Storm System Moves North but Still Leaves Denver with 8-Inch Snow, Warming Centers Activated as Some Colorado Areas Get 15 Degrees

At Denver International Airport and some areas of the Eastern Plains, a sluggish winter storm dumped eight inches of snow overnight on Tuesday.

But because of a last-minute change in the weather pattern, many communities anywhere along the I-25 corridor experienced less rainfall than anticipated.

Warming centers have been activated as a result of temperatures reaching 15 degrees in some parts of Colorado.

According to Jim Kalina, a National Weather Service forecaster in Boulder, a strong ridge consisting of high pressure in the Eastern United States propelled the storm further northeast than most models predicted.

Change Route

Kalina said that With these systems, it merely takes place occasionally.

For a few days, it was pretty much indicating the course of a major storm that would affect the Front Range, but at the last minute, everything abruptly moved slightly to the north.

Forecasts from earlier in the week indicated that up to 12 inches of snow could fall in the Denver metro area.

.The sums recorded by DIA early on Wednesday were the highest snow for a winter storm since 1992. But those high numbers haven't panned out farther west along the I-25 corridor.

Only five inches were recorded in Aurora overnight on Tuesday, 5.5 in Commerce City, and about 4 in Boulder.

Not So Short on Snow

On Wednesday, the Front Range is expected to experience light snow for the majority of the day.

.West of I-25, communities may receive an additional inch or so.

The Eastern Plains and other regions east of the highway might experience an additional three, according to Kalina.

Several government buildings located along the Front Range were closed on Wednesday, even though snowfall totals did not reach alarming levels.

Warming Centers

Warming centers have been set up in some cities, such as Denver, to provide shelter for those who might become ill from the freezing temperatures.

According to CBS News, the McNichols Civic Center Building will serve as an overnight shelter throughout the winter storm hitting Colorado on Tuesday evening.

On Wednesday, the recreation centers will serve as daytime warming centers for those who require a place to warm up during regular business hours.

According to the report, each recreation center will provide an area with seating, drinking water, and restrooms.

Canceled Classes

Wednesday was declared a full snow day by Denver Public Schools, which means there won't even be any online learning.

Additionally canceled were extracurricular activities like clubs and sports.

According to Denverite, Wednesday saw campus closures in several other significant school districts, including Littleton Public Schools as well as Douglas County School District.

Denver was continuing with its official plan, which is to plow even side streets despite the lessened amount of snow.

Universities also preemptively closed campus in preparation for the snow, with many of them have only just started the spring semester.

Among the prestigious universities that have closed are Colorado State University, the University of Colorado Boulder, and all of the schools located on the Auraria Campus in Denver.

On Wednesday, temperatures along the Front Range are expected to reach the 30s. Grand Junction is expected to hit 34 degrees, with snow moving out by the early afternoon.

Through Wednesday night, Vail and other mountain towns will experience temperatures of around 15 degrees and snow.

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150 Canceled Flights

At Denver International Airport, passengers might not have the smooth flight they were expecting.

As of Wednesday morning, there had been about 150 flight cancellations and a few dozen delays out of DIA.

Southwest Airlines, which is still recovering from the most recent winter storm to hit Colorado, is responsible for the majority of the cancellations.

Due to the storm, several important roads were temporarily closed early on Wednesday.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, a stuck tractor-trailer caused the southbound lanes of Interstate 25 to be closed close to Larkspur.

As some of the heaviest snowfall was occurring in places from Sterling to Nebraska, Interstate 76 on the Eastern Plains was shut down in both directions, CPR News reported.