across Colorado

Unlike the eastern plains, temperatures will be noticeably warmer over the coming days for the western half of the state; however, conditions will also favor increased fire danger for parts of the southern mountains. Welcome to December in Colorado!

Eastern Plains

Look for a pleasantly warm Friday across the plains - but don't get too comfortable. Highs will be below freezing Friday night until at least Tuesday for most of the region, and overnight lows will drop below zero Sunday and Monday nights in some areas.

The Rio Blanco Sheriff's Office has closed the missing person case for Peter Christian Ruffner, 66, who was reported missing in early October, and had last been seen alive in late September.

Starting Monday, drivers leaving the scene of an accident involving serious injury or death will be subject to suspension of their driver license under the provisions of Colorado House Bill 17-1277, which was signed into law earlier this year. 

The United States Geological Survey recorded an earthquake in Las Animas county at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday morning. It was centered 27 miles southwest of Trinidad.

The quake, measuring 3.0 on the Richter Scale, occurred at a depth of 3.1 miles. A week ago, a 3.4 earthquake occurred about 20 miles north of the area, which regularly experiences such minor quakes.

No damage or injuries have been reported.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is pleased to welcome in the new year by once again participating in First Day Hikes. Over 30 events are scheduled in state parks across Colorado on New Year's Day as part of America's State Parks First Day Hikes initiative.

Storms are becoming more frequent as winter weather sets in, so it is time to ensure your car, truck or SUV is ready for driving as conditions change for the season.

Tires are a critical part of safe winter driving. Tire tread should be at least 1/8 inch deep. You can check your tires using a quarter - insert the quarter into the tread with George Washington's head pointed toward the center of the tire. If you can see the top of his head, your tires will not provide enough traction should be replaced.

While parts of Colorado may see a white Christmas, cold temperatures will be wide-spread for the next few days.

The north central mountains will see the bulk of the snow over the coming days, with 4 to 12 inches by Christmas morning as a new system moves into western Colorado. Some higher elevations could see up to two feet of fresh snow over the next two days.

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When it comes to rescuing and preserving our endangered species, Colorado Parks and Wildlife staffers will trek to all corners of the state, day and night, good weather and bad, to fulfill their mission.

That was the case December 13 as a CPW team from Denver and Colorado Springs drove hours to the far southeast edge of the state to make sure four black-footed ferrets were carefully and properly deposited in new burrows as part of the agency's ongoing efforts to rebuild a population twice thought to be extinct.

Most of Colorado is now considered abnormally dry according to a report released by the United States Drought Mitigation Center this week. "Abnormally dry" is the lowest category on the scale. Over the course of a week, the state experienced a massive movement from drought-free conditions following dry and unseasonably warm conditions that increased the fire risk for four straight days.