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The rain just keeps coming

La Plata Mountains get first frosting of season

For the second Sunday in a row, rain has poured on Durango and its vicinity, causing complications on roads and in neighboring counties.

Totals approaching 1 inch or more fell on the area Sunday morning, and as rain continued, the National Weather Service issued a flash-flood warning in effect until Sunday afternoon.

Traces of snow could be seen when the cloud cover allowed, stark white on the peaks of the La Plata Mountains, and there also were reports of snow near Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort. To no surprise, the alpine peaks surrounding Silverton were covered.

Unlike last weekend’s flooding that caused storm drain damage, the cold and rain didn’t do much in the way of destruction, but autumn came on strong. Fallen leaves covered sidewalks. Raincoats and galoshes came out.

“It’s been significant rain,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Cuoco. He said precipitation amounts increased in Montezuma County, where parts of Mesa Verde National Park received 1.44 inches and Dolores got 1.31 inches in the last 24 hours.

“It’s going to continue through the morning, but it looks like its going to break up there and move on. We’ve got the flash-flood watch continuing for that area,” Cuoco said.

La Plata County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Dan Bender said no roads had been closed Sunday, but road and bridge crews were out clearing mud and fallen trees.

“We have received rains overnight that continue in to this morning around the county, but there aren’t any major problems,” he said. “There have been some minor incidents of mud on the roads, but nothing that has closed the roads.”

He said roads with mud included the typical ones – East Animas Road (County Road 250) and La Posta Road (County Road 213). In addition, a boulder rolled onto County Road 218, near Sunnyside Elementary School, and a tree had fallen across Florida Road (County Road 240).

While gray skies and rain may have dampened the mood around town, the moisture is welcomed by many.

On a leisurely stroll downtown as the mercury hovered around 48 degrees, Dee Blake and Moe Smith of Boston said they’ve seen “nothing but gorgeous weather” for the eight days they’ve been in the area. Water poured off their rain ponchos on Main Avenue.

“We were just in Mesa Verde. It was beautiful,” Smith said. “This is the first rain we’ve seen. It rains all the time in Boston, so maybe we brought it with us.”

While much of the state is saturated, parts of several eastern Colorado counties remain in extreme drought, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center.

Heavier rain tapered off Sunday afternoon, but the weather service has a 40 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms today in Durango. Tuesday should bring sun and highs in the upper 60s to Southwest Colorado.

bmathis@durangoherald.com



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