DENVER -- Colorado enjoyed a beautiful, but chilly Christmas Eve! Temperatures only hit the mid to upper teens along the Front Range this afternoon.

Tonight will be very cold with lows near zero in the Denver metro area. Breezy northwest winds will make it feel even worse as wind chills dip into the -10 to -20 range.

The storm that brought Colorado snow on Wednesday is now over the midwestern United States. However, the storm is going to intensify as it moves northward into Iowa and Minnesota Christmas Day.

This storm is so big and powerful that Colorado will get more wind and snow for Christmas as the precipitation wraps around the low pressure system. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY will be in effect for the northeastern plains and for the northern mountains Friday morning through Saturday morning.

The biggest problem for travelers on Christmas will be blowing snow on the plains. Winds will gust up to 50 mph over eastern Colorado. Light snow will also fall in the morning over the plains. The snow will then spread into the Front Range by Christmas afternoon and evening. Accumulations will be light over eastern Colorado with most areas seeing less than an inch.

Temperatures will be chilly for Christmas with low 20s in the Denver area. Expect mostly sunny skies in the morning and partly to mostly cloudy skies later in the day as the snow redevelops over the state.

The storm system will continue to wreak havoc for the middle of the country -- where some states, including Minnesota, are expecting several feet of snow. Weather alerts have been issued for states stretching from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico. States in the south are expecting severe thunderstorms and blizzard warnings have been issued for the northern states.

If you are traveling, call your airline to confirm the flight.

Looking ahead to the weekend, the massive storm will finally move to the east and allow some milder and drier air to return to Colorado. Highs will still be below average with temperatures in the 30s, but both Saturday and Sunday will be dry with mostly sunny skies.

From all of us at the 24/7 Weather Center, Merry Christmas and travel safe!