Weekend Winter Storm: Colorado National Guard On Standby

The Colorado National Guard will be deployed this weekend to respond to emergencies during the snowstorm, Gov. Jared Polis announced Thursday.

The national guard members will work with the state's Emergency Operations Center through Monday at noon to respond to search and rescue requests, Polis said.

"I urge you to stay home if it’s going to snow hard in your area so you don’t need them to rescue you," the governor said in a tweet.

With a winter storm warning issued for many Colorado regions, the governor urged Coloradans to hunker down. He appeared in a virtual news conference Thursday alongside transportation officials and Colorado State Patrol to ensure Coloradans are aware of what's ahead.

“Please, do the right thing this weekend and keep yourself and others safe by staying off the roads unless absolutely necessary, especially during the peak of this storm," Polis said.

"It’s critical that we let our state’s snow crews do their work to keep roads clear for our emergency and essential workers.”

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The National Weather Service warned Coloradans to finish their preparations for the storm by Friday. Residents should be prepared for power outages and impossible travel, the agency said.

"Total snow accumulations of 12 to 24 inches [are] possible,"the weather alert, which was updated Friday morning, read.

"Accumulations up to 30 inches [are] possible near Boulder and Fort Collins. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph."

Wind could gust up to 22 mph in metro Denver Saturday and 29 mph Sunday. Wind in Boulder will be a little less intense but not by much, the agency said.

"If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency," the warning read.

You can call 511 to check the latest road conditions, or you can check an interactive Colorado map and road cameras here.

"Travelers, including ski traffic, should plan to get to their destination Friday, and be prepared to stay through Monday," a weather alert on the COtrip web portal read.

"Snow is expected to be heavy and winds may create blizzard conditions. I-70 up to the Continental Divide and Foothills west of Denver/Boulder may see over 36 inches of snow."