The National Weather Service on Friday issued its first winter storm warning of the season for Western Colorado and parts of eastern Utah, about three hours after a car crashed on a slick highway near Mancos.
The car crashed at Colorado Highway 184 and Road 33 near milepost 14 this morning when it was windy, rainy and temperatures dipped to 39 degrees. It was a single-vehicle crash, and the car rolled over.
Earlier this year, in June, a Dolores high schooler died in a rollover car crash near milepost 15 on that road.
In Friday’s crash, at least one person was taken to the hospital, said Trooper Gabriel Moltrer, a Colorado State Patrol public information officer.
Colorado State Patrol responded to the crash after getting a call at 11:22 a.m.
By 11:59 a.m., the road was completely closed with a detour for traffic. The road briefly reopened at 12:45 p.m. but closed again at 2:37 p.m. to recover the vehicle, said Lisa Schwantes, the southwest region’s public information officer at the Colorado Department of Transportation.
“We’re experiencing the first of winter with this early snowstorm and system hitting the southwest corner. Drivers need to slow down and drive to the conditions,” Schwantes said.
“We’re out of practice,” she said.
Significant snow accumulation is projected for places above 8,000 feet. The heaviest snowfall will be Friday evening into Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The winter storm warning was extended until 9 p.m. Sunday.
Though Cortez, Dolores and Mancos are not expected to get any snow, Durango is forecast to get up to an inch and Telluride 3 to 8 inches. Rico is expected to get up to 16 inches.
The weather is “likely to cause travel difficulties through some mountain corridors,” so travel with caution, the weather service said. Visibility will be poor in high elevation areas where the snow blows.
Looking ahead, in Montezuma County, there’s a low of 34 degrees forecast for tonight, and a 90% chance of precipitation.
On Saturday, there’s a chance of showers before 9 a.m., which lasts throughout the morning and into the afternoon. In that window, those showers will likely progress to a thunderstorm. The high temperature for the day will approach 54 degrees. That night, temperatures will dip to 36 degrees and with an 80% chance of precipitation.
Showers continue into Sunday, with highs reaching 51 degrees, and dropping around 34 degrees come nightfall.
By Monday, it’ll be sunny and 56.
