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    • Roads closed, power outages reported
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    Roads closed, power outages reported

    Kathleen William Posted on

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    Residents across New Mexico and Colorado hunkered down Thursday in icy winter conditions that left roads impassable as forecasters predicted the region could see historic amounts of snow.

    Several centimeters of snow was expected at lower elevations. Forecasters said it could be “feet, not inches” in New Mexico's Sangre de Cristo, Jemez and Sandia-Manzano mountains.

    Blizzard warnings, winter weather warnings and advisories were in effect across much of New Mexico and Colorado. The snowstorm is expected to last until Friday evening, the National Weather Service in Albuquerque said.

    About 45,000 people were without power in New Mexico on Thursday. The Public Service Co. of New Mexico said on its website that crews were working quickly to restore power but that widespread and prolonged outages could occur as the storm continued.

    Meteorologists had warned residents of the impending storm for several days and urged them to take preparations, such as: B. Gather emergency supplies, fill up on gas, bring pets into the house, and check on neighbors.

    “When you hear numbers on the news that seem incredibly high for November snowfall amounts, believe them. This is a MAJOR storm,” the weather service in Albuquerque warned Wednesday.

    Lisa Pieniazek, an educational assistant who lives in Sandia Park, New Mexico, about 25 miles outside of Albuquerque, told USA TODAY on Thursday that she had 17 inches of snow on her home and nearby roads were icy and slushy.

    Pieniazek said she was knocking on snow-covered wood, hoping the power would stop. Not far from her, she knows people who have lost power. The power in her house flickered a few times overnight. About 25 miles west, roads were wet but clear of obstructions, and 50 miles east the highway was closed because of accidents and poor visibility, she said.

    “We’re basically in the middle of it all,” said Pieniazek. “It’s a little more than we’ve had lately.”

    Roads are covered with snow and ice because cars are stranded

    According to the weather service in Albuquerque, more than 100 vehicles are stranded on Highways 56, 412 and 87. People were urged to stay off the roads so emergency services could rescue the drivers. Several car accidents were reported on the eastern slopes of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains.

    “Travel is strongly discouraged,” the weather service said.

    Portions of highways in both directions were closed Thursday in the northeast corner of New Mexico as roads were covered in ice and snow, state police said. To worsen travel conditions, dense fog was expected to develop on Thursday evening and Friday evening, meteorologists said.

    Several feet of snow is also possible in parts of Colorado

    In Colorado, forecasters said multiple waves of snow would fall across the region by Saturday morning. The heavy snowfall could cause trees and power lines to fall, as well as disruption to agriculture, the weather service in Pueblo said.

    “Very heavy snow” is expected along the southern I-25 corridor on both Thursday and Friday. Huerfano and Las Animas counties could see 3 to 4 feet of snow, which could rival snowfalls there in October and November.

    At its heaviest, snowfall may fall at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour and possibly up to 3 inches per hour. Visibility will drop to or below a quarter mile, the weather service said.

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    Kathleen William
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