Posted on 12/20/2006 12:59:25 PM PST by george76
A major snowstorm blew across Colorado toward the Plains on Wednesday, canceling hundreds of airline flights for holiday travelers and shutting down major highways in parts of four states.
The National Weather Service posted blizzard warnings for most of eastern Colorado and adjoining sections of Nebraska and Kansas.
A day earlier, the storm had pummeled New Mexico with up to a foot of snow.
Two feet of snow was possible in the foothills just west of Denver, with 2 to 3 feet a possibility farther north.
Up to 20 inches could accumulate on the Plains of eastern Colorado and wind up to 30 mph could pile the snow into high drifts...
"I'm going to grab my computer, talk to my boss and go back home,"... "I'm not going to take a risk and get stuck in Denver."
United Airlines, the busiest carrier at Denver International Airport, canceled more than 630 flights ...
Police closed Interstate 70 for more than 250 miles from just east of Denver to Colby, Kan., and sections of I-80 along a 140-mile stretch from Cheyenne, Wyo., to Big Springs, Neb...
"Crashes are beginning to occur," said Mary Jo Hall of the Nebraska Department of Roads.
Travelers stalled by the closures had already started filling Kansas motels during the morning, said Stan Whitley, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.
Truckers were pulling off I-80 at Ogallala, Neb. "Our parking lot is pretty small, but they're just kind of parked off on the streets," said cashier Michelle Krauter at the Sapp Brothers truck stop.
Scores of schools were closed, along with many courthouses in eastern Colorado.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
They came home a few minutes ago...said it's so deep it's not good sledding weather right now.
Hot chocolate time!
Looks like a long night if folks are not at home by now.
http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/news/traffic/index.shtml#10
What is this white fluffy stuff called ? I sort of remember it before global warming hit
It's either snow or Judge Brennan trouser dressing. :)
Thank you for your thoughtfullness. I'm going to Evanston. Have never been there. How far west is Hyrum?
Does it look like this:
http://www.9news.com/9slideshows/HOLIDAY%20BLIZZARD%20Photos/Default.aspx?N=25
I have shoveled my porch 2 times, and it looks like that again.
Blowing snow is whipping across the Colorado plains and along the Front Range, and Interstate 70 is closed from Airport Road in Denver all the way east to Kansas.
I-25 is closed from Pueblo to the New Mexico border and from Colorado Springs to Castle Rock.
Colorado 23 between Holyoke and Nebraska, U.S. 385 between Burlington and Cheyenne Wells, and U.S. 6 paralleling I-70 have all been closed as well...
Sandia Peak ski area
Pretty much! Good thing my wine cellar's stocked! ;o)
DIA officially closed. Stranded passengers may be there until Sunday for new flights.
West of what?...heh heh heh...
If you're coming from Durango, I figure you'll probably head northeast when you hit Salt Lake. Hyrum is a little over 1 hour north of Salt Lake.
Stay in touch and I wish you a safe trip and a Merry Christmas.
FMCDH(BITS)
Any idea as to how I40 should be by Thursday night/Friday morning from Amarillo to Santa Rosa? We're going to my wife's family in Las Cruces for Christmas, and was planning on getting off 40 at Santa Rosa and taking route 54. Or do you think by Friday morning it would be safer staying on I40 to ABQ and then down I25, although it is a bit further?
Are you at the Airport, George? ...sorry to see that, if you are, and hope you get out of there soon. Aurora is about the last place I'd want to be around.
I just moved to Boulder County last year, to Longmont. My wife takes great pleasure in wearing her Rush Limbaugh shirts around town, and I'm putting in for order of "Che is a dead murderous commie" shirts.
Hotel DIA !
The restaurants are already running out of food.
It will be a long night for families with small kids.
With Pena Blvd. closed...no one can get out...until Sunday ?
Oh, a fellow Longmontite, :-).
Red Cross on their way in to DIA, 200 cots, food, diapers, and formula.
I imagine that people can probably get out of DIA to hotels by tomorrow, but rebooked flights will be a mess.
Yiikes!!!
Stay safe friend!
Hey, imagine if you'd been the outfit herding cattle from Lonesome Dove up to Ogallala in this kind of weather.
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