The new year in the Four Corners began under a blanket of snow as the area remained under a winter storm warning for three days.
The winter storm warning was issued Tuesday and remained under the warning till Thursday night.
Snowfall that began late Dec. 31 continued in the area till Thursday afternoon, with winds reaching 5 to 10 mph. The cities of Cortez, Dove Creek, Mancos, Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio were expected to receive about 7 inches of snow since late Wednesday.
Friday is expected to be mostly sunny, with a high near 24. East wind around 5 mph becoming west- southwest in the afternoon.
The cold weather gripping Cortez over the past week has affected road conditions in more ways than one. Public works crews on Tuesday had their hands full with two water main breaks, both attributed to ground shifting in cold weather. One break was at the 800 block of South Market and one was at the 1000 block of South Broadway.
“They took us by surprise,” Josh Gritz, of the Cortez public works department, said Tuesday morning. Many residents experienced low pressure and brown water as the repairs were underway. The city confirmed in an announcement that water is safe to drink. The Market Street break was repaired about 2 p.m. Tuesday.