Several inches of snow blanketed Durango on Wednesday morning, and while it turned town into a winter wonderland, it also made for tricky driving conditions as road surfaces were covered in packed snow, slush and ice.
Colorado Department of Transportation spokesperson Adair Christensen said the storm, which blew in during the wee hours of Wednesday, was the first major storm of the 2025-26 winter to impact low-elevation areas like Durango. Because of that, she urged drivers to be extra cautious and mindful with challenging road conditions.
“Make sure you have good tires with adequate traction – that’s going to help you out along the highways when there’s slick or adverse winter conditions,” Christensen said. “Make sure the driving conditions are something you’re comfortable in. ... If you do choose to leave your house in the brunt of the storm, take it slow. Give yourself plenty of extra travel time and leave plenty of following distance behind other vehicles.”
Christensen advised potential travelers to check cotrip.org before leaving the safety of home for up-to-date weather and road conditions, as well as a map where travelers can track snowplows in real time as they work to clear roads. She also urged drivers following snowplows to give them three to four car lengths of room.
“Some of our snowplows have new mud flaps that say ‘stay back 50 feet,’” Christensen said. “If motorists can read that, they’re probably not far enough back behind the plow. And if you can help it, just don’t ever pass the plow, especially on the right. Be patient and let them get the road cleared and do their job.”
Gillian Felton, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said this round of snowfall is expected to end Thursday morning. However, she said, snowfall will likely intensify as the storm wears on through Wednesday.
“Things should really start picking up throughout the day Wednesday, and that'll continue through the afternoon and into the evening hours before things start to slow down and then eventually come to an end in the overnight hours,” Felton said.
Once the system moves out of the area, things should remain dry, with temperatures trending warmer through the end of the week before another shot of snow arrives over the weekend, Felton said. That system is expected to mostly impact the San Juan Mountains north of Durango.
Regardless, both Christensen and Felton advised anyone planning on driving in the snow to carry emergency food, water and layers. Christensen said having a full tank of gas and driving with high-beams on for visibility are important safety precautions.
“It’s important through the winter season to pack those safety essentials in your car,” Christensen said. “You never know when the conditions are going to change, or if there happens to be a highway closure or crash that keeps you idling along the road.”
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
