SITUATION REPORT 2006-16i

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: 1300 hours, 30 December 2006

Event Type: Blizzard

Situation: The primary focus of current and future operations is centered on the Southeast Region. These operations primarily involve search and rescue of stranded motorists along multiple highways from Walsenburg south; La Junta east; and Trinidad east. Highways are closed due to heavy and drifting snow. Local resources have limited mobility. CDOT is mobilizing additional snow plows to assist. National Guard mission priorities deals with life safety issues in the region in conjunction with the Colorado State Patrol.

I-25 is temporarily closed due to multiple vehicle crashes at MM 235. This is just north of Denver just inside Weld County.  

The Denver metropolitan area is slowly recovering from the winter storm earlier this week. Commercial fuel and food re-supply is on-going.

The State in considering expanding its current Joint Information System to include a Joint Information Center.

No EOCs are currently activated in the northeast or north central regions.

As the weather in the farm country starts to reside, it is anticipated ranchers will be attempting to feed their livestock which could result in additional personnel being stranded as well as the discovery of livestock that did not survive. If there are large numbers of animal deaths, this could result in some challenges in disposal operations. In this light, the Colorado Department of Agriculture is contacting USDA about the possibility of a disaster declaration through that agency.

Civil Air Patrol and National Guard air assets may be available on Sunday, December 31 st to assist in operations. However that will be dependent upon weather conditions at both their home base and the southeast region.

The radio (800MHz) re-supply mission for the National Guard is being executed.

Current National Guard / Colorado State Patrol Missions

  • County Line Las Animas – stranded trucker on Colorado Road 160
  • Additional truckers / vehicles on Highway 287 near Springfield and Lamar
  • Highway 385 family stranded in Kiowa County
  • Workers stranded at hog farm north of the City of Holly ( Prowers County)
  • Five vehicles stranded near Kit Carson City ( Cheyenne County)
  • Stranded motorists highway 109 near mile marker 58-59
  • Trucker stranded highway 285 near mile marker 55
  • Vehicles broken down along highway 160 between Trinidad and Springfield
  • Stranded motorists north of Springfield on highway 287.
  • Highway 10, mile marker 58 stranded motorists south of La Junta
  • Highway 50, mile marker 460 stranded motorists
  • I-25 from Walsenburg to state line closed possible stranded motorist

Supply Missions

  • Red Cross shelter material being transported from Pueblo to La Junta
  • Baca County MREs
  • Bent County MREs
  • Las Animas County MREs
  • Prowers County MREs
  • Otero County MREs

Accident Alert:

  • Baca County Kiowa County
  • Cheyenne County Kit Carson County
  • Clear Creek County Lake County
  • Crowley County Larimer County
  • Custer County Las Animas County
  • El Paso County Otero County
  • Elbert County Park County
  • Fremont County Prowers County
  • Gilpin County Pueblo County
  • Huerfano County Summit County
  • Jefferson County Teller County

Shelters Open: Twenty-one shelters are open with a current occupancy of 534, with a capacity of approximately 1,600.

The Red Cross is setting up a shelter in Walsenburg (Community Center, 928 Russell Street, 719-738-1910)

Weather Report:

For the Southeast region: Periods of snow with widespread blowing snow. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 29. Blustery, with a north northwest wind between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 6 to 10 inches possible. Tonight: Periods of snow showers. Low around 17. Northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible. Sunday: A 40 percent chance of snow showers, mainly before 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 30. Northwest wind between 10 and 15 mph. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Sunday Night: A 10 percent chance of snow showers before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 7. Wind chill values between zero and 5. West northwest wind around 15 mph.

Agencies Involved: American Red Cross, ARES/RACES, Arvada OEM, Baca County EOC, Civil Air Patrol, Clear Creek EOC, Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Division of Emergency Management, Colorado State Patrol, Elbert County EOC, Otero EOC, Prowers County EOC, Salvation Army,.

Requests for Assistance: Looking for any assistance regarding the availability of snow cats / snow mobiles that could be used to assist in search and rescue operations.

Misc. Info: 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 “Report to View”, which will give you a more customized report tailored to your Regions.

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

WebEOC information: http://www.dem.state.co.us/eoc6/ Incident name Winter Storm Dec 28.

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