Rockies see wild temperature swing

A day after a heatwave scorched the western United States and set records in multiple states, below-freezing temperatures and an inch of snow blanketed Denver on Tuesday. The 60-degree drop in Colorado’s capital came much earlier in the year than typical extreme temperature shifts in the state. The National Weather Service predicted several inches of snow in the Rocky Mountains this week before another major change brings highs of more than 80 degrees to the region. Meanwhile, freeze and frost warnings spread across Montana, Idaho, Nebraska, and other states.

What effects did the weather have? The cold snap aided firefighters battling blazes in Colorado and other states, giving them a respite from the dry heat. Accompanying windstorms swept across Montana and Utah, sometimes gusting more than 100 mph in Salt Lake City. The winds knocked out power for many residents and led to cancellations of the first day of remote school.

Dig deeper: Read Rachel Lynn Aldrich’s report in The Sift about the damage another windstorm called a derecho caused in Iowa last month.