Winter has been warm and wet so far in Southwest Colorado.
Cortez weather observer Jim Andrus told the Montezuma County commissioners on Monday that precipitation forecasts were “knocked into a cocked hat” by the so-called Pineapple Express, which carries strong, persistent moisture from around the Hawaiian Islands eastward to the West Coast of America. Andrus said December’s precipitation was 164 percent of average and November’s was about the same. Already in January there has been .68 inches of moisture, and .88 is normal for the month. But future precip may come as rain rather than snow. The 90-day forecast for the Four Corners is for above-normal temperatures.