A woman and her husband shovel their walk Wednesday as a blizzard dropped snow over Boulder, Colo. A storm that has dumped more than a foot of snow in the Rocky Mountains is heading east and is forecast to bring the first major winter storm of the season to the central plains and Midwest.DENVER – A storm that has dumped more than a foot of snow in the Rocky Mountains was causing problems for travelers as it spread across the Plains on Wednesday.
The main east-west route across Colorado, Interstate 70, closed for several hours from east of Denver to the Kansas line because of poor visibility due to blowing snow. Eastbound lanes remained closed Wednesday night. Smaller highways were also closed for hours in eastern Colorado.
Drivers in Iowa and Nebraska are being warned to be careful or stop driving altogether starting Wednesday evening as the Plains gets its first major winter storm of the season.
Light snow is also expected at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Thursday and strong winds could make visibility poor. That, combined with low clouds, could cause delays at the nation’s second-busiest airport. National Weather Service forecaster Jamie Enderlen said.
Iowa officials advised drivers to avoid most roads from Wednesday night through noon Thursday, but native Laurie Harry, a manager at a Casey’s General Store, expects to drive to work Thursday morning.