Winter storm: Power outages, road closures and DIA flights cancelled

The winds were already blowing this week's arctic temperatures into Fort Collins Wednesday afternoon.

A large swath of the eastern half of Colorado, including Fort Collins, is under a wind chill warning through the morning of Friday, Dec. 23, and a winter weather advisory from noon, Wednesday, to 9 a.m. Thursday.

Wind chill values in Fort Collins are forecast to reach a frigid minus-30 degrees Thursday.

As temperatures drop to dangerous levels, we'll post updates on conditions, delays and more below. Stay safe, Fort Collins and surrounding area.

Electricity restored in Windsor, Severance area

Poudre Valley REA announced via Twitter that electricity to the remaining customers impacted by the outage in the Windsor and Severance area had been restored by 8 a.m. Thursday. The electric utility's outage map showed a handful of customers without power in a separate outage along the U.S. Highway 287 corridor near the Colorado-Wyoming state line.

Xcel Energy's outage map showed an outage impacting 489 customers in Johnstown, with an expected restoration of service at 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

–Eric Larsen

DIA seeing significant delays, cancellations of flights

DIA is seeing significant impacts due to the weather.

As of 12:15 p.m. Thursday there were 294 flight delays and 493 flights cancelled according to FlightAware

It is advised you contact your airline carrier for flight status. Also, all shuttle lots at the airport were full as of 8 a.m. Thursday. Airport officials directed inbound travelers to the garage and economy lots.

– Miles Blumhardt

Power outage affecting Windsor, Severance area

Poudre Valley REA said via its Twitter site there is a power outage impacting about 6,700 members in the Windsor, Severance and west Greeley area.

Crews are attempting to reroute the electricity to other lines to return the power faster. That fix reduced the outage to 2,250 members.

– Miles Blumhardt

I-25 and U.S. Highway 287 reopen; a look at road closures

These two roads have been reopened as of Thursday morning, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Colorado State Patrol said the roads are icy and snow-covered due to wind. Reduced speeds are advised.

Interstate 25 was closed both northbound and southbound between Colorado Highway 1 (exit 287 in Wellington) and the Wyoming state line, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Northbound U.S. Highway 287 between Fort Collins and Laramie, Wyoming, was also closed between Ted's Place (Colorado Highway 14) and the Wyoming state line.

Check the latest road conditions at maps.cotrip.org.

Currently closed:

As of Thursday morning, the following highways are closed due to adverse driving conditions and low visibility due to blowing snow:

• Colorado 14 both directions Ault to Sterling

• Colorado 14 both directions Cameron Pass

• I-70 eastbound at Silvethorne (due to spun semi trucks)

• I-70 both directions between Limon and Burlington

• I-70 Westbound from Limon to Agate

• U.S. 385 northbound from Holyoke to Julesburg

• Colorado 59 both directions Yuma to Sedgwick

• Colorado 113 both directions U.S. 138 to Nebraska

• U.S. 6 Loveland Pass both directions

– Miles Blumhardt

Fort Collins, Windsor on accident alert

Due to deteriorating road conditions, the city of Fort Collins town of Windsor went on accident alert Wednesday night.

If you are involved in an accident with minor damage, no injuries and no suspected substance involvement, exchange information and file an online report at fcgov.com/police-report in Fort Collins or dmv.colorado.gov/report-accident in Windsor.

– Miles Blumhardt and Eric Larsen

Fort Collins sees record-breaking temperature drop Wednesday afternoon

The temperature in west Fort Collins dropped 40.8 degrees in 30 minutes and 42.3 degrees in an hour, the largest temperature drop the area has seen since at least 1997, according to Russ Schumacher, state climatologist and director of the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University.

-Sady Swanson

Fort Collins menorah lighting and Chanukah celebration on as scheduled

The annual Chanukah celebration and menorah lighting in Fort Collins will continue as planned at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Old Town Square, Rabbi Yerachmiel Gorelik told the Coloradoan, though the program will be shortened.

Gorelik said he encourages everyone to follow safety guidelines and do what is best for them.

-Sady Swanson

Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Larimer County announce delays for Thursday

Fort Collins

City of Fort Collins buildings and facilities won't open until 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, due to the forecast. Some city facilities will be closed. According to a city news release, those include:

• Gardens on Spring Creek

• The Farm at Lee Martinez Park

• Timberline Recycling Center.

These city services and programs will operate on their normal schedules:

• Transfort

• Camp FunQuest School Out Day at Northside Aztlan Community Center (7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

• Essential services such as fire, police and utilities

Larimer County

Larimer County government offices will open at 10 a.m. Thursday. The 8th Judicial District court will open at its normal time.

Loveland

The city of Loveland announced it would have a similar delayed start for city facilities Thursday (10 a.m.) and said all facilities would close early Wednesday, at 5 p.m., except the Chilson Center, which will close at 7 p.m.

Loveland's trash service will stay on schedule, and COLT bus service will operate on its normal schedule, the city said in its news release.

Windsor

Town of Windsor facilities will open two hours later than normal Thursday:

• The Community Recreation Center will open at 7 a.m.

• Town Hall, the Police Department and Public Services will open at 10 a.m. (police officers will be on duty 24/7)

— Sarah Kyle and Sady Swanson

Fort Collins, Loveland activate emergency weather shelter plans

Emergency overnight shelter will be offered through Friday, Dec. 23 for those seeking a place to escape the cold. According to a city release:

• Men seeking overnight shelter can join the Fort Collins Rescue Mission's bed list by visiting the shelter at 316 Jefferson St., the Murphy Center at 242 Conifer St., or by calling the rescue mission at 970-224-4302.

• Women and families seeking shelter should go to Catholic Charities, 460 Linden Center Drive.

• The Murphy Center's indoor day shelter will be available to all who need shelter from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday.

The Loveland Resource Center and Overnight Shelter, 137 S. Lincoln Ave. in Loveland, is under inclement weather operations from 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, through 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 24. The center is available to those age 18 and older.

"Those who are living and sleeping outside or in their cars are encouraged to seek shelter immediately," the city said in a news release.

When the center is under inclement weather operations, it allows for "increased capacity through temporary alternative resources, check-ins anytime during the night and a lift on bans and trespasses to ensure those who need shelter receive it."

For more information, call 970-962-2951.

Front Range Community College closes campuses

All Front Range Community College campuses will be closed for in-person services on Thursday, Dec. 22, through Saturday, Dec. 24, and "all college business will be conducted remotely," FRCC said in an email to the Coloradoan.

Wicked wind chills expected in Colorado before Christmas

A large swath of the eastern half of Colorado, including Fort Collins, is under a wind chill warning through the morning of Friday, Dec. 23 and winter weather advisory from noon Wednesday to 9 a.m. Thursday. Here are updated forecast wind chill values for Thursday, Dec. 22, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder:

Fort Collins: High of 4 degrees. Wind chill of minus-30 degrees.

Greeley: Wind chill of minus-34 degrees.

Red Feather Lakes: Wind chill of minus-41 degrees.

Estes Park: Wind chill of minus-30 degrees.

Cheyenne: Wind chill of minus-56 degrees.

Boulder: Wind chill of minus-23 degrees.

Denver: Wind chill of minus-28 degrees.

Denver International Airport: Wind chill of minus-36 degrees.

Walden: Wind chill of minus-38 degrees.

Akron: Wind chill of minus-51 degrees.

Sterling: Wind chill of minus-48 degrees.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Get live updates as cold front moves into Colorado, Fort Collins