It happened all at once.
Just as the sun ducked behind some ominous clouds, cold rain poured, winds blew, thunder cracked and lightning struck, daylight saving time came crashing down.
Talk about raining on the parade. It was as if summer just got up and left, stopped. Wait, summer’s been gone, but when did autumn start? Is that what all the leaves are doing, lying around? A 60-degree Halloween? All the half-naked people downtown weren’t even shivering.
Actually, in 1983 it was 72 degrees on Nov. 3. Of course, the year before that, it dipped to an invigorating 14. The National Weather Service is calling for a somewhat typical rainy 49 for today in Durango, with a 40 percent chance of rain.
As for overnight today and Tuesday, temperatures may be dropping to their lowest yet, hovering in the low 20s.
We know NWS has issued a hazardous weather outlook for much of the region – eastern Utah and western Colorado through today, which is basically like saying, “Hey, look out!”
On Saturday, Durango received about 0.12 inches of rain and another 0.19 on Sunday. November, at least, is starting off with a splash.
The San Juan Mountains received up to 6 inches of snow in places, with Coal Bank Pass taking the cake. A chain law was in place for commercial vehicles. Between 3 and 5 inches were reported across the mountain region.
Today should see more mind-scrambling weather. Rain and cold in the morning and then possibly a relatively nice, cloudy, partly sunny – maybe a little rainy – fall day.
Meanwhile, 54 miles north, Silverton has everything. A winter weather advisory – think “Get ready” – plus a winter storm warning – as in “It’s going to happen” – and a hazardous weather outlook .
The little mountain town sure gets it from all directions. A week before the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad let out 370 bug-eyed tourists for the last ride of the season. Brilliantly sunny and warm, everyone’s jacket was tied around their waist.
Then – bam! – winter arrives.
The 80 percent chance for snow today shouldn’t add more than half an inch, but that’s in addition to the snowfall Sunday night.
Our neighbors in Pagosa Springs got it, too. Again, not much in the way of accumulation, but snow flew, and a 70 percent chance exists of snow and rain today.
So, what does a longer-term view of winter hold? That’s anyone’s guess, according to NWS.
“Consider a dart board,” said John Kyle, data acquisitions manager with the weather service. “If you divide that up into three pieces – one of those above-normal temps, the other being average and the other being below – throw a dart, and that’s what we’re looking at.” For precipitation, Kyle said it’s looking slightly dryer than normal, but that is also hard to say.
As for this week in Durango, this is why we claim 300 days of sunshine a year: It looks something like: Tuesday, sunny and 50; Wednesday, sunny near 60; Thursday, sunny and 61.
Who knows what will happen next. Darts? But don’t count out the sun.
bmathis@durangoherald.com
