© WHPWyoming Highway Patrol continues to respond to calls for stranded motorists during the March 13-14 storm.
Nearly twenty-six inches fell in Cheyenne by noon, Sunday March 14th. The massive snow storm, a low pressure system fed by gulf moisture dumped, and dumped and dumped some more. By the time this article is being written Sunday afternoon, the snow continues to fall in Cheyenne.
And you read that right -
the last time we had this much snow was the same year Cheyenne was hit by the famous tornado of '79.
This storm broke records by noon, and it's still not done.
The snow has closed schools and colleges, along with city and state government buildings and city businesses in Cheyenne. But the Capitol City isn't the only one getting hounded by the massive storm. During a live event on their Facebook page, the NWS in Cheyenne, meteorologists relayed reports of 26 inches of snow near Wheatland. Wyoming Highway Patrol says they continue to respond to calls today as motorists are becoming stranded in the heavy snow.
Wyoming Highway Patrol, as well as other state and county authorities, across the state, including Cheyenne Police and Natrona County Sheriff's office are warning people to stay home and shelter, and to stay off the roads. WHP says many roads are impassable at this point. WYDOT is saying that I-25 and I-80 along with other highways will remain closed, and may not open until sometime Monday.
Comment: The storm has since heavily impacted neighboring states. According to
USA Today:
More than 2,000 flights were canceled in and out of Denver alone over the weekend. Runways were closed for Sunday night, the Denver International Airport tweeted, as it marked nearly two inches of snow.
Many highways and local roads were closed, including a few with "no alternate route advised."
In Colorado, some areas already had almost 30 inches of snow by noon Sunday. A foot of snow had fallen in Denver, and more was on the way.
"Total snow accumulations of 12-24 inches for the Interstate 25 corridor and up to 3-4 feet in the northern foothills," the National Weather Service warned. "Wind gusts of 30-40 mph will cause some blowing and drifting snow."
The Colorado Department of Transportation reported a slew of highway closures, including swaths of Interstate 70 that runs east to west across the state. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center set the avalanche risk as high, warning of "very dangerous avalanche conditions."
"Slow to ramp up Saturday, storm makes itself known on Sunday," the state Transportation Department tweeted Sunday afternoon. "Return travel from the mountains into #Denver will be extremely challenging Sunday. Motorists please make plans to postpone travel until Monday." [...]
Nebraska's State Patrol tweeted asking people across the western part of the state to stay home to avoid strong winds and blizzard conditions. The Department of Transportation urged people across the state to avoid travel if at all possible, reported the Omaha World-Herald.
Comment: The storm has since heavily impacted neighboring states. According to USA Today: