Denver snowstorm latest: Colorado snow updates, closures and road impacts

A major snowstorm is moving over Colorado today and has the potential to drop a foot or more of snow in the Denver metro area. Several winter storm warnings are in effect for Colorado, including Denver metro communities.

The Denver7 team is tracking the latest storm updates, school and road closures, and sharing news from local agencies.

Refresh this page for updates and keep checking back for new details.

LINKS: Closings and Delays | Latest forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream

---

Thursday, March 14

7:46 p.m. | CASTLE ROCK CRASH | CDOT says two right lanes of I-25 are closed between Plum Creek Parkway and Tomah Road due to a crash.

7:35 p.m. | WEATHER UPDATE FROM RMNP | A winter storm warning remains in effect until Friday morning for Rocky Mountain National Park, where heavy snow is still falling. Currently, snow levels vary in the park from 24 to more than 30 inches. An additional foot of snow may fall overnight.

Trail Ridge Road remains closed at Beaver Meadows and Fall River Entrances. It may remain closed Friday. The road is open on the west side of the park.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Fall River Visitor Center will stay closed Friday.

Kawuneeche Visitor Center, on the west side of the park, will open Friday as normal.

7 p.m. | WARMING SHELTERS | Need a warm place to spend the night tonight? The Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management has shared the below map of locally managed warming centers and shelters.

6:58 p.m. | BLACK HILLS ENERGY | Black Hills Energy said crews are continuing to repair power poles in southern Colorado that were damaged by heavy snow.

6:46 p.m. | UPDATED SNOW TOTALS | As snow around the Denver metro area continues to pile up, more than 3 feet of accumulation has been reported in places across Colorado. Check out the latest snow totals here.

6:39 p.m. | DOUGCO ROADS UPDATE | The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says I-25 near Castle Pines Parkway and Surrey Ridge has reduced visibility.

6:27 p.m. | I-70 CLOSURE | The eastbound lanes of I-70 are closed at Genesee due to a crash, according to Colorado State Patrol. (It reopened around 7:13 p.m.)

CDOT

5:30 p.m. | ROADS TONIGHT | Planning on driving around the Front Range or foothills tonight? The National Weather Service has some advice: Don't.

Travel will be "difficult to near impossible" tonight, the NWS said. A final wave of moisture is moving over the region tonight, and then skies will begin to clear. But roads will stay icy tonight.

Additional accumulation tonight around the Denver metro is expected to be between 3 to 7 inches.

5:10 p.m. | CU BOULDER UPDATE | CU Boulder has issued a delayed 10 a.m. start for Friday. Crews will continue to clear roads and walkways around campus.

5:06 a.m. | EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER ACTIVATED | The state emergency operation center (EOC) has been activated and local emergencies have been declared in both Clear Creek and Gilpin counties. The EOC has fulfilled the requests from both counties.

Clear Creek County needed help transporting stranded motorists and Gilpin County needed help staffing shelters and getting CDOT plows to clear two highways.

Denver7 Weather

Local emergencies declared in Clear Creek, Gilpin counties for massive snowfall

Stephanie Butzer

No state of emergency has been declared because all resources that were requested from those two counties have been fulfilled without the EOC needing additional support.

The state EOC is still activated, and will continue to work through the night into Friday.

4:57 p.m. | ROAD CLOSURES | CSP is advising drivers to not drive if they don't have to as conditions are deteriorating on the road. There are upwards of 20 stuck semis on US 285.

4:40 p.m. | AURORA PLOWS | Do you live in Aurora. Here's some good news: Snowplow drivers expect to finish Priority 1 arterial routes by this evening. They will move to Priority 2 afterward if snowfall stays light and will apply deicer tonight. The city is still asking residents to stay home if possible.

4:33 p.m. | FRIDAY SCHOOL CLOSURES | The Boulder Valley School District is canceling classes Friday due to weather, officials said. All scheduled activities are canceled and sporting events and practices are postponed.

3:35 p.m. | I-70 UPDATE | I-70 is back open in both directions between Denver and Silverthorne after closing late last night due to snowy conditions. CDOT advises travelers not to drive if necessary as conditions will remain difficult through late Thursday night.

3:33 p.m. | FRIDAY SCHOOL CLOSURES | Classes at all Adams 12 Five Star Schools are canceled Friday due to weather, district officials said in a Facebook post. Check out more school closures from around the metro and elsewhere in the link below.

Denver7 Weather

Colorado school closures: Classes canceled Friday as snow continues to pile up

Óscar Contreras

3:20 p.m. | POWER OUTAGES | Xcel Energy is reporting 761 outages affecting 36,054 customers as of Thursday at 3:2 p.m.

3:04 p.m. | DISASTER EMERGENCY DECLARED | Clear Creek County has declared a local disaster emergency due to Thursday’s snowstorm, which has stranded motorists in the county. It is urging its residents to avoid traveling on the roads. This declaration will allow the county to begin using certain response plans, and also makes it eligible for funds and resources from the state.“This snowstorm has stretched the county’s resources,” said Clear Creek County Office of Emergency Management Director Suzanne Boccia. “At this time, we are asking the public to stay home and off the roads. This is a serious situation and we want our first responders to be able to get to those that need help. The safety of the public is our top priority.”

Read the full declaration here.

2:57 p.m. | COTrip ISSUES | CDOT officials say they are having some issues on COTrip due to the high number of visitors on the page and are asking for patience aas they work hard to get the systems back up and running.

In the meantime, CDOT provided the following update on road conditions:

Denver metro: Extreme impacts as expected across the region, with the heaviest impacts along the foothills, south Denver, I-25 south of Denver, the I-70 Mountain Corridor and US 285 from Morrison to Fairplay.

I-70 from Golden to Silverthorne remains closed as of Thursday morning due to extreme conditions and tractor trailers failing to chain-up, jackknifing and blocking roads. There are stranded vehicles on I-70 and Floyd Hill.

Other closures: US 40 from I-70 to Clear Creek Canyon, Loveland Pass, CO 119 from Blackhawk to US 6, Berthoud Pass from MP 222-229 and SB US 285 south of C-470.

Multiple other routes may be blocked due to crashes, stuck semi-trucks and other issues. Conditions will continue if not get worse through the day as the storm continues. "MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO STAY OFF THE ROADS TODAY!" they said.

2:45 p.m. | ROAD CONDITIONS | Road conditions are slick on I-25 and C-470, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. The driver of a semi lost control and a hazmat team is now responding to the scene.

2:43 p.m | FRIDAY SCHOOL CLOSURES | Littleton Public Schools has canceled classes Friday and all school-sponsored activities have been called off due to Thursday's snowstorm, which will continue throughout the rest of the day Thursday.

2:30 p.m. | AVALANCHE DANGER | If you're thinking about hitting the slopes Friday, you might want to reconsider as the Colorado Avalanche Information Center is warning travelers that conditions for avalanches will remain high on Friday. Avalanches are more likely to break east of the Continental Divide, while they will break on persistent weak layers on the west side of the divide, resulting in very large and deeper avalanches, CAIC said.

Weather News

Powder day Friday?: Avalanche risk will remain high into Friday, CAIC says

Stephanie Butzer

2:10 p.m. | FRIDAY SCHOOL DELAYS | Adams County District 14 will pivot to remote learning on Friday due to weather, but all school facilities, district offices, and buildings will be closed, officials said.

2:07 p.m. | FRIDAY SCHOOL CLOSURES | JeffCo Public Schools is also announcing school closures Friday "due to conditions created by the winter storm." More snow is expected to continue falling throughout the day Thursday.

1:32 p.m. | DPS CANCELS CLASSES FRIDAY | Denver Public Schools students are getting another snow day after district officials announced they were canceling classes for all students in the district "due to continued severe weather" that's expected to intensify Thursday afternoon and evening.

Denver7 Weather

Colorado school closures: Classes canceled Friday as snow continues to pile up

Óscar Contreras

1:26 p.m. | SEMIS NOT ALLOWED ON I-70 | All semis are prohibited from driving on I-70 between Eagle/Vail to Morrison "due to extreme weather that will continue into Friday morning," according to the Colorado State Patrol. Semis won't be allowed on the highway until noon Friday, officials said.

12:52 p.m. | ROAD CLOSURE | CDOT is closing Colorado State Highway 14 from Mile Marker 14-61 due to multiple slide-offs, a jack-knifed semi-truck, and overall severe winter weather, the Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority said.

There's no estimated time for reopening yet.

12:34 p.m. | PROBABLE SAFETY CLOSURE | There will likely be a safety closure of I-25 over Monument Hill due to snow accumulation this afternoon and evening, according to CDOT.

"Travelers should be prepared for highway closures and extended delays. Preparations should include having water and food along with blankets and other needed items in your vehicle," CDOT said.

12:03 p.m. | FRIDAY SCHOOL CLOSURES | The Douglas County School District and Cherry Creek Schools have announced closures Friday as snow continues to pile up in northeastern Colorado Thursday. Read more here.

Denver7 Weather

Colorado school closures: Classes canceled Friday as snow continues to pile up

Óscar Contreras

11:48 a.m. | POUDRE VALLEY REA OUTAGE | About 700 households are without power in Longmont and the surrounding areas, as well as Carter Lake and Masonville, according to Poudre Valley REA.

"The heavy, wet snow & wind is causing the line to 'bounce', which results in power blinks. Additionally, line is icing over, which can lead to extended outages" Poudre Valley REA said.

11:06 a.m. | DCPA CANCELLATIONS | The Denver Center for the Performing Arts has canceled all theatre performances tonight due to the inclement weather, Heidi Bosk with the DCPA confirmed to Denver7.

"Patrons should visit denvercenter.org/status for ticket options on specific shows."

11:01 a.m. | ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE UPDATE | Denver's St. Patrick's Day Parade will go on as planned Saturday, the event's president Dave Anderson said on the parade website.

"Some of you may be asking, is the Parade on?  Of course it is.  We are Coloradans and we live for the white stuff.  So don’t put that winter coat away yet, you may need it.  I’ll be in Kilt and Irish Sweater, perfect for days like these," Anderson wrote.

The Denver St. Patrick’s Day Parade, now in its 62nd year, will be happening Saturday at Union Station. The family-friendly event starts at 9:30 a.m. at the corner of 19th and Wynkoop.

Entertainment

7 best things to do in Colorado this weekend: March 15-17, 2024

Óscar Contreras

10:42 a.m. | TRASH PICKUP | The city of Louisville says Republic Services' curbside trash, recycling and compost services for Thursday have been cancelled. Trash pickup will be delayed by one day.

10:30 a.m. | SAFETY CLOSURES | Here's an updated look at weather-related safety closures from CDOT:

• I-70 both directions from Silverthorne to Denver (mile point 259)
• US 40 in both directions from I-70 at mile point 259 to US 6 at Clear Creek Canyon
• US 40 Berthoud Pass from mile point 256 to 243
• US 6 Loveland Pass from mile point 222 to 229
• CO 119 in both directions from Blackhawk (mile point 1 to US 6 at mile point 7)
• Southbound US 285 south of C-470 closed due to a jacknifed semi-truck

9:45 a.m. | I-25 CLOSURES | Denver police say southbound I-25 is closed at SB I-225 due to a crash involving two motorists. DPD says no injuries have been reported.

9:15 a.m. | ROAD CLOSURE | East and westbound lanes of US 40 (Colfax Avenue) are closed between Cabrini Drive and Heritage Road, says CDOT.

8:57 a.m. | EARLY SNOW TOTALS | It's early, but incredible snowfall totals have been reported in Colorado. Here's a look at a few totals in the Denver metro and across the state.

• Pinecliffe: 28"
• Allenspark: 26.5"
• Evergreen: 21"
• Arvada: 16.5"
• Castle Rock: 16.5"
• Golden: 14.6"
• Boulder: 10"
• Littleton: 9"
• Denver: 8.6"
• Parker: 9.7"
• Louisville: 9.6"
• Westminster: 9.1"
• Aurora: 9.0"

8:35 a.m. | FORECAST UPDATE | Snowfall rates in Denver are expected to slow for short periods of time during the morning hours, but do not be deceived, the heavy snow will return. Here's an updated forecast and look at what to expect the rest of the day.

7:57 a.m. | ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK CLOSURE | Roads on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park remain closed due to the storm, RMNP Public Information Officer Kyle Patterson said in a news release.

The closures include Trail Ridge Road, Bear Lake Road and Wild Basin Road. Trail Ridge Road on the west of the park remains open to the Colorado River Trailhead.

Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and Fall River Visitor Center on the east side of the park will be closed. Kawuneeche Visitor Center on the west side of the park will be delayed opening until 11 a.m., Patterson said.

The park will have plows clearing snow as it continues to accumulate.

Rocky Mountain National Park

7:51 a.m. | ROAD CLOSURE | A portion of Highway 86 is closed at Watson Hill due to a semi-stuck in the snow, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. That's about two miles east of Franktown.

7:49 a.m. | OUTLETS AT CASTLE ROCK CLOSURE | The Outlets at Castle Rock will close today due to the inclement weather, the mall said in a news release.

The outlets plan to reopen tomorrow at 10 a.m.

7:25 a.m. | SAFETY CLOSURE | Southbound U.S. Route 285 is closed just south of C-470 due to a jackknifed semi-truck.

7:00 a.m. | GLENARM REC CENTER OPEN | The Glenarm Recreation Center will be open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. today for anyone who needs a place to warm up, according to the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE). People will have access to drinking water, restrooms and a place to sit. The rest of Denver Parks and Recreation and the Denver Public Library will be closed today, DDPHE said.

7:00 a.m. | ELDORA MOUNTAIN CLOSURE | Eldora Mountain is closed today, the resort announced on its website.

"The County plow and grader have not been able to penetrate the snow slides across Shell Road yet, and there is a day's worth of work to do to prepare the mountain to open," Edlora Mountain said.

Eldora Mountain

6:36 a.m. | WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES CLOSURE | Both the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Lowry and the Exploration of Flight at Centennial Airport are closed today, the company confirmed to Denver7.

6:29 a.m. | CHAIN LAWS IN EFFECT | Commercial vehicles have3 to put chains on traveling either direction on i-25 from Lone Tree Exit 193 to Monument Hill exit 163.

Multiple semi-trucks are stuck blocking lanes, according to Colorado State Patrol Castle Rock.

Drivers are asked to exit the highway and put their chains on before continuing travel.

6:19 a.m. | ‘The plows are everywhere’: An update from CDOT this morning

CDOT is urging people to stay off the roads as plow crews are working 12.5 hour shifts to clear roads and highways of snow. Here’s an update from CDOT and where crews are focusing Thursday morning.

6:17 a.m. | SNOW TOTALS IN FLORISSANT, TELLER COUNTY | Claudia Adams shared these photos in Denver7's Discover Colorado through Your Photos Facebook group. Adams measured approximately 23.5 inches of snow on her deck.

6:08 a.m. | EB I-70 AT FLOYD HILL BLOCKED | Eastbound I-70 at Floyd Hill Exit 245 is blocked by cars that got stuck. Snow plows can't get through, according to CSP Golden. CDOT and CSP are sending resources to help, but they don't have an estimated time for when that section of I-70 will reopen.

6:07 a.m. | LOVELAND SKI AREA CLOSING | Skiiers will not be able to go to Loveland Ski Area today due to the closure on I-70. The ski area is unable to open, according to a post on the social media site X. Loveland Ski Area plans to open back up again tomorrow.

6:03 a.m. | CASTLE ROCK SNOW TOTALS | Douglas Lemp shared these photos on Denver7's Discover Colorado Through Your Photos Facebook group of 10 inches that's come down in Castle Rock with trees weighted down from the thick snow.

5:58 a.m. | CSP TROOPERS GETTING STUCK | Colorado State Patrol troopers for Jefferson and Clear Creek Counties are getting stuck trying to get to stranded drivers, CSP Golden said.

5:53 a.m. | DIA DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS | There are 802 reported cancellations in and out of Denver International Airport, according to FlightAware, and there are 32 reported delays. DIA tops the list of airports across the country for the highest number of delayed and canceled flights, with Southwest Airlines reporting more than any other airline, according to FlightAware.

5:43 a.m. | RTD LIGHT RAIL TRAIN DELAYS | Some RTD light rail trains are not running on schedule due to drivers not being able to get to work, Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber said. Buses are also facing delays. You can check to see if your route or train is affected here.

5:39 a.m. | ROAD CLOSURES

• US 40 is closed in both directions from I-70 to Clear Creek Canyon on US-6.
• US 40 is closed on Berthoud Pass between Exits 243 and 256.
• US 6 is closed on Loveland Pass between Exits 222 and 229.
• Colorado State Highway 119 is closed in both directions from Blackhawk Exit 1 to US 6 Exit 7.

5:13 a.m. | SNOW TOTAL | Viewer reports 15" of snow in Evergreen as of early this morning.

5:07 a.m. | SEMI TRUCKS STOPPED ON I-25 | Denver7's Adria Iraheta saw multiple semi-trucks stopped in the middle of I-25 to put chains on before continuing driving in the storm.

5:00 a.m. | POWER OUTAGES | Xcel Energy is reporting 43,407 customers without power this morning. Core Electric says 428 customers do not have power as of early this morning.

Denver7

4:50 a.m. | HWY 36 crash | Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber says there's a large crash on the Eastbound lanes of Hwy 36 at Church Ranch across the left lanes. Expect many crashes this morning, take it slow as lane recognition is difficult across many metro roads.

CDOT, Denver7

4:44 a.m. | I-70 CLOSURE | Both directions of Interstate 70 remain closed from Golden to Silverthorne. Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber says Berthoud Pass and Loveland Pass are also closed.

4:37 a.m. | LIVE NEWS | Denver7 has multiple crews across the metro and other Colorado locations tracking road conditions. Watch Denver7's live news stream at this link or the player below:

4:02 a.m. | I-70 E CLOSURE | Interstate 70 eastbound near Frisco remains closed between Exit 203 and Exit 205 due to safety concerns, says CDOT.

3:55 a.m. | POWER OUTAGES | Looking at reported power outages this morning, Core Electric says 528 customers are without power from Evergreen to Sedalia. Xcel Energy reports 8,000 customers without power extending from Boulder, Denver to Highlands Ranch.

3:42 a.m. | US 40 REOPENED | US 40 (Colfax Ave.) is has reopened in both directions between US 6 and Heritage Road, near Golden, according to CDOT.

3:30 a.m. | EARLY SNOW TOTALS | The Foothills have seen healthy amounts of snow overnight. Here's a look at a few early totals from the NWS.

• Aspen Springs (Foothills of Gilpin County): 23"
• 4 miles SE Pinecliffe (North Jefferson County Foothills): 18.5"
• 3 miles W Jamestown (Boulder County Foothills): 14.3"

3:20 a.m. | US 40 CLOSURE | US 40 (Colfax Ave.) is closed in both directions between US 6 and Heritage Road, near Golden.

3 a.m. | RECAP OF WEDNESDAY EVENING | The Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said its 36 residential plows will launch at 3 a.m. Thursday and within 24 hours, will hit every residential street at least once. DOTI will also deploy about 50 large snowplows for major roads.

You can track snowplows around the state on COTrip.org and in Denver on the city's plow tracker website.

On Wednesday afternoon, several school districts have canceled classes and extracurriculars for Thursday ahead of this storm. That includes Denver Public Schools, among many others.

As of Wednesday evening, overall snow totals looked to be in the 8- to 16-inch range across metro communities, with up to 20 inches in the western suburbs, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder.

CDOT and the Colorado State Patrol have implemented many roadway closures due to deteriorating conditions. You can view the latest closures on COTrip.org.

Click here for Wednesday's weather blog.

Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream.