Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday activated more than 100 Colorado National Guard members to support weather operations as an arctic blast is set to hammer Colorado hard in its frigid march across the United States starting tomorrow.

“Colorado’s National Guard is up to the challenge whether it’s helping distribute the life-saving vaccine or respond to wildfires across our state. Colorado is about to face extreme weather and cold temperatures and the Guard is ready to assist local communities to help keep people safe during this extreme-cold weather snap,” Polis said in a statement.

The governor’s declaration activates the Colorado State Emergency Operations Center and the State Emergency Operations Plan. It also directs the Office of Emergency Management to take actions to assist local governments as they respond to extreme weather conditions. By doing so, Polis allows the emergency office to mobilize state resources and deploy contracts and awards using emergency procurement procedures.

With sub-zero temperatures set to descend on the metro Denver, officials and experts have urged residents to start preparing for the frigid weather by winterizing exposed pipes, looking out for pets, and prioritizing safe travel. 

The National Weather Service in Boulder forecasted snow to start falling Wednesday – the first official day of winter – and sub-zero temperatures overnight on Wednesday and Thursday. 

That arctic cold will march across Colorado and other states, plunging the country into what potentially could be the coldest time of the season. Texas, for example, is bracing for a polar vortex that could pose another major test for its power grid just 22 months after it was hit by Winter Storm Uri, which plunged the state into darkness and killed 246 people. 

Colorado was largely spared from Uri’s deadly devastation, although residents here picked up hundreds of millions of dollars in extraordinary fuel costs to pay for the four-day winter freeze in 2021.