A winter storm expected to hit southern Colorado on Wednesday could drop more than a foot of snow in the mountains and up to six inches in the southern metro area.

Meteorologists are having a tough time predicting how much accumulation different areas will see, but any reports of double-digit inches of snow are likely incorrect.

Sunshine is back on Friday and highs will be above average in the low to mid 50s around Colorado Springs. "If you still have any shoveling to do, and can wait until the afternoon - that's your best bet, as the sun and warmth will do a lot of the work for you," Meteorologist Alan Rose with Gazette news partner KOAA said.

Here are the lowest temperatures across Colorado on Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Here are the lowest temperatures across Colorado on Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Chances for snow will start in Denver around sunset, but snowfall will be more likely to start between 7 and 9 p.m. Sunday, forecasters said.

During the arctic blast over the weekend, Denver reached minus 11 degrees, but some places across Colorado were even colder.

Winter weather advisories or winter storm warnings were in place for seven states early Tuesday morning, with the National Weather Service forecasting up to 12 inches of snow for some parts of the country. Winter storms can cause power outages, while snow can interfere with travel and create dangerous driving conditions.

Wednesday’s welcome winter weather in Durango is expected to be short-lived, forecasters at the National Weather Service say. In what the Durango Weather guy called a “better than nothing storm,”

Frigid temperatures are expected to persist in Colorado Springs through Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with subzero overnight lows on Sunday and Monday, but the region should get a respite

"If you liked yesterday, you'll love today, with more gorgeous weather ahead for southern Colorado on Tuesday," Meteorologist Alan Rose with Gazette news partner KOAA said. "Skies will remain bright and sunny region-wide on Tuesday, helping to boost temperatures into the 40s and lower 50s on the Plains."