In a bid to maintain accessibility along Interstate 70, trucks will be prohibited from traveling on a section extending from Eagle/Vail to Morrison until noon on March 15.

Colorado experienced widespread power outages as officials took the precaution of closing highways and schools amid a severe winter storm battering the Denver region.

The storm in Colorado resulted in the closure of a segment of I-70, the primary highway running east-west across the state’s mountainous terrain, for most of March 14. This closure left numerous drivers stranded for hours, primarily due to trucks becoming stuck in the snow, obstructing traffic flow, according to authorities.

Numerous routes could encounter blockages or experience delays due to accidents, vehicles getting stuck, and various other issues.

The storm that commenced on March 13 brought the typical slushy and wet snow characteristic of March, a month known for heavy snowfall in Denver. The most substantial accumulations were anticipated in Colorado’s Front Range area, where the Rocky Mountains meet the eastern plains, housing the majority of the state’s population. The bulk of the snowfall was concentrated in the foothills west of Denver.

By March 14, the higher elevations had received up to 3 feet of snow, with forecasts suggesting an additional foot by the following morning. Denver itself accumulated around 9 inches of snow by March 14, with expectations of another 3 to 7 inches by the next morning.

Truck stuck in Colorado due snowstorm

While beneficial for Colorado’s ski industry, the severe weather led to the closure of several ski resorts. Additionally, numerous schools and government offices were shut down on Thursday, with Denver-area schools preemptively closing for the following day.

Late on March 14, more than 18,800 customers experienced power outages across Colorado, primarily in the metropolitan Denver area and along the Front Range, according to poweroutage.us.

Denver International Airport remained operational, but 830 flights were canceled on March 14, with nearly 440 more delayed, as reported by Flightaware.com.