SOUTHERN COLORADO -- Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) officials said maintenance crews are working 12-hour shifts as they prepare for 10-20 inches of snow in the southeastern Colorado plains Monday and Tuesday.
As of early Monday afternoon, snow was already covering portions of I-25 south of Pueblo. As of 5:00 Monday evening I-25 is closed in both directions south of Colorado City.
Earlier Monday morning, I-25 was shut down at mile marker 11 at Raton Pass, meaning anyone trying to travel to New Mexico either has to wait out the storm or find an alternate route.
"We've traveled in storms like this before, but looking at it now, I don't want to chance it," New Mexico resident Linda Martinez said at a gas station in Colorado City, roughly 30 miles south of Pueblo.
Martinez was trying to get back to New Mexico with her husband and daughter Monday but has decided to turn around and wait for the storm to pass.
Officials said blowing snow is making driving conditions difficult, and several state highways are reported as icy. U.S. Highway 50 and U.S. 40 are among the major state highways that have "adverse conditions" according to official reports and may see intermittent closures until Tuesday.
U.S. 287 is closed in both directions from Lamar to the Oklahoma border.
Pueblo County Emergency Services Capt. Lee Roybal said they have opened an additional shelter in La Junta for anyone who is stranded because the roads are so bad.
Some hotels are benefitting from the storm. The manager of the Days Inn on I-25 in Colorado City said 12 rooms had been booked because of the storm as of 1 p.m. Monday, which is more than the total they usually have full. There are 58 rooms in the hotel, and the manager hopes to sell all of them to help keep travelers safe.
Although bigger cities such as Colorado Springs and Pueblo are only expecting 2-3 inches, officials are warning drivers to slow down and be careful, as many crashes have already been reported.
Several cars slid off I-25, and even semi-trucks pulled over into rest areas because conditions were bad and getting worse.
For the latest road conditions in Colorado, click here.
What to have in your car:
- Spare tire
- Shovel
- Tow and tire chains
- Bag of salt or cat litter
- Tool kit
- Flashlight and batteries
- Reflective triangles
- First-aid kit
- Ice scraper and snow brush
- Non-perishable foods
- Wool mittens
- Socks
- A hat
- Blankets
What to do if you're stranded:
- Don't leave your car unless you know exactly where you are, how far you are from help or you know for certain you will improve your situation
- To attract attention, light two flares and place one at each end of the car a safe distance away
- Hang a bright-colored cloth from your antenna
- If you're sure your exhaust pipe isn't blocked, run the engine and heater for about 10 minutes every hour or so depending on how much gas you have in the tank.
Protecting yourself from frostbite & hypothermia:
- Use woolen items and blankets to keep warm
- Keep one window slightly open (heavy snow and ice can seal a car shut)
- Eat hard candy to keep your mouth moist
Tips courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriff's Office
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