du1-i-syn

Residents across Southwest Colorado are likely to wake up to a snowy Christmas morning and could see more during the day Wednesday.

Durango was expected to receive 2 to 4 inches of snow overnight on Christmas Eve and Cortez was expected to see 1 to 3 inches, said Dan Cuevas, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

On Christmas Day, Durango could see another half inch from snow showers, he said.

Higher elevations, including Purgatory Resort, could see 6 to 12 inches of snow from the Christmas Eve storm, said Mike Meyers meteorologist with the Weather Service.

The storm is expected to bring cold air into the region and drop the daily highs into the low- to mid-30s Wednesday in Durango and Cortez, according to the Weather Service.

The storm is expected to clear out by Thursday, Cuevas said.

Another storm from Southern California could arrive Friday, but the chances for snow are low, he said.

“At this point in time, it looks like the track is going to be a little bit too far south,” he said.

Durango has a 30% chance of receiving additional snow Friday, he said.

In lower elevations, daily highs could warm up to a high of 40 degrees Friday and overnight lows are expected to be in the teens.

[email protected]

Travel 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.codot.gov/travel
; choose from a list of subscription options at the “get connected” tab.
Follow @coloradodot on Twitter for traveler information and other news.
Like CDOT at
www.facebook.com/coloradodot
to receive news and traveler information.
Visit
www.codot.gov/travel/winter-driving
to get information about road conditions, 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