A few chances to reverse Southwest Colorado’s prolonged dry spell are on the way Friday through Sunday.
The National Weather Service in Grand Junction is reporting two weather systems making their way to the region, which could bring moisture to Durango and snow to the high country around the San Juan Mountains.
A cold front was expected to enter Southwest Colorado late Thursday into Friday morning.
In the high country around Silverton, there is a 30% to 40% chance of precipitation. Overnight lows are expected to be in the low 20s and Friday’s daytime high is forecast to be about 43 degrees.
In Cortez, sunny and partly cloudy skies were expected through Tuesday, with overnight lows in the upper 20s.
In Durango, there’s only a 20% chance of precipitation Thursday night into Friday.
The region dries out again for most of Friday and Saturday, until the next storm system enters Saturday night.
Around Silverton, there’s a 40% to 50% chance of snow Saturday into Sunday. Overnight lows are predicted to be in the low 20s, and daytime highs around 32 degrees.
Durango has about a 20% chance of rain or snow showers. Temperatures will drop below freezing Saturday night and hover around 50 degrees during the day Sunday.
The precipitation is much needed in the region: The U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday reported nearly all of Southwest Colorado is in a “severe drought.”
“It’s better than nothing,” Megan Stackhouse, a meteorologist for NWS, said of the upcoming storms.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
