Impending Colorado Springs-area snowstorm has road crews at the ready; schools cancel for Wednesday
Feb. 14—Road crews around Colorado Springs and statewide will be out in full force to handle the winter snowstorm that was forecast to hit late Tuesday night and last well into Wednesday.
A winter storm warning for most of southern Colorado went into effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service in Pueblo, and was expected to last until 5 p.m. Wednesday.
By Tuesday afternoon, several school districts including Lewis-Palmer District 38 and District 49 in the Pikes Peak region had already canceled Wednesday classes. Click or tap here for an updated list of closings and delays for schools, colleges and other organizations.
Heavy snow and high winds are expected to make for treacherous driving conditions on Interstate 25 and U.S. 50, among other roads, the weather service says.
Total snow accumulations of 4 to 10 inches are forecast in parts of El Paso and Teller counties with winds gusting as high as 50 mph.
"As of right now, we are already prepared ahead of the storm," Clint Brown, operations manager for the city of Colorado Springs, said Tuesday morning. "We start our snow shifts at 12 noon (Tuesday) so employees will be ready to respond when the storm rolls in."
According to Weather Service meteorologist Eric Peterson, snowfall was expected to be heaviest in the early morning hours Wednesday, when temperatures were expected to dip to a low of 14 degrees with a wind chill between zero and 10.
According to Brown, 40 trucks and snow plows are ready to be used, and more will be added if necessary, in Colorado Springs.
"It will likely make (Wednesday) morning's commute difficult," Brown said of the storm's timing.
Low visibility and icy roads are expected along with the fresh snow.
Colorado Springs officials along with the Colorado Department of Transportation said main roadways such as Academy Boulevard and Union Boulevard in the city and Interstate 25, U.S. 50 and U.S. 160 will be prioritized by snow and ice removal crews, according to Gazette news partner KKTV.
Sign Up for Springs AM Update
Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country
Sign Up
View all of our newsletters.
Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
View all of our newsletters.
Brown hopes early preparation will mean crews will have roads in best possible condition come Wednesday morning. He still asks the public to be mindful of the conditions.
"Please leave early and give yourself plenty of time to drive safely," Brown said.
According to Bob Wilson, CDOT's director of statewide programs, crews will be focusing on snow removal and de-icing along with applying sand as needed.
"We're predicting a light, fluffy snow; typical of February," Wilson said. "There's a possibility of flash freezing (Tuesday) night as temperatures drop."
Wilson said since the pavement will be warm due to mild temperatures during the day, snow will melt first and then freeze as temperatures decrease.
"If you don't need to leave our house, stay home; roads glaze over quickly in these conditions," Wilson said.
Wilson said CDOT crews went on 12-hour snow shifts starting Tuesday at 8 a.m., with non-stop coverage.
A high temperature of 18 degrees is expected in Colorado Springs on Wednesday. Snow may stop late afternoon, with the high end of the total expected range at 6 inches for Colorado Springs.
Below-freezing wind chill could also result in hypothermia if precautions are not taken, the Weather Service said.
The highest snow totals are expected in the mountains southwest of Pueblo, with 1-2 feet on the forecast, according to the Weather Service. An avalanche watch is in effect for parts of that area, as Peterson calls the impending snowstorm on top of older snowpack a "recipe" for avalanches.
The highest snow totals in the Pikes Peak region will likely be found north and west of Colorado Springs. Teller County could see 5 to 10 inches and Monument may get up to 8.
The cold spell is expected to last into Thursday, with a high near freezing, before a warmup Friday and highs in the upper 40s and lower 50s over the weekend.
The monthly total normal is 4.6 inches of snow in February, according to the Weather Service. Since Feb. 1, Colorado Springs has received around 1 inch of snow from a weather system on Feb. 8 and 9. In January, Colorado Springs got 5.3 inches of snow total, which is slightly above normal.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE GAZETTE
