution, CDOT said. Visibility may be limited and driving conditions may be slushy to snow-covered.

About 100 plows will first be clearing major roadways around the Denver area before doing the same with smaller streets, CDOT said. Those in Boulder and Larimer counties will likely see the most snow, and should prepare for dicey travel east of Interstate 25 and along I-70.

Drivers should check COTrip.org for the latest conditions and closures.

How normal is it for Denver to get snow in May?

The four inches of anticipated Denver snowfall seems like a fair amount considering multiple recent weeks of summer-like temperatures, but it is actually far lower than the record amount the city has received on the date.

On May 5, 1917, the city received 11.5 inches of snow — not only the maximum record only for the date, but also the most the city has ever received so late into the spring, according to the NWS.

Denver Gazette reporter Scott Weiser contributed to this story.