After weeks of highs in the 90s, Southwest Coloradans can expect to see a frosting of snow in the San Juan Mountains on Wednesday morning – with rain expected in Durango and Cortez.
“I would say it probably gets through Durango, in the mid- to late morning Wednesday, and you’ll be looking at a pretty drastic drop in temperatures. Tuesday’s highs in Southwest Colorado will be in the morning, and it will get colder through the day,” said Mark Miller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.
Drops in temperature of 20 degrees to 50 degrees are likely across western Colorado and eastern Utah.
A winter storm warning including Silverton, Telluride, Ouray, Lake City and Hesperus has been issued from noon Tuesday to 6 p.m. Wednesday with 8 to 12 inches of snow expected in the high country. The winter storm warning calls for extremely difficult travel especially over mountain passes. It warns that early season snow on top of fully-leafed trees could be expected to cause tree damage and power outages.
Nat'l Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for NW, SW San Juan Mtns including Telluride area with 8-12" of snow accumulation forecasted. Be prepared for difficult travel especially over mtn passes, and potential power outages. #knowbeforeyougo #telluridesnow pic.twitter.com/5Ql3tPOTdq
— San Miguel Sheriff (@SheriffAlert) September 7, 2020
San Miguel County Sheriff tweeted that it expects a winter storm to leave between 8 and 12 inches of snow in the Telluride area.
Durango’s low temperature Monday night is expected to be 50 degrees. Tuesday night’s low is expected to be 35 degrees. Durango’s high temperature Tuesday is expected to be 70 with a high of 54 on Wednesday.
According to the Weather Service’s five-day forecast, Durango has a 60% chance of showers after 4 p.m. Tuesday night and a 70% chance of precipitation through Wednesday morning.
Cortez is expected to see a low Tuesday night of 34 degrees, after Monday night’s low of 49. Cortez has a 60% chance of a rain late Tuesday night.
“This will be a quick-moving storm coming in from the north, out of Canada. It will be in and out, and by Thursday more seasonable temperatures will be returning.
“By the weekend, you’ll be looking at highs back in the 80s in Durango. In the deserts of Utah, highs will be back in the hundreds,” Miller said.
Miller said the heaviest snowfall is expected along the Continental Divide, but western Colorado should see mountain peaks sporting a fresh frosting.
When you get farther west, to the Utah-Colorado border, I think there’s going to be a lot less precipitation,” he said.
parmijo@durangoherald.com
