Snowy, Icy, And Bitterly Cold Weather Will Wreak Havoc On Many Colorado Roads
DENVER (CBS4) - Even with multiple winter storms so far this season, and the season now more than half over, drivers in Colorado will once again need to be very cautious driving Tuesday night into Wednesday and remember to give themselves plenty of extra time to reach their destination safely.
The CBS4 weather team has issued a First Alert Weather Day for Tuesday night and Wednesday because of cold and snow that will cause hazardous travel conditions around the Denver metro area and throughout much of the state.
Most areas will get at least 3 to 6 inches of snow and many areas west of I-25 will get considerably more.
Roads in the Denver metro area will initially become slippery around sunset on Tuesday and then conditions will worsen overnight. By early Wednesday morning, all roads are expected to be icy and snowpacked.
Transportation officials are strongly urging all drivers to always us good judgment and avoid any travel that isn't completely necessary Tuesday night through at least Wednesday morning. If you must travel, allow plenty of distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you, and allow extra time to reach your destination safely.
And while it may be too late to consider new tires for you vehicle before this storm, certain tires are safer because they provide better traction in winter conditions.
According to the the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), winter tires are safest for snowy and icy conditions and are recommended for driving in winter weather. All-weather tires are also considered safe in winter conditions, particularly conditions with heavy rain, slush or wet snow. And finally, Mud and Snow (M+S) tires are all-season tires that provide better starting, stopping and driving performance in snowy conditions than non-M+S tires. M+S tires are acceptable in light snow but are limited to the capabilities of winter tires.
Winter tires, all-weather tires, and M+S tires are the only tires Colorado drivers should have on their vehicles in the snow season primarily because of the stopping distance they require on snowy pavement.
Other tips for winter driving include avoiding unnecessarily lane changes, using extreme caution when driving on bridges and overpasses, never stopping while going up a hill, and carrying a winter weather kit in your car September through May.
Matthew Inzeo, CDOT's communications manager recommends drivers be prepared just in case they get stuck and keep some supplies in their car.
"A blanket, and extra jacket, an extra hat, a little bit of food and water just in case the thing that we never want to happen, happens and you're stuck in the snow in extremely cold temperatures," he said.
