Jan Wesner Childs
Winter Storm Xylia shut down major highways, caused more than 2,000 flights to be canceled and left tens of thousands of people without power as it moved across the western U.S. on Sunday.
Dozens of roads in Colorado were closed throughout the day. 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.
More than 54,000 homes and businesses were without power Sunday afternoon in Colorado, according to poweroutage.us.
In Nebraska, Interstate 80 westbound was shut down at North Platte exits 177 and 179.
Several parts of I-80 and I-25 were also closed in Wyoming.
(FORECAST: The Latest on Winter Storm Xylia)
Officials in Laramie, Wyoming, reported that snow plows and emergency vehicles were being hemmed up by strong winds and large drifts. More than a foot of snow was reported there.
Early Sunday morning, travelers reported being stranded for hours on Interstate 40 in Arizona after portions of the road were shut down due to several crashes. The state Department of Transportation says conditions remain hazardous.
Air travel was snarled, too.
More than 1,300 flights were canceled into or out of Denver Sunday, after more than 700 were called off on Saturday. More than 125 have been canceled for Monday.
More than 11 inches of snow had fallen at Denver International Airport.
United Airlines suspended all weekend flights out of Cheyenne Regional Airport in Wyoming, where more than 21 inches of snow has been reported.
The FAA urged travelers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
United, Southwest and Frontier, among other airlines, waived fees for people who need to change tickets originally booked for this weekend.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center issued an avalanche warning for the Front Range area and advised people to avoid backcountry areas. A watch had previously been in effect.
"Intense snowfall will cause large and destructive avalanches," the warning said. "Expect avalanches in unusual locations with strong easterly winds and deep snow at all elevations. Avalanches will be easy for backcountry travelers to trigger and can run naturally during periods of high snowfall rates. Backcountry travel is very dangerous and not recommended."
On Saturday, tornadoes on the warm side of Xylia caused damage in North Texas. At least one home was hit and several recreational vehicles turned over south of Amarillo. There were no reports of injuries.
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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