It’s looking like Southwest Colorado is on track for a white Christmas.
Scott Sterns, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, said a storm system approaching from the southwest out of the Pacific Ocean is headed for the Four Corners, and it should hit Tuesday on Christmas Eve.
A winter weather advisory takes effect at noon Tuesday and lasts through 6 p.m. Wednesday. It includes the towns of Silverton, Hesperus and Rico.
During that time, up to a foot of new snow could fall in the high country of the San Juan Mountains. The Weather Service said travel over Coal Bank, Molas and Red Mountain passes could be very difficult.
The latest road conditions are available by calling 5-1-1.
The chance of snow in the high country will linger until Saturday night.
In Cortez and the surrounding areas, the chance of snow begins Monday night. From Tuesday to Wednesday, the Weather Service expects 2 to 4 inches of snow could fall in Cortez, Durango and lower elevations in Southwest Colorado.
The storm will be the first of true winter, which started Saturday, also known as the winter solstice, making it the shortest day of the year. In Southwest Colorado, that means only about 9½ hours of sunlight. That’s about five hours shorter than the longest day of the year in June.
The silver lining of winter solstice: The days only get longer from here.
At lower elevations, anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of snow could fall Tuesday through Wednesday.
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