Colorado snow disrupts 160 flights, cuts power
DENVER – A heavy, wet spring snowstorm forced airlines to cancel scores of flights at the Denver airport on Wednesday and left thousands of people without power.
Tree branches sagged and snapped under the weight of the snow. Dozens of schools canceled classes and the state Legislature declared a snow day, canceling House and Senate sessions as well as committee meetings.
Denver International Airport estimated up to 5,000 people spent Tuesday night there after their flights were canceled.
"This is my last time flying unless I grow wings," said Elizabeth Kinder of Great Falls, Mont., who slept in the airport's chapel.
She and her husband were flying home from San Jose, Calif., when they got stranded in Denver Tuesday night.
The airport's three busiest airlines — United, Frontier and Southwest — together canceled nearly 160 arrivals and departures Wednesday.
Highway traffic was light for Denver's morning rush.
"Some folks maybe decided they didn't have to travel, so they just stayed home," said Gene Towne of theColorado Department of Transportation.
The National Weather Service said 23 inches of snow fell by Wednesday morning in Jefferson County west ofDenver and about 9 inches in Denver.
Most major ski areas reported 5 to 7 inches of new snow. Eldora — just west of Boulder — reported 18 inches.
The storm boosted the mountain snowpack, which accounts for much of Colorado's water when it melts during the warm months. As of Wednesday, the snow totals were below average in the northern half of the state and roughly average in the south.
The snow was expected to taper off in northern Colorado but continue falling in the south.
"It's been snowing all morning pretty good," said Teresa James, manager of Ringo's Super Trading Post, a convenience store on outside the southern Colorado town of Trinidad.
She said her drive to work was slow because the highway hadn't been plowed.
"It was like creeping," she said.
Xcel Energy said about 7,500 customers, mostly in the Denver area, were still without power Wednesday morning. About 45 crews were working to restore power by 5 p.m. About 36,400 customers lost power at various times after snow started falling Tuesday, Xcel Energy spokesman Tom Henley said.
Barbara Foley, 70, of Englewood rode the bus to work Wednesday in downtown Denver after she woke up to find about a foot of snow on her car. She was happy the bus arrived on time, with a driver in a good mood.
"I told the driver, 'You're just as good as the mailman,'" she said. "He said, 'No, lady, we're better.'"
In the mountains, U.S. 6 over Loveland Pass was closed for avalanche control and because of hazardous conditions. Farther west, Colorado 65 near Grand Junction also was closed for avalanche control.
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Associated Press Writers Kristen Wyatt, Steven K. Paulson and Dan Elliott contributed to this report.
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