Live updates: Blowing snow will continue to impact eastern plains, more snow for mountains

A strong winter storm brought blizzard warnings to northeastern Colorado and dropped more than a foot of snow in the mountains.

The storm significantly impacted the eastern plains on Tuesday via whiteout conditions, road closures and harsh conditions for livestock, according to the National Weather Service. Blizzards, with wind gusts up to 50 to 60 mph, hit northeastern Colorado.

We're keeping an eye on road and weather conditions as this storm moves out of Colorado. Check out our live blog below for the latest.

MORE: Today's forecast | Interactive radar | Live traffic | Weather page | 24/7 Weather Stream | School closures and delays | COTrip

Wednesday, Dec. 14

11:24 a.m. | ROAD REOPENING | I-76 is open westbound from Sterling to Hudson. The eastbound lanes from Hudson to Sterling are still closed, CSP says.

7:52 a.m. | ROAD CLOSURE | US 287 is closed at Ted's Place due to low visibility. Some parts of I-80 are also closed.

7:15 a.m. | ROAD REOPENING | Two highways outside of Burlington — Highway 385 and 24 — have reopened to traffic.

7:13 a.m. | ROAD CLOSURE | Highway 6 over Loveland Pass is closed due to avalanche and safety concerns.

6:26 a.m. | ROAD REOPENING | Highway 86 out of Kiowa to I-70 has reopened.

4:41 a.m. | WEATHER UPDATE | Winter weather advisories will continue to impact the eastern plains through 6 p.m. due to blowing snow. Road conditions are improving, but the blowing snow may reduce visibility. Light snow will continue falling in the mountains with another 1 to 4 inches possible.

4:26 a.m. | ROAD CLOSURES | Several roads on the eastern plains remain closed this morning due to blowing snow and blizzard conditions.

Tuesday, Dec. 13

4:44 p.m. | SCHOOL CLOSURE | All schools in the Morgan County School District Re-3 will be closed Wednesday due to adverse weather conditions, officials said in a Facebook post.

4:19 p.m. | I-70 BACK OPEN IN ELBERT COUNTY | I-70 is back open and Highway 86 will be open within 30 to 45 minutes, according to the Elbert County Office of Emergency Management.

4:04 p.m. | HIGHWAY BACK OPEN | I-70 from Watkins to Limon is now back open, according to CDOT.

CDOT

2:11 p.m. | TRAFFIC UPDATE | The Colorado State Patrol says a 7-car crash has occurred just west of Las Chance due people attempting to go east on a closed Highway 36. The CSP asks that people do not travel on Highway 36 east of the Denver area at this time.

1:20 p.m. | WEATHER UPDATE | Winds are continuing to rip through northeastern Colorado. Below are some viewer-submitted videos of conditions in Haxtun and Brush. Want to share your video? Send us a tweet or email us at newstips@denver7.com.

11:05 a.m. | HIGHWAY CLOSURE | "Everything north of I-70 is closed," according to the CSP in Sterling, who is warning drivers not to attempt driving in northeastern Colorado as all major roads are closed due to whiteout conditions affecting the area.

10:51 a.m. | HIGHWAY CLOSURE | Highway 52 and Highway 24 are now closed, according to CDOT.

10:32 a.m. | HIGHWAY CLOSURE | I-76 is now closed in both directions from Nebraska to Hudson, according to the CSP in Sterling.

9:07 a.m. | UPDATE FROM CDOT | Colorado Department of Transportation said its crews are continuing to respond to the strongest storm the state has experienced this season. Drivers will feel the impacts of this storm through mid-week.

“The harsh travel conditions resulting from this severe weather system will make an opportune time for folks to stay off the roads, stay home and work remotely if you can,” said John Lorme, CDOT Director of Maintenance and Operations. “Limiting non-essential travel will help our crews address the snowy highways, creating safer conditions for motorists and our workers.”

By Wednesday, snowfall will dissipate, but gusty winds and blowing snow may continue over the far northeast plains making travel treacherous, CDOT said.

Crews in CDOT trucks will make continuous passes on state-maintained roads and spread deicer materials to help break down the snow and ice. 

8:30 a.m. | EASTERN PLAINS UPDATE | Here's an updated video of Fort Morgan in Morgan County.

6:50 a.m. | HIGHWAY CLOSURES | More and more roads along the eastern plains are closing. According to CDOT, these highways have closed to all motorists due to the storm:

• I-70: Airpark Road (MP 292) to Kansas State Line (MP 449) both directions
• I-76: Brush to Nebraska
• US-6: Brush to Nebraska
• US-385: Holyoke to Julesburg
• US-40: Limon to Kit Carson
• US-138: Sterling to Nebraska
• CO-86: Kiowa to I-70
• CO-94: US-40/287 to Punkin Center
• CO-59: Seibert to Kit Carson
• CO-59: Yuma to Sedgwick
• CO-52: Ft. Morgan to CO-14
• EB CO-392: US-85 to CO-14
• EB CO-14: US-85 to Briggsdale
• CO-71: Brush to Nebraska
• US-40: Kit Carson to Limon
• US-34: Brush to Nebraska
• US-36: Last Chance to Kansas
• CO-6: US 36 to Sterling
• US-385: US 36-Julesburg
• CO-138: Sterling to Nebraska
• CO-63: Akron to Atwood
• CO-113: Sterling to Nebraska
• CO-14: US 85 to Sterling

CDOT

6:13 a.m. | HIGHWAY CLOSURES | According to Colorado State Patrol out of Sterling, every road in Logan County, Phillips County and Sedgwick County is being shut down. CSP asks drivers to not drive around close gates or signs.

5:50 a.m. | HIGHWAY CLOSURES | Multiple highways are closed in Colorado's far northeast region, including US 6 eastbound and westbound between the Nebraska border and Sterling, US 138 from Julesburg to Sterling, and I-76 between the Nebraska border and Sterling.

5:39 a.m. | HIGHWAY CLOSURES | I-70 eastbound and westbound is closed between E-470 and US 24, which is three miles west of Limon, due to safety concerns.

4:50 a.m. | METRO FORECAST UPDATE | Light snow amounts are falling in the southern parts of the Denver metro area, meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo said. We're still expecting around 2 to 4 inches through Tuesday. The I-25 corridor is on the western edge of the storm, making it tricky to forecast metro totals, Hidalgo said. The heaviest impacts are expected east and northeast of Denver.

4:25 a.m. | HIGHWAY CLOSURES | Colorado State Patrol reports these highway closures: Highway 86 closed Kiowa to I-70, Highway 59 closed Kit Carson to Seibert, Highway 94 closed east of El Paso County and Highway 40/287 closed between Limon and Kit Carson.

4:06 a.m. | I-70 W CLOSURE | Westbound I-70 west of Limon to the Kansas border is closed.

3:50 a.m. | SNOWFALL UPDATE | Lighter amounts of snow have fallen in the Denver metro overnight. 2 to 4 inches possible in areas today with areas east potentially seeing the higher totals.

2:30 a.m. | SCHOOL CLOSURES | Several school closures have been reported, including in the Byers, Bennett and Limon school districts. Check the latest list.

Monday

8:09 p.m. | WESTBOUND I-70 BETWEEN WEST GLENWOOD AND SOUTH CANYON IS CLOSED due to a crash, according to CDOT.

7:07 p.m. | WB I-70 BETWEEN DOTSERO AND WEST GLENWOOD IS BACK OPEN, BUT THERE ARE TRAFFIC IMPACTS. Slower speeds are advised.

6:46 p.m. | DOORDASH HAS SUSPENDED OPERATIONS across northeastern Colorado, southwestern Nebraska, western South Dakota and southeastern Wyoming due to the winter weather.

6:41 p.m | WESTBOUND I-70 BETWEEN DOTSERO AND WEST GLENWOOD IS CLOSED for safety reasons, the Colorado Department of Transportation announced.