Residential snowplows will be deployed across Denver as a major winter storm gears up to pound the city Wednesday into Thursday.

The move marks a change in policy for Denver Public Works, which until the start of this year only sent out its residential plows when a foot or more of snow fell. Now, residential plows will be deployed when six inches or more snow are in the forecast.

“We’ve called out the residential plows in the past when faced with very large snowstorms,” Jose Cornejo, executive director of Denver Public Works, said in a statement. “This year, we are transitioning the program into one that will be helpful to residents on more occasions throughout the winter season.”

We are preparing for a much longer rush hour this afternoon along with snow and icy conditions. Be ready for the changes. — CSP Castle Rock (@CSP_CastleRock) January 4, 2017

A winter storm warning is in effect for Denver until 11 a.m. on Thursday. The National Weather Service in Boulder says up to a foot of snow could fall in and around the Denver metro area between Wednesday and Thursday morning. Travel in the metro area is expected to be treacherous as the weather system bears down Wednesday afternoon.

RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post People walk down 16th Street, covered in steam, in Denver on Jan. 4, 2016. Cold temperatures and snow have moved into the Denver area.

RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post People walk down 16th Street, covered in steam, on Jan. 4, 2016, in Denver. Cold temperatures and snow have moved into the Denver area.

RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post People enjoy a snowy hike at Chautauqua Park on Jan. 4, 2016, in Boulder. Cold temperatures and snow have moved into the metro area.



The city’s residential snowplow program was developed in response to blizzards in 2006 and 2007. It has since been deployed about a dozen times.

In March, when a blizzard walloped the city, Denver Public Works did not send out residential plows because the storm did not meet their criteria for deployment, which angered many residents. At that point, the residential plow program only spanned from Nov. 15 to March 15.

The changes for 2017 mandate the residential plow program can be deployed at any time during the winter weather season and that the manager of Denver Public Works will recommend the program be utilized to the mayor when necessary.

Denver Public Works says under its new residential plow policy, it expects to deploy the residential plows in a timelier fashion and stay ahead of the deeper snow accumulations that come with moderate to severe snow events.