THANKSGIVING DAY & WEEKEND ―I-70 Mountain Corridor and Southern Mountains Advisory Second storm to hit western and southern Colorado on Thanksgiving day through Saturday

November 27, 2019 - Statewide News - Holiday travelers returning home are urged: Be Prepared!

COLORADO ― While northwest Colorado is still digging out of a significant storm from earlier this week, southwest Colorado will get hit with the brunt of a very strong second storm this holiday week. The storm will impact western and southern Colorado starting Wednesday night, through Thanksgiving day and into Saturday. The snowy weather will make travel difficult for those returning home from the holiday. This strong Pacific storm will bring widespread snowfall to the high country with a rain and snow mix possible in the lower valleys. The southern mountains will feel the brunt of this storm, while moderate impacts are expected for the Northern and Central Mountains.

The Colorado Department of Transportation suggests holding off travel until after Saturday if possible. The best strategy during adverse weather is for travelers to be patient, find a safe haven, and await better travel conditions. 

FORECASTED CONDITIONS FROM THE NWS (National Weather Service): 

I-70 Mountain Corridor

A winter storm watch has been issued by the NWS for much of the I-70 corridor and the Central Mountains from Thanksgiving day through Saturday, Nov. 30. This includes the Grand and Battlement Mesas, the Gore and Elk Mountains, the Central Mountain Valleys, and West Elk and Sawatch Mountains as well as the communities of Aspen, Vail, Snowmass, Crested Butte, Taylor Park, and Marble. 

Motorists are reminded that travel will be difficult with moderate to locally- heavy snowfall accumulations at higher elevations along I-70, High winds and blowing snow will reduce visibility significantly. Travelers along the interstate are also reminded to be prepared for the possibility of safety closures.  Safety closures are conducted when road conditions become unsafe. The closures allow time for patrols to work efficiently and return the highway to a safe condition for travelers.

Southwest Mountains

A winter storm warning remains in effect for the Northwest San Juan Mountains, the Southwest San Juan Mountains from Wednesday evening through Saturday evening. This includes the towns of Telluride, Ouray, Lake City, Silverton, Rico, and Hesperus. 

Heavy snow is expected to bring locally higher accumulations in the southern mountains. Winds are expected to gust as high as 45 to 55 mph which will cause difficult to impossible travel conditions. Expect snow packed roads, blowing snow and limited visibility. 

 

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Travelers are urged to “know before you go.” Gather information about weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road. CDOT resources include:

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.  

Earlier this year, CDOT announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative to heighten safety awareness. This initiative takes a systematic, statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.

ABOUT CDOT

CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated inter-regional express service. Governor Jared Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s multi-modal mobility options.