Wednesday, November 11, 2026

Mountain West

MT, ID, WY, CO, UT, NV, AZ, NM

Published 4:00 AM Central

YellowRegional levelUnchanged from yesterday

U.S. 160 at the Piedra River bridge near Pagosa Springs stays closed; CDOT said Nov 10 a temporary bridge is slated for January 2027, though Wolf Creek Pass could reopen within a week. Phoenix-area river crossings are flooded by dam releases on the Salt and Gila Rivers, and the rest of the region is dry and mild before a weekend storm.

Drops to Green if CDOT reopens Wolf Creek Pass and CO 151, shortening the Durango-Pagosa Springs detourGoes Orange if the weekend storm brings heavy mountain snow or wind to Colorado, Utah, Idaho and northern New Mexico, or flood-damaged roads fail again

This threat level is the 0400 Report's own assessment, not an official government alert, warning or declaration. For official alerts where you live, follow your local emergency officials and the National Weather Service. How we set it

Regions rate local conditions. Nationwide issues, like fuel prices, set the US level.

SITREP What changed in this region

ongoingTransport

Southwest Colorado: U.S. 160 Piedra River bridge closed until a temporary bridge goes in, slated for January

CDOT said Nov 10 that U.S. 160 at the Piedra River bridge has been fully closed since Oct. 31, when floodwaters collapsed its piers, and the bridge needs a full rebuild; a contractor is building a temporary bridge on a temporary alignment, slated for installation by January 2027. Wolf Creek Pass (U.S. 160) is expected to reopen within a week, weather permitting, with one-lane alternating traffic. CO 151 south of Chimney Rock is expected to reopen before Thanksgiving, which CDOT says would cut the Durango-Pagosa Springs drive from about 3.5 hours (via New Mexico) to about 1.5. CDOT points travelers to COtrip.org.

CDOT (Nov 10): CDOT prioritizes critical flood repairs ahead of holiday travel CBS Colorado: Wolf Creek Ski Area crews join CDOT's race to reconnect Southwest Colorado Town of Pagosa Springs: October/November 2026 Flood Recovery

ongoingWater

Phoenix area: dam releases flood Salt River crossings; Gila River warning through early next week

NWS Phoenix has a Flood Warning until 11 a.m. Wednesday for the Salt River below Granite Reef Dam, where dam operators reported over 1,000 cubic feet per second being released and low-water crossings upstream of Tempe Town Lake, including McKellips Road, are flooding. A separate warning runs through at least early next week on the Gila River between Painted Rock Dam and Dateland, where releases are expected to rise to about 3,000 cfs and could flood farm fields and low-water crossings.

NWS Phoenix forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)NWS active alerts for AZ (read Nov 11, about 2:50 a.m. CT)

newWeather

Weekend storm: valley rain and mountain snow from Utah and Idaho to New Mexico and Colorado

NWS Salt Lake City forecasts 4 to 8 inches of mountain snow Saturday and valley rain that should clear the inversion haze. NWS Boise expects near-record highs through Friday, then gusts of 35 to 50 mph in southeast Oregon and far southwest Idaho Friday and rain and mountain snow Friday night into Saturday. NWS Albuquerque warns of slick travel with valley rain and high-elevation snow in northern New Mexico this weekend and gusts of 35 to 45 mph Saturday; NWS Pueblo says the heaviest Colorado precipitation should fall in the San Juans, about half an inch of liquid. No watches are out yet.

NWS Salt Lake City forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)NWS Boise forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)NWS Albuquerque forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)NWS Pueblo forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)

Regional board Tap a line for detail

Power & utilities

quiet

No large outage story was found for the region.

Weather & hazards

watch

Phoenix flood warnings for dam releases on the Salt and Gila Rivers.

Phoenix flood warnings for dam releases on the Salt and Gila Rivers. Dense fog advisory this morning for southern Lea County, N.M. (Midland office); patchy fog near Roswell. Denver/Boulder, Pueblo, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City (valley inversions and haze), Albuquerque, Tucson and Boise list no watches or warnings. Dry and mild through Friday, then a weekend storm with rain, mountain snow and wind; Las Vegas and Tucson flag a stronger system Monday-Tuesday.

NWS Phoenix forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)NWS Denver/Boulder forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)NWS Las Vegas forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)NWS Salt Lake City forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)NWS Albuquerque forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)NWS Tucson forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)NWS Boise forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)

Travel & transport

elevated

U.S.

U.S. 160 at the Piedra River bridge, U.S. 160 over Wolf Creek Pass and CO 151 south of Chimney Rock are fully closed (CDOT, Nov 10); Wolf Creek Pass is expected to reopen within a week and CO 151 before Thanksgiving. Salt River low-water crossings including McKellips Road are flooded (NWS Phoenix). Airports were not checked.

CDOT (Nov 10): CDOT prioritizes critical flood repairs ahead of holiday travel NWS Phoenix forecast discussion (Nov 10-11)

Health, water & safety

watch

Colorado's request for a major disaster declaration for Archuleta and Rio Grande counties is still pending; no federal decision was found Nov 11.

Colorado's request for a major disaster declaration for Archuleta and Rio Grande counties is still pending; no federal decision was found Nov 11. Phoenix police reported two people hurt, not fatally, in an exchange of gunfire near downtown Nov 10. As of Nov 5, Pagosa Springs asked residents to limit water use. No mountain-state mass shooting was found.

Colorado Governor's Office: Polis requests major presidential disaster declaration Sen. Hickenlooper: delegation supports major disaster request for southwestern Colorado flooding Yahoo News: Juvenile injured after shots are fired near downtown Phoenix Town of Pagosa Springs: October/November 2026 Flood Recovery

Elsewhere Other regions and the world

NortheastYellow ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC A storm system brings a long stretch of rain from Thursday into early Saturday, with possible minor coastal flooding at daytime high tides Thursday and Friday and wet snow in the higher terrain of upstate New York and western New England; NWS offices expect limited wind and snow impacts. SoutheastYellow VA, WV, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, TN, KY The St. MidwestYellow OH, MI, IN, IL, WI, MN, IA, MO, ND, SD, NE, KS A Winter Weather Advisory covers Baraga and Marquette counties in Upper Michigan from Wednesday night to noon Friday for 4 to 8 inches of lake-effect snow, locally 10, while a cold front brings a marginal severe-storm risk to Illinois, Indiana and the Ohio Valley Wednesday afternoon and evening. South CentralGreen TX, OK, LA, AR No watches or warnings over land in the region's main NWS offices this morning beyond small river flood products in South Texas, and ERCOT lists no advisory or emergency. PacificYellow WA, OR, CA, AK, HI A minivan drove into pedestrians and street vendors outside the North Hollywood Metro station Tuesday evening, killing three; police have not said whether it was deliberate. WorldOrange Global, as it affects Americans The Iran war still drives the world story that reaches American households: no US-Iran deal, Hormuz restricted, US naval blockade in place.

National stories, like fuel prices and overseas conflict, are on the US page.

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