Hazardous weather outlooks and travel restrictions are in effect in Grand County through Saturday

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather forecast for Grand County through Saturday. A winter storm is moving across Colorado, bringing moderate to heavy snow Friday evening through Saturday morning, which will lead to hazardous driving conditions.

Significant snow accumulations are expected, with 20 to 30 cm of snow expected to fall in the mountains. Wind gusts of up to 35 miles per hour are expected in areas of Grand County.

Motorists can expect treacherous driving conditions, which are expected to deteriorate rapidly on Friday evening.

Trailers and towed vehicles are restricted on Interstate 70 west of Golden to Silverthorne from 4:00 p.m. Friday to 8:00 a.m. Saturday. The same restrictions apply to other roads and highways, including U.S. Highway 40 from Winter Park to Empire.

CDOT said that despite the restrictions in place, it believes safety closures may be necessary on I-70 from Golden to Idaho Springs. The agency is urging motorists to drive between the mountains and the Front Range before conditions worsen Friday afternoon or wait until the storm passes Saturday afternoon.

With Winter Park Resort opening Friday morning and Summit County ski resorts opening this weekend, CDOT is also encouraging people to carpool and expect slower travel times.

Travelers should visit COTrip.org Find out about possible closures before you leave.