A strong snowstorm is battering the mountains with up to 18 inches of snow, causing road troubles on some major highways.
Strong winds of up to 75 mph in some higher elevation areas could cause impossible travel conditions from blowing snow, forecasters at the National Weather Service in Boulder said.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Boulder expect heavy snow to continue across the high country through Saturday morning, but a second snowstorm will follow that one Saturday night into Sunday, with the potential for another two feet of snow in some areas of the north and central mountains.
Update 9:30 a.m.: U.S. 6 at Loveland Pass is closed between Interstate 70 and Montezuma Road due to safety concerns from the snow, CDOT reported about 9 a.m.
Update 8 a.m.: Interstate 70 eastbound has reopened in Silverthorne and Vail after closures during a strong winter storm in the mountains.
The westbound lanes of the interstate were closed in Vail from Exit 190, Vail Pass Summit, and Exit 180, East Vail, due to a crash but reopened about 7:30 a.m., the Colorado Department of Transportation reported.
In Silverthorne, the eastbound lanes were closed between Exit 203, Colorado 9, and Exit 205, US 6, due to snow removal operations but reopened at 7:50 a.m., CDOT reported.
