Snow – yes, snow – is in the forecast for the San Juan Mountains later this week.
Michael Charnick, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, said a strong cold front is sliding into Southwest Colorado from the north, arriving in the San Juan Mountains sometime between 9 p.m. and midnight Wednesday.
“It’s bringing a lot of cold air behind it,” Charnick said.
Thursday morning, there’s a chance the high country of the San Juan Mountains could receive snow.
According to OpenSnow.com, areas around Silverton and Telluride could receive up to 3 inches.
The Weather Service says temperatures will drop to about 35 degrees in Silverton on Thursday. The overnight low Thursday into Friday is expected to hover around 10 degrees.
Durango likely won’t see snow, Charnick said, but it is going to get cold. During the day Thursday, it is expected to be around 54 degrees. Overnight, however, temperatures will drop to about 16 degrees.
Karola Hanks, fire marshal with Durango Fire Protection District, said it is time residents prepare their homes and property for winter-like temperatures.
Hanks said it’s likely many people are going to turn on their heating system for the first time since last winter. She said residents should make sure chimneys are cleared and furnaces are venting properly to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
She said mobile home owners should also prepare their homes for cold temperatures, like putting up heat tape to make sure water lines don’t freeze.
Lawn sprinkler systems should also be flushed, she said. And, she urged people recreating in the outdoors to take proper precautions.
By Saturday, temperatures should rise, albeit slightly. The Weather Service is calling for a daytime high of 63 in Durango and 49 in Silverton.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
