A Sunday rainstorm caused a mudslide on U.S. Highway 550 near mile marker 33 just north of the Hermosa Speedway gas station.
The area received around 0.25 inches of rain on Sunday as of 5 p.m. according to the National Weather Service’s Advanced Hydrological prediction service. The Colorado Department of Transportation responded to reports of the mudslide at around 4:30 p.m.
CDOT officials called it a minor mudslide that vehicles could drive through, CDOT spokeswoman Lisa Schwantes said on Sunday.
“When we get mud that has traveled across the roadway and the surface, that makes for some pretty slick conditions,” Schwantes said.
A plow was out removing rock debris from the highway at around 5 p.m. Sunday, and CDOT workers directed traffic through the slide. Traffic was slowed for a period in order for workers to get a plow through to remove rock and mud debris.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning at around 3 p.m. for La Plata County and Eastern Montezuma County.
As of 5:30 p.m., CDOT crews were able to clear the mudslide off the highway.
tbrown@durangoherald.com
