DENVER, Colo. -- It's winter in Colorado and that means the metro area can see anything from sunshine and temperatures in the 40s, to snow, wind and temperatures in the teens. We will see a little of everything this coming week.

The week will start off fairly mild as high pressure moves in from the west. Temperatures will be in the low to mid-40s once again for Tuesday, which is near normal. Look for increasing clouds Tuesday as the approaching cold front draws near.

By Wednesday, another cold air mass from the Arctic will move into Colorado. This system does not look to be a big snow maker for the front range, but we are expectiong 2-4 inches in Denver, with locally higher amounts in the foothills.

According to our forecast models, the mid-week system will bring very chilly air across most of Colorado, and a few inches of snow to the Denver area. Highs on Wednesday will occur early in the day, and then temperatures will fall with the arrival of the cold front. By Wednesday afternoon, readings will fall to the teens. Highs on Thursday may not even make it to 15 with readings overnight below zero. Winds could gust up to 60 mph late Wednesday and Thursday, especially in the Front Range Foothills and in the Denver/Boulder area. Be prepared for blowing snow and poor visibility, along with the frigid temperatures, as this system moves through.

The cold snap should be short-lived as high pressure moves into Colorado by next Friday, bringing fair and warmer weather by next weekend.

January is traditionally the coldest month of the year for Colorado. This is due mostly to low sun angles and short days with minimal incoming solar radiation. Also, strong cold fronts with Arctic air come swooping down from Canada. January is also one of our driest months because cold air does not hold as much moisture. We are also experiencing El Nino conditions, which can cause storm systems to move too far to our south to bring much precipitation.