A massive snowstorm has hit Colorado, closing many schools and government offices and closing sections of highways leading into the Denver area.
DENVER — A major snowstorm battered Colorado, closing many schools and government offices Thursday and cutting some highways into the Denver area as meteorologists warned travel would be difficult or nearly impossible. The road was closed.
“Our city hasn't experienced a storm like this in years,” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday.
The storm, which started Wednesday night, was not expected to subside until Friday. The heaviest snowfall will be in the Front Range and foothills, with widespread snowfall ranging from 18 to 36 inches (45 to 91 centimeters), with some areas receiving more than 4 feet (1.2 meters), according to the National Weather Service. It is expected that
A section of Interstate 70 in the Colorado Mountains was closed to traffic.
The National Weather Service in Boulder posted on social media early Thursday that “huge debris is falling heavily.”
The storm started as rain in the Denver area and turned to snow. The Japan Meteorological Agency said 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 centimeters) of snow was expected to fall in the region, with up to 2 feet (60 centimeters) expected in the western suburbs.
The city of Denver planned to deploy 36 residential snow plows starting at 3 a.m. Thursday to clear the top few inches of snow from roads to clear the way to major thoroughfares.
Denver International Airport opened early Thursday, but at least hundreds of flights to and from it were canceled or delayed, according to Flightaware.com.
This snowstorm comes as other parts of the country are facing severe weather. Heavy hail fell in parts of Kansas and Missouri Wednesday night, and the storm could produce tornadoes in Kansas.
