A late spring snowstorm slams Colorado, closing schools and disrupting commuters

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — A late spring snowstorm picked up over parts of Colorado on Wednesday, closing schools, delaying flights and creating slushy conditions for commuters.

The storm, which swept over the Rocky Mountains and into the High Plains on Tuesday, was expected to weaken before wrapping up Wednesday afternoon, but not before leaving some heavy, wet snow in higher elevations.

A winter storm warning was in effect through the afternoon, with an additional 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) of snow expected in Fort Collins, Boulder, the Denver metro area and Castle Rock, the National Weather Service said.

“We expect roads to be slick during heavier snow showers, but for the lower elevations, any road accumulations will melt quickly as snow showers subside,” the weather service office in Denver posted online Wednesday.

Storm leaves more than a foot of snow in parts of Colorado

The small mountain town of Jamestown, Colorado, near Boulder recorded 16.3 inches (41.4 centimeters) of snow as of early Wednesday, the weather service said. Estes Park, near Rocky Mountain National Park, reported 17 inches (43 centimeters) of snow as of Tuesday night.

City officials in Boulder, which got nearly 6 inches of snow (15 centimeters) as of the end of the day Tuesday, advised residents of downed trees and branches, encouraging them to avoid being under or close to those with heavy snow accumulation.

Denver was facing what may be its biggest snowfall of the season. The Denver International Airport, which experienced some delays and cancellations early Wednesday, recorded 3.7 inches (9.3 centimeters) of snow by 2 a.m., the weather service said.

Temperatures also plunged. Denver, which was in the low 30s Wednesday morning, activated its cold weather shelter plan.

Warmer temperatures are expected to return Thursday, the weather service said.

The state’s largest school district, Denver Public Schools, and other major districts and colleges in the region canceled Wednesday classes due to severe weather.

The ominous forecast did not deter thousands from attending the David Guetta show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Tuesday night, though organizers moved the start time up by an hour in hopes of getting fans home before the worst of the storm.

Concertgoers bundled up in furry winter coats and beanies while waiting in line to enter the outdoor venue.

The storm caused the Colorado Rockies to reschedule two games against the New York Mets. But that happens more often than not during Denver’s spring baseball season, including four times in 2015, according to MLB.

May snows are not unheard of in Colorado. They are even more common in the Wyoming capital of Cheyenne, which is almost 1,000 feet (300 meters) higher than Denver and cooler year-round. Wyoming is also windier than Colorado, pushing snow into drifts that must be re-plowed if gusts persist.

The storm is welcome during a drought

April was warmer than usual and short on precipitation, with Denver missing an inch of rain (2.5 centimeters) and 2.8 inches of snow (7 centimeters) last month compared to normal.

For some farmers, who have felt the pressure from Colorado’s ongoing drought, the snow was an opportunity.

Adam Jones, who runs Unsung Family Farms in Longmont, told KMGH-TV that he had planted carrot seeds days before to take advantage of the precipitation.

“You can’t get as even distribution with driplines or sprinklers,” he said. “There’s nothing like starting seeds with snow or water.”

Jones had to move the more weather-sensitive crops inside, however, with a heater to keep them warm.

Storms elsewhere, too

The unsettled weather isn’t limited to the Rockies.

Severe thunderstorms with a risk of tornadoes were possible across the Southeast on Wednesday.

Some of the strongest storms were expected from Arkansas through Georgia.

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McCormack reported from Concord, New Hampshire. AP reporter Jaimie Ding contributed from Los Angeles.