Southwest Colorado

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

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.

Heavy rainfall over a two-day period in the Four Corners region saw severe floods in the Animas and San Juan rivers, causing damages to homes and businesses. Climate researchers are examining historical trends and the impacts of climate change to better understand the massive rain event.

Back-to-back October storms brought record rain and flooding to Southwest Colorado, easing drought but swelling rivers to near-record fall levels.

Trail conditions around Dolores are looking great for the weekend, with hero dirt forming after recent rains and no storms in the forecast.

Recent storms brought record rainfall across the Four Corners — with some areas seeing a third of their annual total in a single day — but drought conditions remain. Water users across the Upper Colorado River Basin are facing deep, uncompensated cuts, forcing widespread farmland fallowing and new pressure on long-term water management.

A Flood Watch remains in effect through late tonight for the southern San Juans and nearby valleys, with several Flood Warnings still posted for rivers around Pagosa Springs. Rainfall totals of one to three inches were recorded over the past 24 hours, and while showers should ease this morning, scattered storms could redevelop by afternoon, bringing brief heavy rain, small hail, and gusty winds. Another system arrives Wednesday with additional showers, followed by a cold front Thursday that will cool temperatures by about ten degrees and drop snow levels to around 7,000 feet.

Hundreds of homes were evacuated over the weekend as flooding swept through parts of southwestern Colorado. The hardest-hit areas were Pagosa Springs and Vallecito, where creeks swelled to more than twice their normal spring runoff levels, damaging roads, bridges, and homes. Although evacuation orders have been lifted, more rain from Tropical Storm Raymond is on the way, and flood watches remain in effect across the San Juan Mountains and southern valleys.

After an executive session that lasted nearly five hours, the Montezuma-Cortez Re-1 School Board in a special meeting Tuesday night came up with a list of three finalists for district superintendent.