Southwest Colorado could see precipitation this weekend, but the throes of winter still seem to be at bay for the foreseeable future.
According to the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, Southwest Colorado will continue to see above-normal temperatures and dry conditions going into the weekend.
The historical average this time of year for the region is in the mid-40s, but Cortez will continue to see temperatures in the upper 50s throughout the week, lasting until Sunday.
National Weather Service meteorologist Megan Stackhouse said a weather pattern will enter Southwest Colorado on Sunday that will bring cloudy and breezy conditions, with the chance for isolated showers in lower elevations.
On Monday, there’s a slight chance of snow showers in Montezuma County, with a high of 42 degrees and an overnight low of 24.
At higher elevations in the San Juan Mountains, there could be a couple inches of snow accumulation, though Stackhouse said it’s too early for exact predication estimates as the storm could veer off to the north or south.
“We’re not confident right now this system will move directly through our area,” she said. “The last system, earlier this week, looked like it was going to move through, but it went to the north and south. We’re not sure if this system will follow a similar track.”
Across Colorado, the month of November has been defined by above-normal temperatures and dry conditions.
As of Wednesday, the snowpack across the state was 64 percent of the median value. In the Animas, Dolores, San Juan and San Miguel basin, the region was 28 percent of the median.
Stackhouse said that on Monday, 11 record-high temperatures were either set or tied across Colorado and Utah. No records were set in the Durango area, she said, but the area has been about 10 degrees above normal for this time of year.
“Everything has just been really moisture-starved lately,” she said. “And we’re still waiting for a really nice cold system to move those snow levels down.”
jromeo@durangoherald.com