SITUATION REPORT 2006-16f

Colorado.gov

Previous SITREPs posted at: http://dola.colorado.gov/dem/operations/sitreps/sitreps.htm

Press Releases posted at: http://dola.colorado.gov/dem/Press/press_releases.htm

Report Date: 1900 hours, December 29, 2006

Event Type: Blizzard

Situation: Two National Guard teams responding on Hwy 287 to Prowers and Baca Counties. One team tasked with locating a Blue Dodge Pick-up stranded between Springfield and Lamar on Hwy 28 with 4-5 occupants needing transport to shelter. Baca County is requesting National Guard Crews to assist in a search and rescue at approximate location of County Road MM and 17. Request was approved; NG will task a team following the Hwy 287 mission. Windsor Fire Department is Lead and 8 SAR teams are out searching for an overdue motorist, last contact was at 0230 by cell phone. Cell service stated the cell phone was hitting a tower in Windsor. The missing person lives in Platteville.

1,195 head of Canadian import cattle diverted to a feedlot in Greeley with permission of USAD. Monitoring need for livestock feeding and debris (dead livestock) removal.

The SEOC has contingency plans to remain open through noon on December 30th.

Disaster Declarations (for the current blizzard):

State of Colorado
Douglas County
Adams County
Evans
Arapahoe County
Fort Morgan
Arvada (Snow Emergency Declaration)
Holyoke
Aurora
Larimer County
Brighton
Loveland
Clear Creek County
Morgan County
Commerce City
Sterling
Colorado Springs
Teller County

Other declarations are pending signatures

Government Closures (Fri):

State of Colorado (non-essential employees) Greeley (non-essential employees)
Adams County Jefferson County
Arapahoe County Lakewood
Aurora Larimer County
Boulder City/County Park County
Centennial Parker
Douglas County Prowers County
Elbert County Wheat Ridge
Golden

Highway and Road Closures and Restrictions:

US 85 from Ault to Wyoming
US 24 from Colorado Springs to Limon
I-70 both directions from Airpark to Kansas
US 36 from Airpark to Kansas
State Highway 86 from Kiowa to Limon
State Highway 196 from McClave to Bristol
US 160 from Trinidad to Kansas
State Highway 116 from US 287 to Kansas
State Highway 82 from Holly to Lycan
State Highway 109 from La Junta to Kim
US 385 from US 36/Idalia to Sheridan Lake
US 40 from Kit Carson to Kansas
State Highway 59 from Seibert to Cope
State Highway 71 from Ordway to Brush
State Highway 94 from US 40/287 (Aroya) to Colorado Springs
US 40/287/385 from Limon to Oklahoma
State Highway 96 from Arlington to Kansas
US 50 from La Junta to Kansas

Surrounding States Road Closures Near the Colorado State Line:

Wyoming reporting US 85 closed southbound from Cheyenne to Colorado. Northbound is open
Nebraska reporting no road closures
Kansas reporting:
I-70 closed both directions from Oakley to Colorado
Highway 96 closed both directions from Colorado to Tribune
US 36 closed from St. Francis west to Colorado
US 50 closed westbound from Syracuse to Colorado
US 160 closed from Johnson to Colorado

CDOT has cleared the avalanche on Loveland Pass, CDOT assesses avalanche threat in other areas as moderate.

Shelters Open: 25 Shelters available, eight being used with a capacity of 1,300. 282 People are currently being sheltered.

Weather Report: A blizzard warning remains in effect until 6 am MST Sunday for Crowley, Otero, eastern Las Animas, Kiowa, Bent, Prowers, El Paso and Baca counties. A dangerous blizzard will affect the eastern plains today through early Sunday. Total snow accumulations will range between 15 to 30 inches. Blizzard conditions will continue across the plains of southeast Colorado through early Sunday. Visibilities were down to 1/4 of a mile in many locations and winds were gusting to 35 to 50 mph. Reports from the emergency official indicate snow drifts were in excess of 4 to 8 feet across Kiowa and Baca counties. Sustained wind speeds or frequent gusts over 35 mph and visibility reduced to below 1/4 mile by falling and blowing snow are expected.

Denver: Light to moderate snow is expected to redevelop over the Denver urban corridor tonight into Saturday, as a slow moving low pressure system over southern New Mexico moves into the Texas panhandle. The heaviest snowfall is expected to occur east and south of Denver, along the Palmer Divide. Strong northerly winds will also develop late tonight into Saturday.

Stronger winds over the northeast plains will also cause near zero visibilities in blowing and drifting snow. North winds from 15 to 30 mph can be expected with some gusts up to 40 mph. By midday Saturday, stronger gusts to 50 mph are possible. Due to the very slow movement of the storm system, strong winds are expected to continue over the northeastern plains through early Sunday.

There are still uncertainties regarding the duration of the heavy snow west of interstate 25 and whether heavy snow will redevelop near the mountains Saturday night into early Sunday. Because of this a winter storm watch continues Saturday night through Sunday morning for the Front Range foothills and adjacent plains. There is a potential for additional heavy snowfall and strong winds Saturday night into Sunday morning as the storm continues to move slowly northeastward. Additional snowfall accumulations of 4 to 10 inches will be possible along with areas of blowing and drifting snow. A blizzard warning means severe winter weather conditions are occurring or imminent. Sustained wind and/or frequent wind gusts of 35 mph or higher will combine with considerable falling and blowing snow to produce widespread visibilities below one quarter of a mile. Travel will be extremely dangerous and is discouraged in these whiteout conditions.

Agencies Involved: Adams County EOC, American Red Cross, Arapahoe County EOC, ARES/RACES, Arvada OEM, Brighton OEM, Broomfield EOC, Boulder EOC, Castle Rock OEM, Clear Creek EOC, Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Division of Emergency Management, Colorado Division of Fire Safety, Colorado Springs EOC, Colorado State Patrol, Denver EOC, Douglas County EOC, El Paso Count y EOC, Elbert County EOC, Jefferson County EOC, Lakewood OEM, Otero EOC, Salvation Army, Westminster OEM.

Misc. Information: CDOT has a website where they post the up-to-the-minute road conditions. http://www.cotrip.org, the upper left hand field is Travel Information select the 1st entry, “Road Conditions.” This page has a scroll down bar, Select a Report to View, which will give you a more customized report tailored to your Regions.

DEM Communications officer will be monitoring DTRS (800MHz) MAC 1, MAC 5, MAC 9, and MAC 21.

The State is still investigating the possibility of snow emergency public assistance declarations. We are encouraging every jurisdiction to keep track of their costs.