{"id":43223,"date":"2021-12-15T13:19:30","date_gmt":"2021-12-15T20:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/storm-dumps-3-12-inches-of-snow-closes-schools-and-brings-wind-gusts-of-80-mph\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T03:12:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T09:12:23","slug":"storm-dumps-3-12-inches-of-snow-closes-schools-and-brings-wind-gusts-of-80-mph","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/storm-dumps-3-12-inches-of-snow-closes-schools-and-brings-wind-gusts-of-80-mph\/","title":{"rendered":"Storm dumps 3-12 inches of snow, closes schools and brings wind gusts of 80 mph"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"A
A semitrailer rolled over about 5 a.m. Wednesday on U.S. Highway 160 near Bayfield. No injuries were reported. (Courtesy of Colorado State Patrol)<\/span>Courtesy of Colorado State Patrol<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

An overnight snowstorm closed schools, caused widespread power outages and brought 80 mph winds to parts of Southwest Colorado.<\/p>\n

Area roads were turned icy, making for dangerous driving conditions Wednesday morning across much of La Plata County. Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio school districts closed as a result of the storm.<\/p>\n

\"Visibility
Visibility was poor and traction laws were in effect for Wolf Creek Pass, where at least 10 inches of snow fell early Wednesday. (Courtesy of Colorado State Patrol)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

It was the second considerable snowstorm within about a week.<\/p>\n

The snow started falling about 4 a.m. Wednesday, said Colorado Department of Transportation Maintenance Supervisor Dusty Ledford.<\/p>\n

As of 8 a.m., snow accumulation had reached 3 to 6 inches along U.S. Highway 160 between Cortez and Pagosa Springs with 10 inches on Wolf Creek Pass, he said.<\/p>\n

U.S. Highway 550 between Rockwood and Purgatory Resort had snowfall between 9 and 12 inches; and Coal Bank, Molas and Red Mountain passes had 12 inches of drifting snow and high winds during the morning commute.<\/p>\n

Two semitrailers crashed near Bayfield and numerous drivers have slid off the road, said Capt. John Trentini with the Colorado State Patrol in Southwest Colorado.<\/p>\n

Officers were responding to help drivers, but road conditions have made recovery efforts challenging.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re doing what we can with what we\u2019ve got,\u201d Trentini said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t have essential travel, stay home,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Snowy
Snowy and icy conditions in Durango and surrounding areas on Wednesday morning made the morning commute treacherous. Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio school districts closed as snow continues to fall through the morning and into the afternoon. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Vehicle
Vehicle crashes in and around Durango were reported on Wednesday morning as snowy icy conditions in the area made for hazardous driving conditions. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The Durango Police Department reported three crashes as of 11:15 a.m., said Cmdr. Ray Shupe.<\/p>\n

Colorado State Highway 3 and the roads on the backside of Fort Lewis College remained difficult to travel heading into Wednesday afternoon. Most of the other roads in town are clear with slushy conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not been too bad,\u201d Shupe said.<\/p>\n

CDOT expects winds to die down this afternoon, but snow will continue to fall and blow across traffic.<\/p>\n

Durango School District closed because of severe weather, power outages and icy road conditions. The decision was made in collaboration with emergency management, said district spokeswoman Julie Popp.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s absolutely all of those things,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Popp said the school district serves a wide geographical area that stretches from the Colorado-New Mexico border to Purgatory Resort, and if the district is unable to safely operate bus service because of hazardous conditions, that weighs heavily on the district\u2019s decision whether to cancel classes.<\/p>\n

She said snowplow drivers were trying to keep up with road conditions, and there was an icy layer below the fresh snow that fell overnight. And the district was dealing with widespread power outages, she said.<\/p>\n

La Plata Electric Association was reporting 26 power outages affecting 1,452 customers in La Plata and Archuleta counties as of 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The outages began about 4 a.m., according to a news release issued by LPEA.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe primary cause of the outages are high winds, downed trees and damaged LPEA equipment,\u201d the release said.<\/p>\n

Crews were working to restore the outages, although inclement weather and icy road conditions were making restoration difficult.<\/p>\n

\"Gusty
Gusty winds early Wednesday morning downed trees and left more than 1,450 people without power in La Plata and Archuleta counties as of 7:30 a.m. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cUsually, our storms don\u2019t have that much wind, but this one did because the storm was much more powerful,\u201d said Mark Miller, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.<\/p>\n

The National Weather Service received reports of wind gusts up to 80 mph across the Western Slope, he said.<\/p>\n

\"Strong
Strong wind gusts knocked over these massive metal sculptures early Wednesday in Pagosa Springs. (Courtesy of Cecilia Robbins)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Winds peaked between midnight and 6 a.m., but Durango will continue to see wind gusts up to 40 mph throughout the morning, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey should gradually diminish as you go through the afternoon especially toward the evening,\u201d Miller said.<\/p>\n

A winter weather advisory was in effect until 11 a.m. Wednesday for the Durango and Bayfield areas.<\/p>\n

The message posted by Bayfield School District read: \u201cDue to treacherous driving conditions and power outages, there will be no school for Bayfield School District today, Wednesday, December 15, 2021.\u201d<\/p>\n

A similar message was posted by Ignacio School District: \u201cDue to low visibility, power outages and icy roads, the Ignacio School District is canceling school today Wednesday, December 15th.\u201d<\/p>\n

Animas High School, which relies on Durango\u2019s bus service, usually follows Durango\u2019s lead in deciding whether to close schools for the day.<\/p>\n

La Plata County government announced it would be opening two hours later than normal, so at 10 a.m. Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Passenger vehicle traction and commercial vehicle chain laws were in effect for area passes, including Coal Bank, Molas, Red Mountain, Lizard Head and Wolf Creek, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your vehicle is not equipped with the right tires, you shouldn\u2019t be on the roadway,\u201d Trentini said.<\/p>\n

Drivers can expect similar hazardous conditions again tomorrow.<\/p>\n

CDOT crews and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center are planning avalanche mitigation operations on mountain passes Thursday morning.<\/p>\n

Snow showers will continue through the afternoon and into the evening before temperatures decrease to single digits.<\/p>\n

Another storm will bring more snow to the central Western Slope starting Tuesday afternoon, but will likely miss Durango, Miller said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTemperatures will be dropping like a rock tonight. They\u2019ll probably fall into the single digits near the airport,\u201d Miller said.<\/p>\n

Temperatures will rise above freezing Tuesday, but remain below freezing overnight on Wednesday and again Thursday.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoads may remain icy and snowpacked,\u201d said CDOT Deputy Superintendent John Palmer. \u201cTravelers should slow down and drive to the conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

If temperatures fall too low, snowplow drivers will be unable to apply treatments to the road.<\/p>\n

CDOT plows can continue to lay sand and salt or brine liquid until road temperatures reach 16 degrees Fahrenheit. Road temperatures in La Plata County were at about 20-30 degrees as of 9:30 a.m., Palmer said.<\/p>\n

Drivers were urged to be cautious, especially on the evening commute.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have to be out, make sure you\u2019re driving extremely slow and you\u2019re paying attention,\u201d Trentini said.<\/p>\n

Travelers can visit cotrip.org<\/a> for up-to-date road conditions from CDOT.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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