Rough sledding as storm blankets Colorado with snow
By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published December 8, 2008 at 6:51 a.m.
Updated December 9, 2008 at 6:31 a.m.
Photo by Barry Gutierrez © The Rocky
Julio Garcia, 35, changes a tire along Federal Boulevard as a snowstorm rolls onto the Front Range overnight.
See the week's weather outlook in Denver, or search for weather reports elsewhere.
Use our interactive radar tool to view spot, local and national weather conditions, including real-time cloud cover.Coloradans are waking up to a winter wonderland today, but they should be on guard if they have to drive through it.
"It's going to be slick," said Stacey Stegman, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Transportation.
State snow crews began work at 5 p.m. Monday to clear the roads, as a snowstorm blowing in from the west was expected to dump about 4 to 6 inches in the metro area by midmorning and even more in the mountains.
Several schools around the state were closed or opening late. For the latest list of closures and delays, click here.
The western and southern suburbs were expected to bear the brunt of this storm in the metro area, with 6 to 9 inches accumulation.
"Someone will come in with 10 inches," said Kyle Fredin, forecast meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boulder.
Monday night, the highest accumulation reported in the metro Denver area was 7 1/2 inches in Ken Caryl Ranch. Snow continued to follow overnight in the south Jeffco area, with reported drifts nearing 2 feet.
By 2:30 p.m. Monday, the storm already was pounding Colorado towns from Silverton to Silverthorne.
"We've gotten about 6 inches in the past 12 hours," said MaryHelyn Kirwan, spokeswoman for Telluride in southwest Colorado.
"Conditions are great. We're opening our new Revelation Bowl on Wednesday."
Crested Butte, about 100 miles northeast of Telluride, has seen snow off and on all day, spokeswoman Nina Cotton said. "We're expecting 4 to 8 inches . . . Conditions are great."
Copper Mountain, another 100 miles northeast, started seeing snow about 1:30 p.m., said spokesman David Roth.
The high country was expected to get 5 to 10 inches.
The snow made for slow traveling conditions on the state highways Monday, with chain laws in effect for Vail Pass, Turkey Creek Canyon, Monarch Pass and Wolf Creek Pass.
Restrictions also were placed on vehicles traveling through Raton Pass late Monday night.
"We have no road closures, but further south we will see more snowpack," said Stegman.
Although Fort Collins was only expected to get 2 to 4 inches, Interstate 80 in Wyoming was closed in both directions Monday night because of a propane tanker crash 28 miles west of Rawlins.
The storm "should start to wind up in the early morning hours, and get out of here between midnight and 3 a.m.," said Fredin.The front will leave behind colder temperatures for today, with highs in metro Denver in the 30s, and lows between 19 and 25 degrees.
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December 8, 2008
9:11 a.m.
Suggest removal
sweetater writes:
It's beginning to like Christmas. Come on everyone sing
December 8, 2008
9:50 a.m.
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Frank_Zappa writes:
here come the white fingers of.... (ack!)
December 8, 2008
10:28 a.m.
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RufusTFirefly writes:
wouldn't you rather sing "watch out where the huskies go and don't you eat the yellow snow"
December 8, 2008
11:11 a.m.
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sweetater writes:
Frank I don't think that is lyrics to the song
December 8, 2008
12:35 p.m.
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RBN writes:
sweata-weatha
December 8, 2008
1:40 p.m.
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Scott writes:
And then there is:
Jingle Bells, Shotgun Shells,
VC in the grass,
Take this merry Christmas, and ram.....
Scott
December 8, 2008
1:53 p.m.
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B300 writes:
Isn't it funny how these day's we are better informed of approching weather, but less able to deal with it. I must be getting old.
December 8, 2008
1:58 p.m.
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jersey writes:
I'll believe it when I see it. I've lived in many cities during my time and have been living here for 28 years. Collectively these are the worst forecasters I've ever seen in my life. The Stations are so quick to brag about their newest forecasting equipment, i.e. Doppler, Double Doppler, Rad next Rad etc. yet so quick to do a backstroke when the forecasts do not materialize. I question their ability to even FORECAST what day of the week follows the previous and they want to give me a 5 day forecast? No sale!
December 8, 2008
1:58 p.m.
Suggest removal
HopiMedicineMan writes:
I have flakes here at FSMHP.
December 8, 2008
2:08 p.m.
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The_KIMN_Chicken writes:
Is 6 inches considered major now? The headline is a little alarmist I have to say.
December 8, 2008
2:32 p.m.
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GILPINMAN writes:
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE WEATHER IS REALLY GOING TO DO, GO TO....
www.noaa.gov/
in the upper left type in your zip code it will almost always be exact.
December 8, 2008
2:51 p.m.
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easy writes:
Scott ... "VC"?
It's 2008.
December 8, 2008
2:51 p.m.
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reddog writes:
jersey, couldn't have said it better!
December 8, 2008
2:57 p.m.
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sunshinestate writes:
"The beautiful morning is giving way to......" ??
Sounds not so idyllic-will have to report the Rocky to the Chamber of Commerce.
I guess no bike riding,reduced strolls in the 'hood,camping a major effort,little fishing except on ice,most hunt seasons over...but we have ....a 'DRY' cold,and ...snow!& Related!....so the "lifestyle" image remains intact.
December 8, 2008
3:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
Scott writes:
easy,
Yup, kind dates me ... doesn't it ;-) Yes I know it's 2008. So what? it was a "jingle" back when I was a young man.
O.K. then. How about
Jingle Bells, Shotgun Shells,
Persians in the sand,
Let's fuel up a bomber and nuke Ayahtolla's Iran
Scott
December 8, 2008
3:43 p.m.
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GILPINMAN writes:
SNOWING HARD IN GILPIN COUNTY
December 8, 2008
3:53 p.m.
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jersey writes:
SWIMSUIT WEATHER IN THE METRO!
December 8, 2008
4:27 p.m.
cheech24 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
December 8, 2008
4:52 p.m.
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The_Punnisher writes:
There’s a Santa who looks a lot like Elvis
The King of Rock and Roll
Take a look at the double chin
He’s weighing about 310
With golden chains and sequined belt below
There’s a Santa who looks a lot like Elvis
Down at the K-Mart store
But the scariest sight to see
Is that jolly VIP
In a pompadour
A pair of blue suede boots and a beard with black roots
And a face you knew way back when
A drawl in his talk and a swaggering walk
And the hips that wiggled back then
My mom and dad can barely wait to see the King again
He’s a Santa who sounds a lot like Elvis
With every ho ho ho
There’s that faint peanut butter smell
Whenever he says noel
Those lips are always twitching to and fro
There’s a Santa who looks a lot like Elvis
Soon the band will start
And the thing that would pleasure Bing
Is a carol by the King
Right here in K-mart
You ain’t nothing but a reindeer
Flying all the time
You ain’t nothing but a reindeer
Flying all the time
Well you ain’t never brought a present
And you ain’t no friend of mine
Hey, we’re here every day from 2 to 4. If you want to feed the reindeer just leave ‘em a peanut butter and ‘nanner sandwich. They’ll eat it later.
He’s a Santa who looks a lot like Elvis
Well, thank you very much. Thank you.
Signs you can’t ignore
Well, I have put on a few pounds
It’s the wackiest thing to see
Buddy Holly’s on his knee
Boy, you’re a skinny little feller aren’t you?
And I’m almost sure
Sure it’s Elvis once more
Uh, ho ho ho, ho ho ho. Thank you. Thank you very much.
-Bob Rivers " Twisted Christmas "
December 8, 2008
4:54 p.m.
Suggest removal
HollyGoLightly writes:
You might wanna get that check out, Cheech.
Still no snow in Thornton off of 136th. I say we get less than an inch. Write it down.
December 8, 2008
5:25 p.m.
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COLibertarian writes:
Comparing the city of Denver to any other city and being able to consistently predict the weather is a joke. Each region and microclimate has its own challenges, but put the frontrange in the picture and things get a bit unpredictable at best especially for a 5 day forcast................ But I would wager they are doing it just to mess with you Jersey :-) Otherwise why would they spend all that money getting expensive tools to work from?
December 8, 2008
5:42 p.m.
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CaptainObvious writes:
In the old days they just called Salt Lake City and asked them what their weather was like yesterday. Jet stream baby!
December 8, 2008
6:10 p.m.
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rj1967 writes:
Been snowing on 88th & Washington for at least an hour, but its not sticking to anything. I'll believe one inch when I see it, never mind five.
December 8, 2008
6:25 p.m.
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canitalk writes:
I (SOMETIMES) LOVE SCOTT!!!
December 8, 2008
9:48 p.m.
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wow writes:
Just went out and shoveled about an inch of "I'll believe it when I see it", and man, it it ever cold out there.
Forgot to buy the ice melt, so if you're walking past my place, use caution. :)
December 9, 2008
12:49 a.m.
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easy writes:
Scott:
It's beginning to look a lot like psychosis ... everytime you type.
Geez.