The snow storm has arrived
Posted : Nov 15, 2009 5:19 AM
Updated: Nov 15, 2009 8:15 AM
It will be best to avoid traveling across southern Colorado today, because strong winds and reduced visibility, due to heavy snowfall and blowing snow, are expected across the region.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory, that remains in effect until 11a.m. Sunday, for southern El Paso county. Areas of sleet and snow, moderate to heavy at times, expected overnight, especially Sunday morning.
The National Weather Service has also issued a Winter Storm Warning in effect from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday for the Sangre de Cristo and Wet Mountains, the Wet Mountain Valley, and the I-25 corridor from south of Pueblo to the New Mexico border. A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect from 6 a.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday for the southeast Colorado Plains, including Crowley, Otero, Eastern, Las Animas, Kiowa, Bent, Prowers, and Baca counties.
A strong storm system is expected to drop into the 4 corners region by sunrise Sunday, and then move eastward across New Mexico and into the Texas panhandle Sunday and Sunday night. Gusty north winds of 15 to 30 mph will cause poor visibilities in blowing snow on Sunday.
By the storms end Sunday night, total snowfall accumulations will range from 8 to 12 inches across the Sangre de Cristo and Wet mountains, with 6 to 8 inches across the Wet mountain valley, southern I-25 corridor and southeast Plains of Crowley, Otero, eastern Las Animas, Kiowa, Bent, Prowers and Baca counties. Total snowfall accumulations of 3 to 8 inches can be expected across Teller, western and central Fremont and northern El Paso county.
Southern El Paso county will see between 2 to 5 inches of sleet and snow by 11a.m. Sunday with snow decreasing by Sunday afternoon as northerly winds sweep down off the Palmer Divide.
Snowfall amounts will be highly variable across eastern Fremont county and Pueblo county, with amounts ranging from 2 inches for the cities of Pueblo and Canon City, to 2 to 5 inches near the mountains and across southern Pueblo county.
Across the western mountains, total snowfall accumulations will range from 1 to 2 feet across the higher elevations of the eastern San Juan and La Garita mountains. An additional 5 to 10 inches of snow will fall along the crest of the Sawatch and Mosquito ranges through sunday.
Lighter amounts of 2 to 4 inches can be expected across the San Luis Valley and the upper Arkansas River Valley of Chaffee county. Snow will taper off from west to east Sunday night.
For more information:
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