BY Jim Mimiaga

Classic spring weather patterns have brought snow to the Four Corners, with more expected within the next week.

Heavy cold fronts moving in from the southwest are expected to dump between one and five inches in Cortez and surrounding areas by today, with storms tapering off briefly on Wednesday, according to local meteorologist Jim Andrus.

After two days of 60-degree weather, Cortez was hit Sunday with heavy rain that quickly turned into three inches of snow as temperatures dropped below freezing. Dolores, Mancos and Rico endured near-blizzard conditions much of the day on Sunday, as did the surrounding mountains.

Accumulation in Dolores on Sunday was six inches, while Telluride saw five inches of new snow. Official reports for Rico and Mancos were not available.

The Colorado State Patrol reported that the new snow caused havoc for inexperienced drivers. On Sunday, there were five weather-related crashes on highways around Cortez, but none involved injuries. With more snow to come, officers are warning drivers to slow it down in adverse conditions.

"If people would just slow down and adjust to bad weather and roads we wouldn’t have this problem," said Colorado State Trooper Mike McGuire. "But there is always one or two who just don’t get it."

Snow is likely through today with accumulation of up to six inches expected in areas above 5,500 feet elevation, including Cortez, Durango, Telluride and Pagosa Springs. A cold front is expected to dump between six inches and a foot of snow in elevations above 8,000 feet, with the mountains over 10,000 feet receiving a bigger share, said Gina Loss, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.

"There is a winter storm watch through today for the San Juan Mountains with accumulation expected at 1 to 2 feet, particularly up high on south-facing slopes," she said. "Gusty winds from the southwest will likely reach 40 mph on the mountain passes, so there will be a lot of drifting."

Meteorologists are monitoring another moisture-laden cold front that is expected to come through Thursday night and Friday. That system appears to be moving in a more northerly direction, Loss said, and has the potential to hit the Four Corners more directly than previous storms that have tracked farther south of here.