Thursday, November 12, 2026

Mountain West

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

Published 4:00 AM Central

YellowRegional levelUnchanged from yesterday

U.S. 160 in southwest Colorado is still closed at the Piedra River bridge and over Wolf Creek Pass, though CDOT says limited one-lane traffic over the pass could start as soon as this weekend. A Gila River flood warning from dam releases runs through Nov. 17 west of Phoenix, and a Friday storm brings a Winter Storm Warning to Lake Tahoe and wind advisories across Nevada before weekend rain and snow reach Utah, Idaho, Colorado and New Mexico.

Drops to Green if CDOT reopens Wolf Creek Pass and CO 151, shortening the Durango-Pagosa Springs detourGoes Orange if Friday's Sierra wind and heavy wet snow bring long closures or outages around Reno and Tahoe, or weekend rain reignites flooding in northwest New Mexico or southwest Colorado

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

easingTransport

Southwest Colorado: Wolf Creek Pass could reopen to limited traffic this weekend; Piedra River bridge closed until January

CDOT said Nov 10 that U.S. 160 over Wolf Creek Pass, U.S. 160 at the Piedra River bridge and CO 151 south of Chimney Rock remain fully closed after the October floods. It said it is on track to open the pass to limited traffic, with alternating one-lane operations, speed reductions and extra traffic control, within a week and weather permitting; KKTV and the Colorado Sun reported it could happen as soon as this weekend. A temporary Piedra River bridge is slated for January 2027, and CO 151 is expected to reopen before Thanksgiving. Colorado's request for a major disaster declaration for Archuleta and Rio Grande counties, filed Oct 31, is still pending; no federal decision was found.

CDOT (Nov 10): CDOT prioritizes critical flood repairs ahead of holiday travel KKTV (Nov 11): Highway 160 over Wolf Creek Pass could reopen this weekend Colorado Sun (Nov 10): Wolf Creek Pass could open by this weekend, officials say Colorado Governor's Office: Polis requests major presidential disaster declaration for southwestern Colorado

escalatingWeather

Friday storm: Tahoe Winter Storm Warning, strong winds across Nevada, then rain and mountain snow for the interior West

NWS Reno has a Winter Storm Warning for the Greater Lake Tahoe area from 10 a.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday: heavy wet snow near 12 inches above 7,000 ft (up to 20 inches on the crest west of the lake), ridge gusts of 70-90 mph, and 35-45 mph gusts in Truckee and Tahoe communities; it warns of damage to trees and power lines and very difficult travel for the Friday evening commute. Wind advisories cover Reno-Carson City-Minden, western Clark and southern Nye counties (Las Vegas office) and northeast Nevada (Elko) on Friday, with a High Wind Watch for northern Washoe County. NWS Salt Lake City expects valley rain and mountain snow this weekend that will help clear valley inversions; Boise expects valley rain and mountain snow Friday night into Saturday; Albuquerque warns of slick travel in northern New Mexico and a 10-20% risk of worsened flooding in the northwest this weekend; Pueblo expects snow in the San Juans later Saturday, with a stronger storm next Wednesday.

NWS active alerts for NV (read Nov 12, about 2:50 a.m. CT)NWS Reno forecast discussion (Nov 11-12)NWS Salt Lake City forecast discussion (Nov 11-12)NWS Albuquerque forecast discussion (Nov 11-12)NWS Pueblo forecast discussion (Nov 11-12)NWS Boise forecast discussion (Nov 11-12)

ongoingWater

West of Phoenix: Gila River flood warning extended to Nov. 17 as dam releases rise

NWS Phoenix has a Flood Warning for Maricopa and northeastern Yuma counties until 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, as releases from Painted Rock Dam increase over the next couple of days to a peak of about 3,000 cubic feet per second. Farmland and low-water crossings along the Gila River are expected to flood, and crossings may not be passable. Wednesday's Salt River warning below Granite Reef Dam is no longer among active alerts. Phoenix expects dry weather through Thursday and an unsettled, cooler pattern from Friday.

NWS active alerts for AZ (read Nov 12, about 2:50 a.m. CT)NWS Phoenix forecast discussion (Nov 11-12)

Regional board Tap a line for detail

Power & utilities

watch

No large outage story was found for the region.

No large outage story was found for the region. NWS Reno warns Friday's wind and heavy wet snow could damage trees and power lines around Lake Tahoe. Utility maps for APS, SRP, Xcel Colorado, NV Energy, Rocky Mountain Power, PNM and Idaho Power were not read.

NWS active alerts for NV (read Nov 12, about 2:50 a.m. CT)

Weather & hazards

watch

Active now: the Gila River flood warning (Phoenix office) and a dense fog advisory and air quality alert in the Idaho Panhandle (Spokane office).

Active now: the Gila River flood warning (Phoenix office) and a dense fog advisory and air quality alert in the Idaho Panhandle (Spokane office). Coming Friday: Winter Storm Warning for Lake Tahoe, wind advisories for Reno, southern Nevada and northeast Nevada, and a High Wind Watch for northern Washoe County. Denver/Boulder, Pueblo, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, Tucson, Las Vegas and Boise list no watches or warnings for their areas; weekend rain and mountain snow follow, with more storms next week.

NWS active alerts for AZ (read Nov 12, about 2:50 a.m. CT)NWS active alerts for NV (read Nov 12, about 2:50 a.m. CT)NWS active alerts for ID (read Nov 12, about 2:50 a.m. CT)NWS Denver/Boulder forecast discussion (Nov 11-12)NWS Tucson forecast discussion (Nov 11-12)NWS Las Vegas forecast discussion (Nov 11-12)

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 remain fully closed (CDOT, Nov 10); limited one-lane traffic on the pass could start this weekend, weather permitting. Gila River low-water crossings west of Phoenix may be impassable through Nov 17 (NWS). Friday travel over the Sierra near Tahoe could be very difficult (NWS Reno). Airports were not checked.

CDOT (Nov 10): CDOT prioritizes critical flood repairs ahead of holiday travel KKTV (Nov 11): Highway 160 over Wolf Creek Pass could reopen this weekend NWS active alerts for AZ (read Nov 12, about 2:50 a.m. CT)NWS active alerts for NV (read Nov 12, about 2:50 a.m. CT)

Health, water & safety

watch

No new mass-casualty incident was found in the region for Nov 10-11.

No new mass-casualty incident was found in the region for Nov 10-11. Colorado's disaster declaration request for Archuleta and Rio Grande counties is still pending.

Colorado Governor's Office: Polis requests major presidential disaster declaration for southwestern Colorado

Elsewhere Other regions and the world

NortheastYellow ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC A strengthening coastal storm brings rain to most of the Northeast Thursday into Friday, a level 1 of 5 severe-storm risk in southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware and central New Jersey Thursday afternoon, minor tidal flooding at the Jersey Shore and Long Island, and Winter Weather Advisories for 2 to 5 inches of wet snow in the Adirondacks, Catskills and Vermont high ground. 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 Lake-effect snow is falling in Upper Michigan, where a Winter Weather Advisory runs to noon Friday for 3 to 8 inches on higher ground, and NWS Chicago says several inches of slushy snow could fall near the Illinois-Indiana line Thursday night into the Friday morning commute. South CentralGreen TX, OK, LA, AR No watches or warnings over land in any of the region's anchor NWS offices this morning except a river flood advisory on Los Olmos Creek in Brooks County, Texas, and ERCOT lists no advisory or emergency. PacificYellow WA, OR, CA, AK, HI Police arrested the driver in Tuesday's North Hollywood crash that killed three women on suspicion of DUI and three counts of murder; the cause remains under investigation. 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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