Today will be very warm with gusty winds and sunny skies. Temperatures will top out at around 87 in Monument Valley, 76 in Monticello, and 82 here in Cortez. We’ll see cooling temperatures through Thursday with some chance afternoon showers - mostly in the mountains. The weekend ahead will feel seasonal with more clouds.
A new law will make it legal to drive a type of miniature vehicle from Japan called a Kei truck on Colorado roads. Governor Polis signed the bill Friday allowing Kei vehicles to operate in most of the state starting in the summer of 2027. They’ll be legal on roads with speed limits of up to fifty-five miles per hour. Kei cars and trucks are increasingly popular in the U.S. because they’re cheap, compact and simple to use. The new law had unanimous support in the state legislature, including local Representative Larry Don Sukla - who co-sponsored the bill in the House.
Snow totals in many of the mountain ranges that feed the Colorado River are down about half of what they normally are this time of year. As Alex Hager reports, that reality might be getting lost amid disarray at the federal offices that manage western Water.
Temperatures in the mountains are climbing into the 40s and 50s - even the lower 60s in Rico, increasing the risk of wet slab and loose wet avalanches. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center advises avoiding steep slopes near and above the treeline as the snowpack becomes less stable throughout the day. For those with big plans in the backcountry, consider delaying until cooler temperatures or better overnight freezes return later this week.
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and while it’s one of the most common cancers in the U.S., it’s also one of the most preventable. For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, KVNF’s Lisa Young has the story.
A new study suggests that selling federal public lands for housing may not be the best solution to the nation’s housing crisis — and could come with unexpected risks.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has suspended imports of live cattle from Mexico for at least two weeks due to concerns over the screwworm parasite, which can be fatal to livestock. The decision follows reports of screwworm cases as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, prompting increased surveillance and eradication efforts before reopening the border for cattle trade.
Eighty-three Colorado workers were killed on the job in 2023, according to the AFL-CIO’s latest “Death on the Job” report. Eric Galatas has more.
Starting today, motorists traveling on US 550 between Durango and Silverton should expect up to 20-minute delays as crews work to mitigate rockfall risks along Coal Bank Pass. The project includes wall replacement, slope stabilization, and the installation of a rockfall catchment barrier, with work expected to wrap up before winter.
