An Arctic cold front settled over Durango on Thursday, leading to chattering teeth and frozen pipes.
Low temperatures overnight were expected to approach the record for the date. The cold weather is forecast to persist through Monday.
The cold weather froze pipes at the Durango Joe’s location at 40 Town Plaza. Durango Joe’s employees brewed coffee at another location and brought it to Town Plaza for customers. Those customers who were looking for fancy espresso drinks were out of luck.
“We’ve really had to pull together as a team,” said manager LeAnna Lloyd.
Ken Shubert of Shubert Plumbing said he was getting calls Thursday to repair out-of-service boilers. Burst pipes often aren’t discovered until they begin to thaw, he said. Shubert said homeowners often don’t immediately realize that their pipes have broken.
“(Friday)’s going to be the big day for broken stuff,” he said.
Fort Lewis College and Durango School District 9-R reported no problems related to the cold weather.
Last year, 9-R installed a $200,000 system in all 11 schools to avoid frozen pipes. The system opens the boiler valves when certain temperatures are reached. The district purchased the system after spending more than $1 million repairing frozen pipes during the previous five years, district spokeswoman Julie Popp said.
“This helps the school district, in a way, to save costs,” she said.
The low temperature Thursday morning reached 6 degrees at Durango-La Plata County Airport, according to the National Weather Service. The record for the date is minus 10, set in 1931.
Today’s low was forecast to fall to 3 degrees. The record is minus 5, also set in 1931.
The cold front is coming from the Arctic, said Jim Daniels, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Grand Junction.
“The weather pattern is just such that it’s been pretty much a straight shot south and west,” he said.
The frigid weather is expected to linger into early next week.
“As you get toward Tuesday and Wednesday, it looks like it’s shifting,” he said.
The National Weather Service forecast today’s high at 21 degrees, 28 on Saturday, 25 on Sunday and 19 on Monday.
The low Saturday night is expected to be a balmy 14 degrees, before plunging to minus 4 Sunday night and minus 7 Monday night.
As cold temperatures persist, service professionals are bracing for more weather-related repair calls.
Shubert said the best way to keep a home water line from freezing is to let it drip. He cautioned the drain must be clear, or it can lead to an overflow. Professionals also recommend disconnecting any exterior hoses.
Cars need care in cold weather, too. Darryl Martinez, service adviser at Brittain’s Highland Service Inc., gave these tips:
First and foremost, check your vehicle’s antifreeze level. Then check your other fluids under the hood.
Check battery cables for corrosion. Replace if necessary.
Check tire pressure.
cslothower@durangoherald.com
