COLORADO, USA — Much of western Colorado will fall under a Winter Storm Warning, Avalanche Warning or Winter Weather Advisory as a new round of winter-like weather impacts the region beginning Thursday night.
Parts of the mountains could see snow accumulations of five to 12 inches with locally higher amounts possible and winds gusting as high as 60 mph.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said mountain commuters should plan for slippery road conditions as blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility.
Winds will increase across Colorado on Thursday ahead of the system. The foothills, Denver metro area and eastern plains will see winds increase beginning Thursday afternoon, continuing through Friday evening.
High Wind Warnings and Red Flag Warnings for high fire danger go into effect Thursday for parts of the foothills and eastern plains.
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FORECAST: Full forecast
The snow will clear for the weekend ahead of the next chance for snow in the high country Saturday night into Sunday.
Monday could see some of that snow pushing onto the plains but amounts should stay relatively light.
Colorado chain and traction laws
The CDOT urged travelers to be aware of chain and traction law codes before heading out on the roadway:
- Code 18/Commercial Chain Law: Commercial vehicles and trucks must have chains. Vehicles without chains can often lose traction, causing traffic delays and sometimes road closures. For the safety of the traveling public, it's critical to use chains to comply with Colorado's chain law.
- Code 15/Passenger Traction Law: All passenger vehicles must have appropriate all-weather tires with 3/16-inch depth. Vehicles must have one of the following: winter tires, tires with mud/snow (M+S) designation, chains or alternative traction devices such as an autosock. 4WD and AWD vehicles must have winter tires or all-weather tires.
- Code 16/Passenger Chain Law: All passenger vehicles need chains, except for 4WD and AWD vehicles with all-weather tires with 3/16-inch tread depth.
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