A winter storm warning remained in place as a late spring snowstorm swept across parts of Colorado on Wednesday, closing schools, snarling flights and leaving roads slushy for commuters before easing later in the day, according to the National Weather Service and local officials. The storm moved over the Rocky Mountains and into the High Plains a day earlier and was winding down Wednesday afternoon.
The strongest totals were concentrated at higher elevations, where several towns received about 2 feet of snow, the weather service said. Forecasters also expected another 2 to 4 inches of snow to fall in areas including Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver and Castle Rock, with the NWS continuing to warn that snow-loaded tree limbs could snap.
In Denver, officials reported slick conditions and said temperatures dropped into the low 30s Fahrenheit on Wednesday morning, prompting the city to activate its cold-weather shelter plan. The National Weather Service said Denver’s international airport recorded 5.8 inches of snow after early flight delays and cancellations, and state officials said a few crashes were reported by the State Patrol, with no word of serious injuries.
The weather service also warned residents about the dangers of snow on trees, posting advice to avoid parking under trees. In an Associated Press interview, National Weather Service forecaster Dave Barjenbruch said the snow had impacted power lines in the region.
The storm did not end all activities in Colorado on May’s snowy day. Organizers of an outdoor David Guetta concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, for example, moved the start time up an hour, and thousands of people still showed up for the event on Tuesday night as they lined up in bundled attire.
In the mountains and on Colorado’s Front Range, towns dug out while officials warned about downed trees and branches, with Estes Park near Rocky Mountain National Park seeing 22 to more than 30 inches of snow, according to the weather service. In Boulder, some locations reported about a foot of snow, and neighborhood residents described getting outside for sledding and playing as school cancellations spread.
The storm arrived during a drought period that has added pressure for farmers across the state. The Associated Press reported that April was warmer and drier than usual in Denver, and the snow was an opportunity for some growers. Adam Jones, of Unsung Family Farms in Longmont, told KMGH-TV that he planted carrot seeds shortly before the storm to take advantage of the precipitation.
Looking ahead, the weather service said parts of the region could continue to see light snow and rain on Thursday, but that temperatures would trend warmer, reaching as high as the mid-70s Fahrenheit in Denver by the weekend. At the same time, forecasters said severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes were possible across the Southeast on Wednesday, with the strongest storms expected from Arkansas through Georgia.
The Associated Press reported from Concord, New Hampshire, with additional contributions from Jaimie Ding in Los Angeles, Savannah Peters in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Thomas Peipert in Denver.