climate

“These projects did not align with President Trump’s ambitious America First agenda or were redundant,” a U.S. Department of Transportation spokesperson said in a statement

Rain in November and snow this month have improved the precipitation situation in Montezuma County. And Montezuma County Commissioner Jim Candelaria has been named as the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the nonprofit group Colorado Counties, Inc.

The Colorado River District has cleared an important hurdle in securing the Shoshone water right, which is an in-stream flow agreement with the state. The deal is designed in part to protect Colorado River water levels, and it was approved despite objections from utility companies on the Front Range.

Todd Bandhauer designed a powerful electric heat pump that can replace gas-powered boilers used to make steam. More than a fifth of the world's energy is spent producing industrial heat, much of that in the form of steam.

This week’s Water Wednesday Outdoor Report looks at early-season snowpack levels across the San Miguel, Dolores, Animas, and San Juan basins, recent precipitation totals around the region, and how upcoming moisture may influence drought conditions.

La Niña is expected to persist through early winter before fading by spring, bringing a mix of mild and uncertain seasonal weather patterns.

Autumn weather in Cortez and Montezuma County has been lovely so far, but of course there is a down side – a lack of precipitation.

Warm, dry weather continues through Thursday before a Pacific storm brings rain, mountain snow, and cooler temps heading into the weekend.

High pressure will keep the Four Corners warm and dry through midweek, with plenty of sunshine and highs running five to ten degrees above normal. Thin clouds may drift through, but conditions remain pleasant until late Thursday, when a Pacific storm system brings a chance of valley rain and light mountain snow — especially in the San Juans. Temperatures are expected to drop five to fifteen degrees below normal heading into the weekend.

Sunny and mild conditions continue across the Four Corners through Wednesday, with highs well above normal — around 62 in Dove Creek, 70 in Rattlesnake, and 67 in Cortez. A weak system moving over the Rockies will bring a slight cooldown and a few light mountain snow showers late in the week, while most of the region stays dry and breezy.