COLORADO, USA — Interstate 70 travelers heading east are stopped in their tracks near Loveland Pass and Silverthorne after the interstate was closed due to "safety concerns" caused by a major mountain snowstorm expected to bring one to three feet of snow Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Colorado Department of Transportation closed eastbound I-70 at 4:25 p.m. to travelers near the mountain exits "due to multiple spin-outs." The snowstorm could lead to multiple feet of snow Tuesday and Wednesday with some slushy snow for Denver Wednesday morning.
A Winter Storm Warning covers most of the mountains through Wednesday night. A Winter Weather Advisory covers the west and south sides of the Denver metro area through 5 p.m. Wednesday.
As a result, the 9NEWS Weather Impact Team has called for a Weather Impact Day for both Tuesday and Wednesday morning across the state, though the big focus is on the mountain snowstorm. The mountains will have steady, heavy snow all day Tuesday, with the absolute heaviest of the snow likely falling at night before it winds down on Wednesday morning.
A message from the 9NEWS Weather Impact team: If you do not have to travel to, from or through the mountains today, don't do it! Ski and holiday travelers should expect difficult driving conditions and be prepared for the possibility of road closures or delays.
A long-duration of moderate to heavy snowfall rates will contribute to the majority of impacts. Stronger winds will also support areas of blowing snow and reduced visibility, especially over the passes in the central and southern mountains Tuesday.
While the snow ends Wednesday night, it'll give way to our coldest morning of the season so far - just in time for Thanksgiving morning with morning temperatures in the teens with lots of ice likely as well. Denver will top out only around 37 degrees on Thanksgiving.