As the biggest snowstorm of the season, several cars slid off U.S. Highway 160 and 550 on Friday. Durango Police Department Cmdr. Jacob Dunlap said only four minor weather-related crashes were reported Friday morning.
DPD did call an accident alert for Friday and asked people to collect names, addresses, phone numbers and insurance information for minor fender-benders caused by the snow.
Colorado State Patrol Capt. Adrian Driscoll also reported no serious crashes Friday morning.
"So far, so good," he said. "We're putting out the same message: slow down."
Later in the day, Driscoll said troopers were kept busy by several cars going off U.S. Highway 550 from the New Mexico line to Farmington Hill.
One person left his or her car in the middle of the highway, which created a problem, Driscoll said.
"If you are stuck, get to as far right on the road as possible," he said. "If you don't, it causes problems with snow removal and just makes things worse for everybody else."
La Plata County Sheriff's Office Deputy Cory Lawson said county roads were snowpacked and slick.
Farmington Hill was open after a semitrailer was stuck briefly on the hill, but it was quickly freed, Lawson said.
Asked if it was a good day for people stay warm and dry at home, he said, "Absolutely."
Chains or snow tires were required Friday on U.S. Highway 550 from mile marker 49 to mile marker 95, which includes Coal Bank, Molas and Red Mountain passes.
Lisa Schwantes, regional spokeswoman with the Colorado Department of Transportation, said the storm has given the department an opportunity to put its latest piece of equipment, a tow plow, out on the highway.
The tow plow is pulled in a trailer behind a regular plow. On Friday, it had been out on the four-lane highways CDOT is responsible for clearing in Durango, Schwantes said. The tow plow can also carry de-icer and sand.
"We advise folks out on the highway to stay back from the plow. It essentially covers two lanes of highway, and there's no way you're going to get by it," she said. "Just stay behind it, and let our plow driver do his job with this double plow. He'll clear the way for you."
Schwantes said highways were snowpacked or slick all across Southwest Colorado from Cortez to Wolf Creek Pass and from the New Mexico to Ouray.
CDOT has nine snowplows in Durango and La Plata County and 32 snowplows working across Southwest Colorado, Schwantes said.
Jimmy Fowler, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, said there have been reports of 10 inches of snow east of Durango and a little more than 7 inches in town.
Fowler said the ridge of high pressure, that typically keeps storms away from Southwest Colorado, broke down, allowing the storm to hit Durango.
The bulk of the snow will end around sunset, and the chance of snow will taper off by midnight, he said. Tonight's low is expected to be 3 degrees.
Saturday will be sunny, but cold, Fowler said, with a high around 30 degrees. Overnight Saturday temperatures are expected to dip to around zero.
Fowler said there's another chance for snow Sunday and Monday, though it's too soon to determine which way that storm will track.
Friday morning, Tony Vicari, aviation director at the Durango-La Plata Airport, reported delays of between 30 minutes and 40 minutes for departing flights for de-icing.
He said crews have stayed ahead of the storm clearing runways and taxiways, and he doesn't anticipate snow buildup on runways will be a problem with the storm expected to end Friday night.
parmijo@durangoherald.com
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Herald Staff
