A winter storm dumped 3-6 inches of snow in the Durango area and 5-10 inches in the San Juan Mountains on Thursday night and Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.
And more is on the way, said meteorologist Jeff Colton.
The Colorado State Patrol reported a couple of minor fender-benders in La Plata County, including one on Wildcat Canyon Road (County Road 141), “but nothing serious,” said Capt. Adrian Driscoll.
With the exception of the front hill to Fort Lewis College, all major thoroughfares were open and mostly clear of snow as of 7:40 a.m. Friday in Durango, said Levi Lloyd, director of city operations.
The city had seven snowplows on the road working 12-hour shifts, and they’ll work 24 hours a day through the duration of the storm, he said.
He reminded residents to move their cars from snow routes or face towing.
“The major thoroughfares we hit first and make sure those are completely open before we start working on the smaller neighborhood roads,” Lloyd said. “All the major roads into town that connect to CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation) and county roads are open and passable and in really good shape.”
Several more storms are on the radar, including one that was expected to move into the region Friday night that will bring another 3-6 inches to the lower elevations of Southwest Colorado, including Cortez, Durango and Pagosa Springs. The mountains are expected to receive up to a foot of snow through mid-day Saturday, Colton said.
A winter storm warning is in effect until 5 p.m. Saturday for Cortez, Durango and Pagosa Springs.
A smaller storm is expected to blow through Saturday night, bringing another inch of snow to lower elevations.
And a larger storm will arrive Sunday night that could bring 6-12 inches of snow through Tuesday to the lower valleys of Southwest Colorado, Colton said.
“The potential is there,” he said. “It all depends on how it sets up.
“The systems look cold enough where we’re staying all snow, so we’re not seeing that rain-snow mix as much,” Colton said.
shane@durangoherald.com
