Southwestern Colorado is being hit with extremely heavy snow – snow that is likely to move into Colorado’s central and northern mountains today and Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
Paul Frisbie, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, said Durango and Pagosa Springs have already received from a foot to two feet of snow, and that up to eight more inches are possible in the area today and tonight.
“The first in a series of storms started Monday with ongoing waves of snow Tuesday and Wednesday,” said Frisbie. “The biggest wave came yesterday afternoon.”
Frisbie said towns like Crested Butte, Aspen, Vail and Steamboat Springs should see snow increasing today through the weekend as the storm heads to the north through the mountains.
A blizzard warning has been issued for Telluride, which could see up to 13 inches of snow today and tonight, and another 6 inches on Saturday and Saturday night.
Winds in Telluride are predicted to be 20 to 25 mph with gusts of 45 mph.
Aspen should see up to 6 inches of snow today and tonight, with another 4 inches on Saturday.
A winter storm warning has been issued for Crested Butte, Marble, Ridgway and Glade Park, with snowfalls of 8 to 16 inches by this evening and higher amounts along the southwest facing slopes of the Uncompahgre Plateau, Battlement Mesa and the West Elk and Roan Mountains.
Southwest winds in the area will have gusts of up to 35 mph.
Heavy snow and strong winds will help build dangerous slab avalanches, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center is warning.
An avalanche watch has been issued for the Aspen, Grand Mesa, West Elk Mountains, the south side of the Elk Mountain Range and the west side of the Sawatch Range between Cottonwood and Independence Passes.
The storms aren’t expected it to make it to Denver and the Front Range.
The weather Saturday through Tuesday should be mostly sunny, with highs in the mid 40s.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
