Grand Junction, Colorado – Snow will begin stacking up across northwest Colorado’s higher terrain by 2 a.m. Friday, creating slick roads ahead of the morning commute and lingering through Friday night.
According to the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, a Winter Weather Advisory runs from 2 a.m. until 11 p.m. Friday for the Flat Tops, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus in Colorado, and the Tavaputs Plateau in eastern Utah. Forecasters expect 4 to 8 inches of snow, with the heaviest totals favoring higher elevations.
Travel impacts will center on Rio Blanco County, including routes near Buford and Trappers Lake. Backcountry roads and high-elevation stretches across the Flat Tops could become snow-packed and icy before sunrise Friday. Drivers crossing the Roan Plateau or traveling between western Colorado and eastern Utah should anticipate reduced traction and slower travel times throughout the day.
Colorado Department of Transportation crews will monitor conditions, and motorists may encounter chain requirements on steeper grades if snowfall rates increase during the afternoon. Officials urge drivers to slow down, increase following distance and check updated road conditions by dialing 511 before heading out.
Snow is expected to taper off late Friday evening, but lingering slick spots could persist overnight as temperatures drop. Additional advisories remain possible if snowfall lingers into the weekend.
