Snowstorm, slippery roads close Highway 34, I-76 in northeast Colorado with more closures possible

A nearly 90-mile stretch of Highway 34 closed on Thursday afternoon as a snowstorm hit Colorado’s eastern plains and vehicles began sliding off the road.

The Colorado Department of Transportation said both directions of the highway between Brush and the Nebraska state line are now closed to drivers due to safety concerns.

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Colorado State Patrol (CSP) reported that multiple drivers had slid off the road near the line of Yuma County and Washington County in far northeast Colorado.

Shortly after 1 p.m., eastbound I-76 between Sterling and the Nebraska state line also closed. CSP said multiple crashes were reported along this stretch, including some involving semis.

CSP said more closures are likely as the storm moves east.

The National Weather Service reported that a band of heavy, wet snow is moving along and north of Highway 36 and will persist through the late afternoon. Snowfall rates could reach 2-3 inches per hour.

Logan and Washington counties are under a winter storm warning until 11 a.m. Friday due to heavy snow, according to the NWS. Local accumulation totals will likely land between 2 and 10 inches, NWS said. Travel “will be very difficult,” it reported.

CDOT

Sedgwick and Phillips counties are under a similar warning for 4-10 inches of snow, as is Yuma County, for 2-8 inches of new snow. The latter warning expires earlier — at 5 a.m. Friday.

The northern portion of Yuma County will likely see the most snow, with 10 inches possible there, according to the NWS.

As of 10:45 a.m. Thursday, the NWS said about 9.7 inches fell about 3 miles southwest of Flemming, and 4 inches fell 15 miles southeast of Sterling.

A snowstorm will also roll in Denver Thursday evening through Friday morning. About 2-4 inches of snow is likely.

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