National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5TH AS PROCLAIMED BY GOVERNOR OWENS. BEFORE WINTER ARRIVES FULL FORCE...IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU PREPARE YOUR VEHICLES FOR WINTER TRAVEL.

A WELL EQUIPPED VEHICLE HAS ADEQUATE TIRES...TIRE CHAINS...
TOW ROPE...SAND OR CAT LITTER FOR TRACTION...SHOVEL...TOOL
KIT...WINDSHIELD SCRAPER AND BRUSH...BATTERY CABLES... FIRST
AID KIT...FLASHLIGHT...EXTRA BATTERIES...BLANKETS AND SLEEPING BAGS...EXTRA CLOTHING...CANDLES...WATERPROOF MATCHES... HIGH CALORIE PACKAGED FOOD FOR QUICK ENERGY ...AND AN EMPTY CAN TO MELT SNOW FOR DRINKING.

THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT TREACHEROUS WINTER TRAVEL IS TO AVOID IT. THIS CAN BE DONE BY STAYING INFORMED ON THE CURRENT WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS AS WELL AS THE
LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS. INFORMATION ON ROAD CONDITIONS IN COLORADO IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT

WWW.COTRIP.ORG

OR BY DIALING TOLL FREE 1-877-315-7623.

PHONE NUMBERS FOR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ROAD REPORTS IN OTHER STATES ARE AVAILABLE BY CALLING INFORMATION OR DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH.

IF YOU SHOULD BECOME STRANDED DURING A WINTER STORM...
STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE AND DO NOT PANIC. IF ACCOMPANIED
BY OTHERS...TAKE TURNS SLEEPING. RUN THE MOTOR EVERY HOUR FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES TO MAINTAIN WARMTH...BUT KEEP WINDOWS OPEN A LITTLE TO PREVENT THE BUILDUP OF CARBON
MONOXIDE. MAKE SURE THE EXHAUST PIPE IS NOT BLOCKED. KEEP
THE VEHICLE VISIBLE WITH A BRIGHTLY COLORED CLOTH TIED TO THE
ANTENNA OR DOOR HANDLE. EXERCISE PERIODICALLY BY VIGOROUSLY MOVING ARMS...LEGS...TOES AND FINGERS.

IN THE MOUNTAINS...AVALANCHES ARE A THREAT IN THE WINTER...ESPECIALLY BELOW STEEP SLOPES. AVALANCHES OCCASIONALLY COME DOWN ACROSS ROADS...WITH LITTLE OR NO
WARNING. HOWEVER...AVALANCHE CONTROL WORK IS PERFORMED ON AVALANCHE PRONE ROADS IN COLORADO ...MAKING THE ROADS SAFER TO TRAVEL. CAUTION IS ADVISED WHEN TRAVELING ALONG AVALANCHE PRONE ROADS... ESPECIALLY AFTER HEAVY SNOW HAS FALLEN OR DURING PERIODS OF RAPID SNOWMELT.

VERY STRONG DOWNSLOPE WINDS OCCUR AT TIMES MAINLY
ALONG THE FRONT RANGE AND EASTERN MOUNTAINS OF COLORADO. THESE CHINOOK AND BORA WINDS CAN HAVE GUSTS EXCEEDING 100 MPH. PERSONS TRAVELING IN LIGHT WEIGHT OR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD AVOID TRAVEL DURING THESE STRONG WIND EVENTS ESPECIALLY ON NORTH SOUTH ORIENTED ROADS.

ROADS WHICH APPEAR TO BE CLEAR IN THE WINTERTIME MAY
ACTUALLY BE COATED WITH A THIN LAYER OF ICE... KNOWN AS BLACK ICE. THIS NEARLY INVISIBLE ICE LAYER CAN CAUSE YOU TO RAPIDLY LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE. BLACK ICE IS MOST COMMON DURING THE NIGHTTIME HOURS. IF YOU DETECT BLACK ICE...REDUCE YOUR SPEED AND ALLOW PLENTY OF EXTRA STOPPING DISTANCE.