Over the next several days, Montezuma County is expected to see a red flag warning, wind gusts up to 60 mph, highs near 60 degrees, lows close to 20 degrees, and another near-miss storm that’ll snub the southern San Juan Mountains.
So all in all, another normal day for Southwest Colorado weather.
According to the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, a red flag warning is in effect until 8 p.m. Thursday for Southwest Colorado as high winds coupled with dry conditions present critical fire danger.
The strong winds are a result of a cold front and storm approaching from the southwest, which presents the possibility of precipitation, said Dan Cuezas, a technician for the NWS in Grand Junction.
In Montezuma County, there’s a chance of rain and snow showers before midnight that lasts until 4 a.m. Lows will be around 28 degrees, and winds are expected to be around 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph.
Friday should be partly sunny with a high near 47 degrees, with wind gusts again as high as 40 mph. The unsettled weather should be out of the region by Saturday morning, Cuezas said.
Saturday is expected to be mostly clear with a high near 60 degrees.
In the high country of the San Juan Mountains, there’s a slightly better chance for precipitation, but not much as the storm, like it has done so many times this winter, takes a northerly route.
“That’s the trend this season,” Cuezas said. “The snowpack up north isn’t horrible, but down south it is.”
Around Silverton, there’s a 40 percent chance of snow showers after 4 p.m. Thursday, which may continue on and off until Saturday morning.
New snow accumulation could be around 1 to 2 inches, Cuezas said. Winds during this time are also expected to be intense, with gusts up to 60 mph.
“You may get some snow in the mountains, but nothing to get excited about,” Cuezas said.
Snowpack in Southwest Colorado is dropping fast.
As of Thursday, the Animas, Dolores, San Juan and San Miguel basins were at 36 percent of normal historic averages, the lowest in the state.
jromeo@durangoherald.com