It's been a dry 2009 in metro Denver so far.

Through Thursday, Denver International Airport has recorded just .17 inches of precipitation, National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Benton said.

During a typical year about an inch of precipitation has fallen by now.

Snowfall is well below average for the season, as well.

Since September, there has been just 16.9 inches.

Typically, about 40 inches of snow falls between September and the end of February.

The urban corridor and the plains could see some rain this afternoon and evening, and then some snow late Friday night.

Friday will be cooler at 42, and Saturday should top out at 47.

Sunday rebounds with a 63, some 13 degrees warmer than normal for the first of March.

Monday and Tuesday will be in the mid- to upper 60s.

Meanwhile, snowshowers will continue in the mountains through tonight with new accumulations of about 3 inches possible.

Snow is likely again for the mountains on Friday with a couple of inches expected, but the next good chance of snow after that will be the middle of next week.

Snow is likely Friday night and Saturday in Steamboat Springs, with gusts up to 35 mph. By early next week, highs will be in the low 40s, with no snow expected.

Gunnison has no snow in the forecast through the middle of next week, with highs in the mid-30s to the low 40s.

March patters in like a lamb on Sunday, but beware the mercurial moods of the third month of the year in Colorado.

National Weather Service meteorologists warn that March is known for its frequent and rapid changes, as Arctic fronts and Pacific systems compete to confuse Coloradans as to whether it is winter or spring.

They can't forget March 8, 1992, which started out sunny over Denver, and reached 52 degrees by midday.

In the afternoon tornadoes, hailstorms and thunderstorms formed, then in the later afternoon a Canadian cold front zipped across the east, dropping temperatures and dropping a foot of snow.

Happy March.