DENVER, Colo. -- It has turned into a very cold start to December. After a day of near 60 degree temperatures on Tuesday, the weather has turned a cold shoulder across Colorado, and will stay chilly through the weekend.

Snow accompanied the arival of the coldwave with about 1 to 3 inches in Denver and 3 to 6 inches in the foothills. The heaviest total was around Rollinsville, with 8 inches reported. By late this afternoon, most of the snow had diminished to flurries. The snow should redevelop tonight, with another inch or so possible by tomorrow morning.

The colder weather will be with us for awhile, and will last through the middle of next week. Overnight lows will dip into single digits by early Thursday. Highs tomorrow will be lucky to break out of the teens! This will be the coldest string of temperatures for the season so far.

Temperatures will see a bit of a warm up on Friday. Look for a little sunshine and highs near freezing on both Friday and Saturday. It won't last long, though, the second surge of cold and wet air will move in this weekend. The next shot of cold air should be accompanied by several more inches of snow on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the El Nino situation is getting interesting. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the El Nino pattern is strengthening, and will likely last through this winter. What does that mean for Colorado's weather? Generally, Denver's temperatures are above-average over the course of an El Nino winter, with below-average precipitation. This is due to a more southerly storm track, with lows passing far to our south. However, as we get closer to spring, the southern branch of the jet stream sometimes moves a bit further north, bringing strong cyclones from the Pacific right over Arizona and New Mexico. That means the possibility of a snowy March and April. That's the way it has worked in the past. We will keep you posted on the impacts of El Nino throughout the winter season.