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DENVER (KDVR) – Colorado’s Department of Transportation is sending out a warning ahead of what looks likely to be an extreme drop in temperatures, expected to arrive in the Denver area beginning Wednesday evening.

FOX31 has issued a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in preparation for the arrival of an arctic cold front that is expected to bring snow, 40 mph winds and a 50-degree drop in the temperature in less than 24 hours.

As a result of this drastic temperature change, officials with CDOT are asking the public to consider staying home during this cold front as road conditions are expected to be more dangerous than most snow days, as wind chill temperatures are forecasted to dip as low as -50 degrees.

“Whether you’re a native, #new or a visitor, driving in #Colorado #winter weather can be dangerous if you’re not prepared,” officials with CDOT said in a Facebook post published on Wednesday morning.

Winterizing your vehicle may not be enough to get your vehicle through this storm. That’s because when conditions are 15 degrees or below, magnesium chloride, the chemical used to counter wintry road conditions, is not all that effective.

“During this cold snap, it is best to stay off the roads. And it seems that the coldest of the temperatures are going to come in during the overnight hours,” Tamara Rollinson with CDOT told FOX31. “So, if you can work from home, if you’re able to do that, this would be a good time to do it.”

This request to Coloradan drivers remains pertinent, despite CDOT crews actually taking to the streets on Tuesday night in order to lay down as much pre-treatment as they could ahead of the arctic front’s arrival.

If it is unavoidable, and you must travel during this storm, then you can stay up to date on road conditions by visiting COtrip.org. The most up-to-date information is posted there by CDOT officials.

Once the front begins dropping snow, Denver and CDOT crews will begin to use de-icer, but again, these subzero conditions will keep roads more dangerous than normal.

This storm is expected to run through Friday, so be sure to get as prepared as you can for the arctic front’s arrival before Wednesday evening.