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Durango may get holiday snowfall

2-4 inches forecast in town
Will people be shoveling snow, and will kids and dogs be frolicking in the white stuff Christmas Day? Forecasters say it’s likely.

The National Weather Service sees a white Christmas for La Plata County after all.

Earlier forecasts calling for a slight chance of snow Thursday have changed, weather service meteorologist Tom Renwick said Wednesday.

“You could get 2 to 4 inches in Durango,” Renwick said. “There could be a foot of snow in the San Juan Mountains.”

Snow could start falling off and on at dawn Thursday, Renwick said. It will become steadier from 6 p.m. into early Friday, he said.

Colorado Department of Transportation crews based in Hesperus, Durango and Rockridge, each have three snowplows – and are ready – CDOT spokeswoman Nancy Shanks said Wednesday afternoon.

In the Durango area, the agency has access to 21 snowplows if necessary, Shanks said. So more would be available if needed, she said.

Bridges and highways in Grandview, Hesperus and Mancos tend to be slippery, Shanks said. Drive carefully.

The storm is arriving from the Pacific Northwest, Renwick said.

A high temperature of around 32 degrees is expected Christmas Day, according to the weather service forecast. The low should be around 15 degrees.

Chances of precipitation trail off Friday, with a 40 percent chance of snow and a high temperature of freezing.

Saturday and Sunday will be mostly sunny, with high and low temperatures of 29 and 4 and 31 and 8, respectively.

Road conditions can be checked in real time at www.cotrip.org.

Capt. Adrian Driscoll with the Colorado State Patrol in Durango said Wednesday that no extra troopers would be assigned to patrol for the holiday or possible inclement weather.

daler@durangoherald.com

Weather information

The Colorado Department of Transportation reminds motorists to check for updated weather information:

Visit www.cotrip.org for real-time road conditions, highway closures, average speeds, photos, live cameras streaming traffic, trucking information and more.

Call 511 to listen to recorded information about road conditions, projected trip travel times and trucker information.

Receive free email/text alerts at www.coloradodot.info by clicking on the green cellphone icon and choose from a list of subscription options.

Follow @coloradodot on Twitter for traveler information and other news.

Like CDOT at www.facebook.com/coloradodot and receive major updates regarding traveler information and other CDOT news.

Visit www.coloradodot.info/travel/winter-driving to get information about what to keep in a vehicle during the winter, how to safely pass a snowplow, commercial vehicle requirements, seasonal closures, snow removal and avalanche control.

Herald Staff



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