SOUTHERN COLORADO — Arctic cold has air moved into Southern Colorado, and we aren't likely to see above freezing temperatures until the weekend. The coldest air will impact the region tonight through Wednesday, with only gradual amounts of warming from Thursday into Friday.
Wind chill values tonight will dive into the deep negatives with values ranging from -10 to -25 degrees below zero.
On top of the cold will come several rounds of snow. A major fall of snow will occur in the mountains, with some significant totals also expected west of I-25.
A full forecast for the day can be found here.
DIA flight cancellations and delays
Colorado Springs Airport flight cancellations and delays
Winter Weather Kit:
With cold, Arctic air plunging into Southern Colorado and several rounds of snow in the forecast, planning ahead before hitting the road may be an important step in keeping you safe.
If you're going to be traveling in the snow, you're strongly encouraged to keep a winter safety kit in your vehicle.
At a minimum, this should include a windshield scraper, food and bottled.
In addition, you'll want to include blankets and extra clothing, a flashlight with batteries, a first-aid kit and extra supplies of medicine, sand or cat liter in case you get stuck, and a cell phone chargers.
With a quick online search, you can find already prepared kits available to purchase in stores in the area, or online.
Otherwise, before you hit the roads, make sure you've got your winter safety kit stocked and ready to go.
Traffic Updates:
9:00 a.m - The crash on I-25 northbound south of Interquest has been moved to the shoulder.
8:50 a.m. - An emergency vehicle is blocking the left lane of I-25 northbound south of Interquest due to a crash.
8:45 a.m - The I-25 southbound right lane is closed down to a crash between Exit 148 and Exit 146.
8:35 a.m. - A crash on I-25 southbound, north of Garden of the Gods, blocking the right exit lane.
8:00 a.m. - There's a crash on Northbound I-25 south of Circle Drive, and the car is in the median.
7:45 a.m. - The crash north of MLK Bypass on I-25 Northbound has been removed from traffic
7:25 a.m. - Crash on Northbound I-25 is blocking the right merge lane north of the MLK bypass
5:27 p.m.: US 50 westbound right shoulder closed Between McCulloch Boulevard and Swallows Road due to a crash. Expect delays.
5:25 p.m.: Highway 67 is closed in both directions at Tenderfoot Mountain just north of Cripple Creek due to a traffic accident.
4:45 p.m.: US 24 eastbound closed between Mistletoe Lane and Jade Road (near Wilkerson Pass) at Mile Point 273. Road closed expect delays due to a crash.
Live Updates:
10:30 a.m. - Remember to be prepared for the cold! Minimize travel, and if you do make sure to stay safe and slow and have a charged cell phone and have an emergency kit prepared. Bring your pets inside, and if you're going outside yourself, layer your clothing and make sure to cover any exposed skin.
— EPCSheriff (@EPCSheriff) February 23, 2022
9:15 a.m. - Wolf Creek Pass leading the way with 25 inches from the storm, but Monarch Pass and Penrose also got some sizeable totals.
Snow totals we've received this morning. I think some of these like at Penrose and Wolf Creek Pass are storm total, meaning it's snow from Monday through this morning #cowx pic.twitter.com/OZAMCDhKx1
— Sam Schreier (@SamASchreier) February 23, 2022
8:50 a.m. - The City of Manitou Springs is offering some tips to help with snow removal that are also applicable everywhere:
- Park on your property (where possible)
- Don't shovel snow from your property onto the street
- Drive slowly and cautiously when near a snow plow
8:00 a.m. - Colorado Springs Firefighters don't hesitate with a fire, but they're advising you to be careful with the cold today.
Stay home. Stay warm. Stay Safe. #ColoradoSpringsFire #IAFFLocal5 #Winter pic.twitter.com/QOC7E8Y6sQ
— Colorado Springs Firefighters (@local5iaff) February 23, 2022
7:30 a.m. - Remember to take it slow today and BOW TO THE PLOW. Some roads will stay snow covered for the next few days until warmer temperatures and the sun return.
6:50 a.m. - Friendly reminder that even if its cold, make sure to not leave you're keys in your car while its running. Pueblo PD has already seen a puffer motor vehicle theft this morning.
6:40 a.m. - Wondering just how much snow fell around Southern Colorado last night? We've got you covered. Check out our interactive snow map.
6:30 a.m. - The summit of Pikes Peak is currently warmer at 2 degrees than the rest of the region - but a summit attempt this morning is probably not recommended.
6:20 a.m. - It is COLD this morning, with wind chills ranging anywhere from -10 to -30 across Southern Colorado. Make sure your wearing gloves if you're going outside for any length of time this morning
6:05 a.m. - Flying out of Denver today? Make sure your flight is still happening, as 127 flights are already canceled out of DIA this morning.
Full list of flight cancellations and delays
6:00 a.m. - Schools across the region are closed or delayed this morning, including ASD 20, Pueblo D60 and 70, and Manitou D-14.
Full list of closures and delays
6:37 p.m.: The NAM is showing wind chill values as cold as -20 to -25 degrees Wednesday morning across the Pikes Peak Region.
4:45 p.m.: Additional snowfall totals are expected for Southern Colorado through Thursday morning. The highest amounts will fall across the high country and west of I-25.
2:50 p.m.: Winter Storm Warnings have been expanded to include Teller & El Paso counties. 5-9" of snow will be possible around Colorado Springs.
Resources:
- Get your latest First Alert 5 Weather Forecast
- Find the current school closing and delay list
- Keep track of flight delays at Denver International Airportor the Colorado Springs Airport
- Watch KOAA News5 LIVE newscasts and updated content throughout the day in your browser, the News5 App, or your favorite streaming device.
- Download the free News5 App for your iOS or Android device to get the latest headlines and news across Colorado.
- Download the free First Alert 5 Weather App for your iOS or Android device to get the latest headlines and news across Colorado.
- You can find us on social media with KOAA on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
- Track this storm through the morning, including snow totals and updated forecasts, on the First Alert 5 Weather stream, which can be viewed on the KOAA News5 app for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV or AndroidTV.