A winter weather advisory will remain in effect until Wednesday evening in Southwest Colorado.
The National Weather Service in Grand Junction said the advisory took effect 9 p.m. Tuesday and will last until 9 p.m. Wednesday for elevations above 6,500 feet. Durango is at 6,512 feet in elevation.
During this time, the NWS says 6 to 12 inches of snow is expected in the San Juan Mountains.
The NWS said travel “could be very difficult,” especially along U.S. Highway 550 and Colorado Highway 145 on Coal Bank, Molas, Red Mountain and Lizard Head passes. Snow-covered roads and limited visibility are expected.
Tuesday night, the NWS predicted 3 to 5 inches of snow accumulation possible in town. The chance for snow continues Wednesday, though the NWS is calling for less than 1 inch.
The NWS also issued an avalanche watch for the San Juan Mountains for Tuesday evening through Wednesday for “very dangerous avalanche conditions.”
The avalanche danger will begin overnight if the forecast meets expectations, the NWS said.
“Avalanches will be large, easy to trigger and will release naturally,” the NWS said in its statement.
Backcountry travel is not advised during this time.
