A raging snowstorm and blizzard are unfolding from the east slopes of the Colorado Rockies to part of the central Plains.

Travel conditions rapidly deteriorated rapidly overnight in Denver as heavy snow arrived. Heavy snow and blowing snow are dangerously reducing the visibility while roads have become snow-covered.

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© AccuWeather
Two feet of snow has already buried the foothills west of Denver. Additional snow will fall into tonight, bringing snowfall totals in some of the foothills to near three feet.

Some roads and major highways have closed and others may follow as the storm strengthens and snow expands eastward. More than 400 flights have been canceled at Denver International Airport today in response to the blinding, heavy snow.

All-out blizzard conditions will develop in the swath between Denver to Omaha before the storm runs its course.

Very slippery and slow travel has already developed along much of I-25, I-70 and I-76 in eastern Colorado. Conditions will deteriorate farther to the east along I-80 in Nebraska and part of I-70 in western Kansas tonight.

Snow will continue to streak northeastward followed by increasing winds, low visibility, large snow drifts and poor travel spreading from northeast eastern Colorado to southwestern and central Nebraska to northwestern Kansas.

Boulder, Denver and Sterling in Colorado, Grand Island, Kearney, McCook and North Platte in Nebraska and Goodland in Kansas will be in the heart of the storm with a foot of snow possible. A few locations within this swath can pick up a bit more.

Rain will change to heavy, accumulating snow from west to east, reaching into eastern Nebraska and much of Iowa. In the swath from Omaha to Des Moines the changeover to snow will begin later Friday night. By Saturday night at least a half a foot of snow will be on the ground.

In these areas of the lower central Plains, the first part of the snow will be more wet, but blowing and drifting snow will occur later in the storm with possible blizzard conditions as temperatures fall off and winds pick up.

The storm will reorganize and strengthen over the South Central states today into Saturday, raising strong winds, pushing temperatures downward and causing rain to change to snow in the east over a portion of the central Plains.

A storm of this size, with energy and moisture available, has the potential to deliver the heaviest snow of the winter, especially in light of how the season has evolved for the central Plains.

The storm will stay south of most of the northern Plains and a push of dry air should prevent the storm's moisture from reaching the Great Lakes region.

The snowstorm is forecast to stay north of Kansas City. However, motorists heading north along I-29 or I-35 will run into a mess over Nebraska and Iowa later tonight and Saturday.

The storm system will bring not only drenching rain to portions of the South Central states, but also severe thunderstorms, especially in parts of Texas and Oklahoma.

The snowstorm just goes to show how quickly the weather can change over the Plains. During Monday and Tuesday, temperatures soared into the 60s over much of the region.

While the storm will bring dangers and travel problems, it will bring needed moisture for agricultural interests over the central Plains.