LINCOLN County, Colo. – “Historic” snowfall continues to pound Elbert and Lincoln Counties Thursday as weather forecasters warn up to three feet of total accumulations were possible by the time the winter storm lightens its grip on Saturday afternoon.
“We currently have about 20 to 22 inches (of snow) on the ground right now and we’ve got another projected 13 to 21 coming,” Captain Michael Yowell with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office, told Denver7. “In some areas of Lincoln County, we've got road and bridge operators with heavy machinery that are encountering eight to 10 foot snow drifts.”
Yowell said Thursday the main concern are motorists who are driving around closed roadways or “using different apps to navigate their way into a mess.”
“We have stranded motorists across the county, and we're trying to convince them to conserve gas and take, when driving, precautions and survival kits and things like that,” he added.
Please ..Please do not drive past ROAD CLOSED gates. If our partners @ColoradoDOT cannot keep Highways and Interstates cleared and open, what makes you think gravel roads are any better?!?!? We have stranded motorist in snow drifts who attempted to navigate around road closures!
— Lincoln Sheriff - Colorado (@LincolnCountySO) November 7, 2024
During a Thursday briefing, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder said Elbert and Lincoln Counties were the “epicenter” of this winter blast.“
Lincoln county is absolutely going to get hammered,” said Greg Heavener, NWS warning coordination meteorologist. “Parts of Lincoln County could easily exceed 3 feet of snow.”
A winter storm warning is in effect through Saturday as weather forecasters warn conditions will continue to worsen. "Do not travel or expect to travel in those locations through at least Saturday as heavy snow impacts will last long past this storm. If you live in rural areas of eastern Douglas, Elbert, Lincoln, or southern Washington County be prepared to be stranded for several days," wrote NWS forecasters.
Today's Forecast
Colorado snow forecast: Up to 10 more inches possible in Denver starting Friday
Both directions of I-70 were already closed Thursday between just east of Denver all the way to the Kansas border. The Colorado State Patrol told Denver7 that troopers have responded to calls to assist stranded motorists between Watkins and Limon along I-70.
Lincoln County law enforcement added a dire warning for motorists who attempt to navigate the deteriorating road conditions. “Our resources are to a point where we're no longer able to respond adequately to everybody's emergency,” said Yowell.
He added that additional resources were helping to respond to the winter storm, including CDOT, fire crews and other law enforcement who are “trying to do search and rescue operations to get people to warming shelters.”
He said emergency crews have responded to reports of around a dozen people stranded as of Thursday afternoon. “But the problem is, with some of these apps that they're using, it's taking them so far off the beaten path that we're not able to get to them, and it's, it's a real problem that we're facing right now,” said Yowell.
When asked how many other motorists could be stranded in Lincoln County, Sheriff Tom Nestor told Denver7: “That’s what we’re afraid of, we don’t know.”
He said the 10 to 12 people who have already been assisted have been located because “those are the ones that have cell service.”
“We're finding people on county roads that have no business being that far off the highway. So we don't know who we're missing, because some of these drifts on these county roads are 7, 8 to 10-foot deep,” said Nestor.
Denver7 Weather
Colorado weather blog: I-70 closed just past Denver to Kansas border
As a further warning to drivers, Sheriff Nestor said fire and EMS personnel with 4-wheel drive vehicles are getting stuck as first responders turn to heavy machinery – including tractor loaders to get to drivers.
“I’ve not seen a storm like this in many, many years,” he said. “I’m going on 36 years at the sheriff’s office and we’re having a lot of trouble getting around. We just can’t get people out.”
The message to anyone looking to hit the roadways in Lincoln and Elbert Counties hit hard by this winter storm is to stay home.
“I have not seen this kind of a storm in a long time. I don’t know how I’m going to get the people stranded. I don't know how we’re going to get people to hospitals. This one’s got me worried,” said Sheriff Nestor. “We hope to make it through this without getting somebody hurt or killed. But I’m not going to hold my breath right now, this is dangerous.”
- In the video player below, watch Denver7's full briefing from Lincoln County officials.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.