Updated 9:10 a.m. Friday

Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio school districts canceled classes for the second day in a row Friday as a result of weather conditions.

Mountain Middle School, Animas High School and Fort Lewis College also canceled classes Friday. La Plata County government offices planned to open at 9 a.m., and Southern Ute Tribal offices closed for the day.

Most areas of La Plata County received significant snowfall overnight, making roads snowpacked and slick, Durango School District announced at 5:42 a.m.

“We have consulted with emergency management officials who also recommended the closure,” Durango School District said. “Snow volume warrants concern, and drifts are causing significant concerns outside of town.”

After-school activities also were canceled, including a high school basketball game this evening in Ignacio.

The last snowstorm of the week was “knocking on your Four Corners door” about 5 p.m. Thursday, and was expected to drop 3 to 6 inches of snow on Durango before it departs Friday evening, a National Weather Service forecaster said.

A winter weather advisory, which means a storm is imminent, is in effect until 5 p.m. Friday. The advisory area includes Durango, Cortez, Dove Creek, Mancos, Bayfield, Ignacio and Pagosa Springs.

An estimated 8 to 12 inches of snow have fallen in and around Durango so far this week, said Joe Ramey with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction. He noted that snowfall totals can vary greatly in the region. The average snowfall for the city in January is 17.7 inches.

The latest storm is colder and the snow should be fluffier – easier to shovel and a nice addition to the heavier layer that dropped on ski slopes mid-week.

Ramey said south- and southwest-facing slopes should get the most snow. Coal Bank Pass is likely to get more snow than Molas or Red Mountain passes, he said.

“This is the last of this train or series of storms,” he said.

By early next week, a relatively dry period should set in, but it will be cold. Ramey said temperatures in Durango could drop to zero and below on Monday night. The negative numbers could continue on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The next storm system is not expected until late next week, and it’s too early to tell where it might track. Ramey said it is “behaving like El Niño also,” but the amount of snow it might bring depends on how far south it tracks.

After overnight snow and an icy commute for many on Thursday, the snow tapered off in the afternoon. Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio school districts canceled classes on Thursday. Fort Lewis College closed its campus, and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe offices were closed.

City snowplow crews plan to maintain 24-hour coverage through Friday evening. The tentative plan is to begin hauling snow from the Central Business District at 11:45 p.m. Sunday.

The downtown trolley was running on a snow schedule Thursday, meaning it was on a 30-minute schedule rather than a 20-minute schedule.

Durango Fire Protection District reminded residents to keep fire hydrants clear of snow and ice.

“Any time spent uncovering or digging out a fire hydrant is time and resources that could be spent working toward addressing the emergency,” the district said in a news release.

shane@durangoherald.com

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Herald Staff