Colorado Department of Transportation officials will close U.S. Highway 550 north of Red Mountain Pass on Saturday morning to mitigate avalanche hazards.
A storm veering southwest on Friday was expected to clear out by Saturday – but not before depositing a (mostly) welcome layer of snow along the U.S. Highway 160 corridor.
The storm left more snow in Durango than anticipated. Even though CDOT officials initially suspected highway closures would not be necessary, that changed by mid-afternoon.
Motorists who try to travel on Highway 550 north of Silverton will encounter flaggers beginning around 7:30 a.m. stopping them at mile post 87, near Ironton Park, and 90.5 at the Bear Creek Bridge.
Although some people may be guided through the closure as work is ongoing, CDOT is treating the event like a full closure.
“We’re trying to steer people (away) from even going that way,” CDOT spokeswoman Adair Christensen said.
Dennis Phillips, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, was hesitant to provide specific snowfall estimates Monday morning – the forecast keeps changing he said, and narrow bands of weather are liable to deposit heavy snow in one area but avoid another.
With temperatures hovering right around freezing, slight variances in elevation can make the difference between accumulated snow and melty slush, he said.
U.S. Highway 550 was reportedly covered in packed snow and ice north of Durango past Silverton, according to the CDOT’s COTrip map.
At the Durango-La Plata County Airport, the weather was not having a dramatic impact on operations, Aviation Manager Tony Vicari said.
“Surface temperatures are hovering right at or a little above freezing, so the majority of the snowfall is melting on contact,” he said. “Effectively, probably the biggest thing we're seeing is just with the dense storm and fog, our visibilities are pretty low.”
At least one flight had to make multiple approaches due to visibility concerns, he said. All departing flights were scheduled for on-time takeoffs as of noon.
A second wave of precipitation is expected to arrive Friday evening before clear, warm weather arrives for the weekend.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
