Winter Storm Warning For Metro Denver, Boulder: Update

A snow storm in Denver's metro area and Boulder has caused dangerous driving conditions and flight cancellations. Colorado Department of Transportation officials are advising residents to stay at home Tuesday and keep off the roads. The National Weather Service Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The agency has issued a Blizzard Warning for eastern Colorado, and many roads have been closed across the plains. Interstate 70 is closed between Dowd Junction and Post Boulevard, and the westbound lanes of I-70 are closed at Idaho Springs.

Up to 16 inches of snow is expected to fall in parts of northern Colorado through Tuesday evening, weather officials said. Winds could gust up to 40 mph. The heaviest snow dump is expected north if Interstate 70.

"Prepare for a period where travel is impossible," the alert read. "Travel during the period of heavy snow is strongly discouraged. If you must travel, carry a shovel. Keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency."

Most government offices, services and recreation centers across metro Denver and Boulder are closed Tuesday.

Hundreds of flights have been either delayed or canceled at Denver International Airport and more than 1,000 travelers were stranded at the airport overnight.

Check status of your flight.

RTD offered the following Winter Weather Warning:

Bus delays of 45-60 minutes on most routes, mountain routes could see even longer. Light rail & commuter rail trains are seeing delays of 15-30 minutes, however cancelled trips could cause longer delays on some lines. Please dress warm and allow for extra travel time.

Check your bus and rail routes status in real time with Next Ride.

The heaviest snowfall is hitting areas north and northwest of Denver, weather officials said. Throughout Tuesday morning, the snow storm will continue eastward across the plains and foothills west and southwest of Denver.

If you're planning a pre-Thanksgiving trip, visit COtrip to check the conditions of your route.

"The worst conditions will be Tuesday morning, when very heavy snow is likely around Denver and winds will be increasing on the plains," The National Weather Service alert read. "Winds will increase on Tuesday, with gusts to 30 mph near the mountains and 40 mph on the plains. There will be some drifting of snow in rural areas, and near blizzard conditions are possible east of Fort Morgan and Deer Trail during the day Tuesday."
The National Weather Service said metro Denver and Boulder residents "should have what [they] need for a day at home on Tuesday."

"Travel may become impossible across the I-25 urban
corridor and across the plains from I-70 northward by Tuesday
morning, including unplowed city streets with a foot of new snow
on them."

The City of Lakewood issued an alert with the following traffic precautions:

• Heavy winds and wet snow could cause snow to build up on traffic signals or create power outages for signals. ALWAYS treat a dark traffic signal as a stop sign.
• Accumulated snow can obstruct a traffic signal's indication on one approach, while the other directions are visible. It is important that if motorists cannot see a signal's indication, drivers should assume the signal is RED and STOP before proceeding. The other approaching traffic could see a green signal.
• Drivers should increase visibility to other drivers by turning on their car's headlights.

Many shoppers were loading up on Thanksgiving groceries while the early stages of the storm hit. Many store shelves were emptied in the process, CBS 4 reported.

The following areas were listed in the storm warning: Arvada, Boulder, Golden, Lakewood, Longmont, Aurora, Brighton, City of Denver, Denver International Airport, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Parker, Castle Rock, Elbert, Fondis, Kiowa, Larkspur, Briggsdale, Grover, Pawnee Buttes, Raymer, Stoneham, Eaton, Fort Lupton, Greeley, Roggen, Brush, Fort Morgan, Goodrich, Wiggins, Bennett, Byers, Deer Trail, and Leader.

Read the full National Weather Service warning.