A POWERFUL WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT THE REGION TODAY INTOВ WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON…
A STRONG WINTER STORM CONTINUES TO DEVELOP OVER THE GREAT BASINВ AND WILL IMPACT NORTHWEST COLORADO AND NORTHEAST UTAH THROUGH TODAY.
THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT REMAINS STATIONARY TODAY ACROSS THEВ ROAN AND TAVAPUTS PLATEAUS AND FLATTOPS WHERE HEAVY SNOWFALL WILLВ OCCUR. SOUTH OF THE COLD FRONT ONLY LIGHT SNOWFALL IS EXPECTEDWITH ACCUMULATIONS MAINLY ALONG SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES. WITHВ SUNSET THE COLD FRONT WILL QUICKLY ADVANCE TO THE SOUTHEAST. THISВ WILL PRODUCE A BURST OF HEAVY SNOWFALL FOR THE CENTRAL ZONES THISВ EVENING AND SOUTHERN ZONES AFTER MIDNIGHT. IN THE MOUNTAINSВ GUSTY SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS WILL PRODUCE SUBSTANTIAL BLOWING ANDВ DRIFTING SNOW.
EXPECTED SNOWFALL AMOUNTS BY WEDNESDAY MORNING:
I-70 CORRIDOR FROM DEBEQUE CANYON TO EAGLE… 5 TO 10 INCHES
GRAND VALLEY… 4 TO 8 INCHES
CENTRAL COLORADO VALLEYS INCLUDING MONTROSE…NATURITA AND
GUNNISON… 4 TO 8 INCHES
DURANGO AND PAGOSA SPRINGS AREAS… 4 TO 8 INCHES
EASTERN UTAH VALLEYS AND CORTEZ… 3 TO 6 INCHES
MOUNTAIN AREAS…1 TO 2 FEET…POSSIBLY EXCEEDING 30 INCHES ABOVEВ 9000 FEET ON SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES.
ROADWAYS WILL BECOME ICY AND SNOW PACKED AS THE MODERATE TO HEAVYВ SNOWFALL SPREAD IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY. PERIODS OF NEARВ WHITEOUT CONDITIONS IN HEAVY SNOWFALL AND SOME BLOWING SNOW WILLВ BE POSSIBLE. TRAVEL THROUGH ANY OF THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERNВ COLORADO AND EASTERN UTAH WILL BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS…AND NOTВ RECOMMENDED. IT YOU MUST TRAVEL IN THE MOUNTAINS TUESDAY THROUGHВ WEDNESDAY…BE SURE TO BRING EXTRA FOOD…WATER AND WARMCLOTHING. BEFORE YOU DEPART…BE SURE TO INFORM OTHERS WHEN YOU
INTEND TO LEAVE AND YOUR PLANNED TRAVEL ROUTE.
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…WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MST
WEDNESDAY…
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* TIMING…LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH TONIGHT WITH THE
HEAVIEST SNOW EXPECTED FROM MID MORNING THROUGH MID EVENING.
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* SNOW ACCUMULATION…10 TO 20 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IS POSSIBLE…
WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 40.
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* WINDS…LOCAL GUSTY WINDS THIS AFTERNOON FROM THE NORTH AT 10
TO 15 MPH…MAINLY OVER EXPOSED TERRAIN.
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* VISIBILITY…LESS THAN 1 MILE IN MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW AND
FOG THROUGH LATE THIS EVENING.
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* IMPACTS…TRAVEL WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS AS ROADS BECOME SNOW
PACKED AND ICY. SOME DRIFTING OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE ON THE
ROADWAYS AS WINDS INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON.
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PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS AND BLOWING SNOW ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
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