As we get ready for the Long Haul back to Colorado, we’d really love to take the northern route — up into Utah on I-15, then across through the Rockies on I-70 — rather than the southern one — across I-40 through Arizona and New Mexico, then up I-25 along the front range. We did the latter on the way out, and it’s a good three hundred miles longer.
That said … last night our city rep sent out this message from the Arapahoe Co. Sheriff …
AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS FROM THURS NIGHT THROUGH FRI…AND ACROSS THE PLAINS ON FRI INTO FRI EVENING. WHILE HEAVY SNOWFALL IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME…THE SNOW WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WINDS WHICH WILL PRODUCE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS ON THURS NIGHT AND ON THE PLAINS FRI.
THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK…STRONG NW WINDS ALOFT WILL BRING A CHANCE OF MOUNTAIN SNOWFALL AS WELL AS PERIODS OF STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE FRONT RANGE MOUNTAINS AND EASTERN SLOPES. THE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS MAY ALSO SPREAD ACROSS THE PLAINS AT TIMES.
And this morning my e-mail was full of Denver folks saying that it was a snow day (either figuratively or as declared by at least Cherry Creek Schools).
Now it’s not like I’m thinking the mountains will be unpassable or anything. And I’m not worried we’re going to pull into Denver and it’s going to be snowbound. But we did a jaunt going home through the Rockies in the middle of the night last time we did this, with blowing snow and Margie stuck behind the wheel for a very long and tense trip. It’s not worth it.
We’ll still check the road conditions and weather reports (including the I-25 conditions), but at this point I’m thinking playing it “safe” is going to be better than trying to save a hours on the trip.
People got a snow day today?
Pikers…
Well, there *is* a “snow and blowing snow advisory” for Denver … 🙂 I’m seeing recordings of 5-6″ around town.
Heh…
It was already 5″ when I left home this morning….at 6am.
Got up early…called the work weather line:
“”Work” is closed Friday December 29.”
D’oh!
No help there.
While stuck at the Doomfield exit I called again.
“”Work” is closed Friday December 29.”
D’oh!
Groundhog Day!
Well…and that and you get all wound up hearing the FRIDAY part and then there is that whole date thing that pops your little snowday bubble. ;P
Yeah, big storm a comin. Again. Dang, we want your snow (and snow days) here in Chicago.
If you take the northern route and the weather is bad, they may close I-80. The winds there are fierce and it’s often closed due to high winds because the big rigs get blown over.
I think you have my email addy – drop me a line there if it looks like you might get stuck.
http://www.udot.utah.gov says I-70 is potentially bad in Utah between the I-15 interchange and Fremont Junction (about 40 miles east of Salina — I had to look it up on a map). However, they also say there are crews out on the road, presumably meaning they are plowing and sanding the road.
http://www.cotrip.org says the roads are a little iffy at the Eisenhower Tunnel and Vail Pass. Commercial vehicles are required to have chains in those areas and at Mt. Vernon Canyon.
http://www.crh.noaa.gov indicates that the worst of the storm is past, but that there may be high winds and more snow in the high mountains on Sunday. However, they indicate the snow will be light in most areas except on the high peaks.
nmroads.com indicates that I-25 and I-40 have some snow and ice in various places and that road crews are out plowing and sanding.
http://www.crh.noaa.gov also indicates there is a winter weather advisory for northern New Mexico, including I-25 near Raton. I think this is the storm that was here in Colorado last night. They forecast that the weather will be better by Saturday afternoon.
If it was me, I’d do I-70, but I tend to stop for the night rather than driving straight through, so my decision is a little different than yours.
Well, I-80 would be the *way* northern route from LA to Denver (via Wyoming). Hopefully we won’t be driven to that (so to speak).
Aspen is expecting snow today and snow Sunday; I think we’ll go south. There were snow showers in Flagstaff today, but I think that’s still the least worrisome route. 🙂