A proper winter storm could bring more than a foot of snow to the San Juan Mountains on Friday and Saturday, with light accumulation at lower elevations.
Kris Sanders, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the storm will blow in from the Southwest U.S. before colliding with a cold front dropping down from the north. Snowfall is expected to begin Friday night and continue through much of Saturday.
“Along the Highway 160 corridor – from Bayfield over to Cortez up to Monticello – that’s going to generally be 1 to 4 inches,” Sanders said. “Once you get to about 8,000 feet or above, we’re expecting, generally, 6 to 12 inches.”
Skiers and snowboarders could be in for a treat. OpenSnow calls for 13 inches at Telluride Ski Resort, 8 inches at Purgatory Resort, 14 inches at Silverton Mountain and 20 inches at Wolf Creek Ski Area. Additionally, Colorado Avalanche Information Center’s forecast models say Wolf Creek Pass could see the highest accumulation in the region by Sunday, when the storm moves east out of the Four Corners.
Sanders said travelers should be prepared for challenging conditions, especially Saturday.
“I’d look out Friday night and Saturday morning,” Sanders said. “There will be some icy, snowpacked, slushy roads. Conditions could improve slightly in the lower elevation Saturday afternoon, but some light snow Saturday evening and Saturday night could make things dicey again.”
Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman Adair Christensen said maintenance crews have been monitoring the forecast and will be working 24/7 through the weekend to keep roads clear and safe. She urged caution for anyone driving in the mountains.
“Our crews are nice and prepared, and we’re actually excited for the storm,” Christensen said. “As far as winter travel, our passes could get quite a bit more snow than down low. So if you plan on traveling into the high country this weekend, just be prepared for winter travel.”
Christensen advised checking cotrip.org before leaving the house. Also, having snow-rated tires and traveling with extra food, water and clothing in case of emergencies is recommended, she said.
“Give yourself plenty of time on Friday and through the weekend to get where you need to go. Take it nice and slow and give yourself plenty of time,” Christensen said.
Tony Vicari, director of aviation at the Durango-La Plata County Airport, said that while snow is expected to accumulate at the airport, it should not be enough to cause major flight delays. Regardless, he urged travelers heading to the airport to build extra time into their travel itineraries.
“I wouldn’t anticipate major local delays,” Vicari said. “There could be some slowdowns associated with storm removal on the airfield and aircraft de-icing by the airlines, but I wouldn't anticipate anything that would be major.”
The storm is expected to impact some of the airport’s major connecting hubs – particularly Dallas, he said. Forecasts predict the eastern and southern parts of the country to be particularly impacted, which could cause major flight delays.
“Just based on the forecast, I think it’s quite likely that we’ll see some significant weather disruptions through Dallas in a variety of mid-central markets that people might be connecting to.”
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
