A two-part winter storm system that moved into the area last night isnt likely to leave Durango very snow-covered this week, though the San Juan Mountains could get a hefty dose of the white stuff.
The upper elevations could receive 2 to 5 inches of snow as the first part of the storm rumbles through between Sunday night and Tuesday morning, said Matthew Aleksa a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.
The second part of the storm is supposed to move in Tuesday night and last through the day on Wednesday. The San Juan Mountains are predicted to receive between 4 inches and 8 inches from that wave of the storm, Aleksa said.
Thats on top of the 3 to 7 inches the mountains picked up on Saturday night, he said.
Durango, meanwhile, will receive less than an inch from the storm, according to current forecasts. The heaviest snowfall is expected for Tuesday night, Aleksa said.
Colorados northern and central mountains will see the brunt of the snowfall, he said.
The National Weather Service predicts Durango has a 30 percent chance of rain today, increasing to 40 percent tonight. A chance of rain increases to 50 percent Tuesday with a 60 percent chance of snow mixed with rain Tuesday night and a 40 percent chance of snow early Wednesday morning turning to rain later in the day.
Durango can expect mild temperatures Tuesday ahead of the storm, but temperatures will plunge as the cold front moves through the area. Lows on Tuesday and Wednesday night are expected to fall between the mid-20s and the upper teens, which will impact vegetation.
While it may be hard on plants, the cool weather is good news for rafters because it means strong spring runoff will hold off until later in the season when people are more inclined to go rafting, said Matt Wilson, owner of Four Corners Whitewater.
On Sunday the Animas River was flowing at 220 cubic feet per second, well below the 675 cubic feet per second that is the average this time of year. Last year the river was flowing at almost 1,000 cubic feet per second because of an unusually warm spring weather that spurred runoff to start earlier.
Four Corners started trips April 4 last year, but this year, they havent received any calls yet, Wilson said.
Its just too cold, he said.
Right now, the first trip is booked for May 4.
The snow will provide much-needed moisture for the Animas River Basin. Snowpack in the basin stood at 69 percent of average according to an April 1 report from the Natural Resources Conservation District. Inflow to Vallecito Reservoir is expected to be 61 percent of average from April to July, according to the report.
ecowan@durangoherald.com
