Snow Squall Warning Issued for Alamosa, Conejos, and Costilla Counties in Colorado

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a Snow Squall Warning for south-central Colorado. This alert is effective immediately following radar-indicated threats of intense snow bursts and high winds.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following geographic regions:

• South central Alamosa County in southeastern Colorado
• Western Costilla County in south central Colorado
• Eastern Conejos County in south central Colorado

Specific locations impacted include Manassa, Sanford, La Jara, Antonito, Romeo, Blanca, Jaroso, Mesita, San Acacio, Fort Garland, Conejos, Bountiful, and Ortiz. This squall will specifically impact Highway 285.

What You Should Do

Travelers are urged to slow down immediately. Rapid changes in visibility and road conditions are expected with this dangerous snow squall. Residents and drivers must remain alert for sudden whiteout conditions. The NWS recommends avoiding travel in the affected area if possible.

Expected Conditions

According to the NWS, the primary hazards include intense bursts of heavy snow and wind gusts reaching up to 35 mph. These conditions will lead to blowing snow and rapidly falling visibility. At 5:23 PM MST, the dangerous snow squall was tracked along a line extending from near San Luis Valley Airport to Sanford to near Antonito, moving east at 55 mph.

Timeline

The Snow Squall Warning is in effect from 5:24 PM MST until 6:00 PM MST on February 18, 2026. Travel is expected to become difficult and potentially dangerous within minutes of the squall’s onset.