Windswept Snow Blasts Areas From Colorado to Nebraska, Kansas

By Brett Rathbun, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

November 11,2015; 9:20PM,EST

 

 

Windswept snow that blasted the Denver area early Wednesday will continue to sweep eastward across portions of Nebraska and northwestern Kansas into Wednesday evening.
The storm has had a history of producing blizzard conditions with very low visibility and slippery travel due to snow and winds gusting between 30 and 40 mph in northeastern Colorado.

Potent Storm Brewing in the Plains

Blinding snow has been accompanied by thunder and lightning, including around Ogallala, Nebraska, during Wednesday.
"Blowing and drifting snow will cause significant travel problems," AccuWeather Meteorologist Becky Elliott said.

A few inches of snow will fall in areas as far east as central and northeastern Nebraska, where thunder and lightning can accompany the snow.
As the storm rolls across warmer road surfaces along Interstate 80 in Nebraska and I-70 in northwestern Kansas, the snow will initially melt on the roads. However, as temperatures fall later in the day, untreated wet areas can become slippery.
"Take a lot of extra time if you need to travel and be sure to check the status of your flight before heading to the airport," Elliott said.
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What Defines a Blizzard?
In some areas of the central High Plains, the snow will have a plastering effect and quickly adhere to elevated surfaces.
The strong winds can knock down trees and power lines leading to power outages.
Be sure to bundle up if you have to head outdoors as AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will range from 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit for most of Wednesday.
Snowflakes can mix in at the tail end of the storm in parts of eastern Nebraska during Wednesday night, following a surge of warmth from Wednesday.
From 6 to 12 inches of snow has fallen on the Front Range in Colorado and the mountains in Wyoming with several inches of snow around the Denver metro area. Road conditions around the Denver area during the height of the storm ranged from wet to slushy and snow-covered.
As of early Wednesday, US 6, Loveland Pass, was closed to avalanche hazard, according to Colorado DOT.
Snow will diminish from west to east Wednesday afternoon and night across the central Plains. However, winds are likely to remain quite gusty from the eastern parts of Nebraska and Kansas through the Midwest and could lead to ground travel and airline disruptions.
The high winds will first help to fuel severe thunderstorms