Ron Brackett
Winter Storm Xylia made travel treacherous Monday across several states.
A possible pileup was reported about 2:30 p.m. Monday on Interstate 494 near Sunfish Lake, south of St. Paul, Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Transportation reported at least two crashes on the interstate between S Robert Trial and Delaware Avenue.
Earlier Monday, a stretch of Interstate 35 southbound near Elko New Market, Minnesota, was closed several hours by a jackknifed semitractor-trailer, according to WCCO.
In Colorado, rescuers worked through the night to reach motorists trapped on Colorado highways by Winter Storm Xylia as officials in Nebraska and South Dakota implored drivers to stay off snow-packed roads.
A 300-mile stretch of westbound Interstate 80 was closed from Grand Island, Nebraska, to the Wyoming border, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation. On the Wyoming side, I-80 was shut down from the border to Rawlins, according to that state's DOT. Partial closures were in effect from Rawlins to the Utah state line.
The Aurora Police Department in Colorado reported 25 to 30 vehicles were stranded on the E-470 toll road east of Denver. Drivers also were stuck on Interstate 70.
"We still have reports of numerous motorists stranded in their vehicles," the department said in a tweet. The Aurora Police Department and Aurora Fire Department "are working as quickly and safely as possible to get to everyone. These efforts may go well into the late night."
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis activated 50 National Guard soldiers and airmen to help with stranded motorists and with search and rescue operations, KMGH reported.
More than 950 flights scheduled for Monday have been canceled at Denver International Airport, which closed completely Sunday evening because of the storm. The airport, which received 27.1 inches of snow, said crews were clearing runways Monday morning.
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Nearly 24,000 homes and businesses in Colorado remained without electricity Monday morning, according to poweroutage.us.
Dozens of roads in Colorado were closed throughout the day on Sunday. The closures included several sections of Interstate 70 that opened and closed at different times. Stretches of I-25 and I-76 were also shut down.
Interstate 80 was closed from central Nebraska to the Wyoming-Utah border at times Sunday. Portions of the interstate remained closed Monday.
Several parts of I-25 were also closed in Wyoming and in Colorado.
Tall snow drifts continued to cause problems on many roadways. The state Transportation Departtment reported drifts as high as 5 feet in Laramie and Cheyenne.
In Cheyenne, which had recorded 30.8 inches of snow by 5 a.m. Monday, the storm closed schools and colleges and city and state government buildings. Schools and government offices also shut down in Casper.
The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office in Canton, South Dakota, said roadways there were covered in snow and ice Monday morning. The South Dakota Highway Patrol warned of reduced visibility in parts of Roberts, Grant, and Day counties.
In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, snow blew into traffic lights at intersections, making it impossible for drivers to tell if the lights were red, yellow or green, KELO reported.
Several school districts in South Dakota canceled classes for the day.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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