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 ...
I will be back in NM before the heat sets in here
We won't forget this you know.... :) My standard operating procedure for folks who get my goat is to dress them up in a Century 21 jacket and drop them off in a land grant. :)
Funny you should mention, Slim....have crock pot full of posole all done and getting ready to make some home made flour tortillas to go with it...gotta have posole for Christmas, donchaknow?
Carne Advoada!
And pork tamales with red chile!
9news: CDot trucks reporting a half dozen trucks jackknifed on I-25 under 120th.
The RTD buses are getting stuck.
The buses are also blocking streets so that smart people with suv's and good tires can not even drive to the grocery stores.
Well, I don't like to rub it in, but ...
Your route will probably be o.k. weather wise by then. But narrow two-lane US 54 is undergoing major reconstruction with miles of slow zones (45 mph) and rough road, especially south of Vaughn. I'd suggest heading south from Amarillo to Canyon on I-27, US 60 to Clovis and US 70 to Las Cruces. It's mostly all four lane in NM (65-70 mph) and the drive past Ruidoso and Sierra Blanca peak is beautiful.
As Slim suggests, check out the state road advisories before you leave.
*Carry me back to La Tertulia*
DIA will not resume flights until tomorrow night. Backlog.
Estimate of 2-3000 people stuck at DIA.
My friends called from Breckenridge today; were on the slopes. They went yesterday.
I love the parts of Colorado that are 'on the range.' The people and the freedom is wonderful.
DIA will be crazy. Apparently people are already staking out their spots for tonight.
Hopefully they have cots, etc. in storage out there for the travelers.
It seems that the I-25 and 120th area is always a mess.
Even the side streets.
How is the skiing ?
How many feet of fresh snow ?
Probably not crowded because few from Denver can get up there now.
Lordie, I hope they don't lose power. My mom told me about this storm coming in last night. Keep warm, mom and dad!
That 120th Overpass on I-25 has been a class A clusterblatt since the first day it opened, and the development that Westminster and Northglenn stuck all around it was so poorly planned, constructed and maintained that it did nothing but go downhill from there. Add a little snow, a couple of tourist drivers and it could be next week before anything moves through that mess.
(I used to live over in Broomfield, but wouldn't drive on 120th or get within miles of that interchange unless there was absolutely no option at all..........in GOOD weather.)
Good luck to all of you down there.
We'll probably get your storm and worse about next week, so I'm not gloating a bit.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
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