Crews Reopen Highways in 3 States After 2 Feet of Snow, High Winds

Highway crews dug out Wednesday after a storm plastered parts of Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska with nearly two feet of snow and six-foot drifts.

Nebraska road crews reopened a 125-mile stretch of Interstate 80 from the Wyoming state line to Ogallala early Wednesday. About 130 miles of I-70 in eastern Colorado and a short section of I-25 in southeastern Wyoming also were reopened after Tuesday’s storm, authorities said.

Wind blowing at more than 35 m.p.h. had whipped the falling snow into drifts that reached six feet in height at Kiowa and Woodrow in eastern Colorado.

Most elementary and high schools were closed across Colorado, including Creekside Elementary in Aurora, where 15 pupils and seven adults spent the night because buses could not get them home. They were taken home Wednesday when the buses were able to get through on city streets.

More than 80 avalanches were reported Wednesday in Colorado and a warning was in effect for backcountry areas of the mountains because of the snowfall and high wind, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center reported.

Officials said more than 800 motorists were stranded overnight in Limon, Colo., which frequently has unexpected guests during storms. Many spent the night in a church, the Town Hall lobby or a school.

“The people in Limon are just fantastic and they really pour their hearts out to travelers. It makes a good experience out of what could be bad,” said Jan Huge of Denver, who got stuck in a four-foot drift and spent the night at the school.

In Sidney, Neb., the National Guard Armory was opened to snowbound travelers after motels filled up.

Up to 22 inches of snow fell in Denver’s eastern suburbs, and Stapleton International Airport recorded 14 1/2 inches, a 24-hour record for January.

Wind gusting to 55 m.p.h. and snow falling at a rate of one to two inches an hour created whiteout conditions Tuesday in southeastern Wyoming.