Drivers and mountain travelers across Colorado should brace themselves for dangerous winter weather beginning late tonight, with a Winter Weather Advisory in force for high elevations above 9,000 feet until Saturday night.
According to the National Weather Service in Denver, a strengthening winter system will deliver 4 to 12 inches of snow to the Colorado high country, along with wind gusts of up to 60 mph, resulting in areas of blowing snow and severely limited visibility.
The alert goes into place at midnight Friday night and lasts until midnight Saturday night, affecting many of the state’s most heavily visited mountain locations. Rocky Mountain National Park, Summit County, the Mosquito Range, Indian Peaks, Rabbit Ears Pass, Berthoud Pass, Cameron Pass, Willow Creek Pass, Eisenhower Tunnel, Winter Park, Breckenridge, and Mount Blue Sky are among the areas impacted.
Forecasters predict that traffic will become extremely difficult, particularly on Saturday morning, as snowfall rates accelerate and strong winds cause near-whiteout conditions. Forecasters predict that mountain passes and exposed routes will experience the most severe impacts.
This system could significantly affect holiday and weekend travel on I-70, US-40, and other high-elevation routes. We strongly advise drivers of high-profile vehicles and those without winter equipment to postpone travel if possible.
Officials advise drivers to slow down, allow extra travel time, and check road conditions frequently.
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