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Live Blog: Monday's blizzard leading to multiple road closures across Colorado

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Storm Summary
A powerful and potent January blizzard will bring wide-ranging impacts to Colorado on Monday. The storm's center of circulation is strengthening over the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma this morning, and will be moving through Oklahoma and Kansas later today. Local impacts will vary based on location, with the brunt of the storm expected to impact the eastern Plains, southern I-25 corridor and southeastern mountains.

Accumulations will vary region-wide, with of the snow coming to an end in the Pikes Peak Region between noon and 2 pm. Here locally, totals may range from 2-4" in Teller County and near the Palmer Divide to no accumulations from downtown Springs south towards Pueblo. On the eastern Plains, snow will continue most of the day, with 8-14" of snow possible in parts of Las Animas, Prowers and Baca counties.

Travel will be difficult in some areas throughout the day, with intermittent closures expected at times on the eastern Plains. Stay tuned to this weather blog for updates throughout the day.

9:30 p.m.
In a Facebook post, the Baca County Office of Emergency Management said that emergency crews have been working all day to get stranded people of the roads. At this time, ALL roads are closed and they say to stay home, or stop at a shelter immediately.

3:30 p.m.

The top wind gust reported today was near Campo, CO at 80 mph.

Other notable gusts:

News 5 viewer James Farmer shows the blizzard conditions in Lamar today:

News 5 viewer Brian Lackey shows wind damage to a gas station in the Security-Widefield area of Colorado Springs.

Gas station will roof damage due to high winds

Wind damages gas station in El Paso County

3:10 p.m.
Eastbound I-70 is now closed in both directions from MM 292 to MM449, from three miles west of Watkins to the Kansas border.

Westbound I-70 is now closed from MM361 to MM449, from one mile east of Limon to the Kansas border.

11:25 a.m.
With 40-60 mph wind gusts in place this morning, wind chill values are down in the single digits and teens, even below zero in some areas.

Wind Chills
Southern Colorado wind chill temps, as of 11:30 am

11:05 a.m.
U.S. Highway 287 is currently closed from MM 0 to MM 75, the Oklahoma border to Lamar.

US 287 Closure
US Highway 287 is currently closed between the Oklahoma state line and Lamar

10:57 a.m.
I-25 is now closed in both directions from MM 0 to MM 11 in Las Animas County, at the Raton Pass.

I-25 Closure
I-25 is closed in Las Animas County between MM 0 and MM 11

Monday morning, areas of the eastern plains saw heavy snow, and schools either delayed or closed in our area.

Snow and wind impact Colorado Monday

Track this storm through the morning, including snow totals and updated forecasts, on the First Alert 5 Weather stream, which can be viewed on the KOAA News5 app for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV or AndroidTV.

(this is a game time decision on where it belongs in the blog, if at all. Please do not place at very top of story)

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