Durango is in for a cool, wet weekend according to the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, which forecasts rain and snow through Saturday and freezing overnight lows through Wednesday.
Meteorologist Kris Sanders said a cold front, driven by a low-pressure system moving in from the north, will meander over the Four Corners and linger through the weekend.
Although rain and snow showers were forecast to begin as early as Thursday night, high temperatures in Durango on Friday and Saturday are expected to reach 51 and 50 degrees, respectively. Snow accumulation is unlikely – though up to 1 inch is possible, he said.
He added that overnight and morning temperatures could dip into the upper teens by Sunday, before climbing back to around freezing by Wednesday morning.
The weather service forecast similar conditions for Bayfield and Ignacio, with a slightly lower chance of precipitation and slightly cooler temperatures.
Sanders said the best chance for snow accumulation is Friday night.
The forecast for the San Juan Mountains through Saturday afternoon is more dramatic, with the potential for about a foot of snow at higher elevations, he said.
“If you do head up (U.S. Highway 550), you’re looking at the potential for some of those areas to get upward of a foot, maybe above a foot,” he said. “Travel will be interesting due to the snow impacts.”
On Thursday, the weather service issued a red flag warning and wind advisory for the Durango area through 8 p.m., citing gusty winds, low relative humidity and dry fire fuels. The agency warned that fires could ignite and spread quickly.
Winds of 15 to 25 mph from the southwest were expected, with gusts up to 50 mph, though the strong gusts were not predicted to persist into the weekend.
According to available weather data from a NWS station atop College Mesa dating back to 1915, the record snowfall for April 19 (Saturday) is 5 inches, set in 1933. The record for April 20 is 4½ inches, set in 1995.
Sanders said measurable snow has been recorded only three times on April 19 and five times on April 20, according to the data.
Temperatures are expected to rise quickly, reaching 61 degrees by Sunday and climbing to around 70 degrees by Wednesday, he said.
“We rebound fairly quickly given we’re in April, and we’re just in a pattern where there’s not really a significant system on the horizon,” he said. “We’re looking at tranquil weather, a gradual warm-up for spring.”
cburney@durangohearld.com
