How much snow fell so far along Colorado’s Front Range and other impacts

People along the Front Range are digging themselves out Friday following one of the biggest snowstorms the state has seen in recent years. 

So how much snow has the state seen thus far? 

Downtown Denver saw between 6 inches and a foot of snow over the last 48 hours, while Denver International Airport reported just over 2 inches of snow. The suburbs further west are looking at a little more than a foot.

In Lakewood, resident Loren Havener said the snow is tough on his 80-year-old back. But he was still getting ready to fire up the snowblower Thursday to help his neighbors clear their driveways.

“Some of them can't get out, so as long as I can get out, I'm willing to do it,” he said.

Across the street, 12-year-olds Malachi and Weston explored the snowy streets.

“We helped out a car get unstuck from over there,” they said. “We dug it out."

Meanwhile, further south along the Front Range, places like Castle Rock, Larkspur and Monument have seen between 1 and 2 feet of snow since Thursday. 

So far, totals in Colorado Springs looked less consistent, with some parts of the city getting a few inches and other areas looking at more than a foot. But more than 10 inches of snow fell at the Colorado Springs Airport, the biggest snowfall the airport has seen in a single day since March 18, 1998, according to the National Weather Service.

Pueblo and places further east saw a few inches of snow, but not nearly as much as parts of the state further north and west.

Drivers should expect difficult travel conditions Friday morning with some road closures. Check your route before you go. The state transportation department is encouraging people to stay home.

Snow plow crews work to clear the ride share parking lots at the Morrison exit on I-70. CDOT has closed the interstate into the mountains, as heavy wet snow continues to fall on Thursday, March 14, 2024, along Colorado's Front Range.

Snow plow crews work to clear the ride share parking lots at the Morrison exit on I-70. CDOT has closed the interstate into the mountains, as heavy wet snow continues to fall on Thursday, March 14, 2024, along Colorado's Front Range.

The intersection at Pikes Peak and Tejon in downtown Colorado Springs as a winter storm hits the region.

Snow plow crews work to clear the ride share parking lots at the Morrison exit on I-70. CDOT has closed the interstate into the mountains, as heavy wet snow continues to fall on Thursday, March 14, 2024, along Colorado's Front Range.

Heavy wet snow along the Front Range of Colorado on Thursday, March 14, 2024, took a toll on trees including here along Washington Avenue in Golden.

CDOT snow plows at the Kim & Go fuel stop near Interstate 70 at the Morrison exit on Thursday, March 14, 2024. A winter snow storm moved through portions of the Front Range, forcing many schools and businesses to close.

A winter snow storm moved through portions of the Front Range, forcing many roads, schools and businesses to close on March 124, 2024, including Interstate 70, and Colorado 119.

Traffic moves along Interstate 70 near Ward Road/Exit 266 on Thursday, March 14, 2024, as overhead signs warn motorists that the highway is closed westbound at Morrison. A winter snow storm moved through portions of the Front Range, forcing many schools and businesses to close.

A mountain of heavy wet snow piled up by plows along Washington Avenue in Golden as a major storm moved along the Front Range of Colorado on Thursday, March 14, 2024.

A State Trooper works to help free a motorist pulling a trailer, and trucks backed up on I-70 at the Morrison Exit where CDOT has closed the road into the mountains.

Signs on I-70 near Ward Road warn travelers the highway is closed going into the mountains west of Denver. March 14, 2024.

Shelter from the storm: A patron at Windy Saddle on Washington Avenue in Golden, Thursday, March 14, 2024, as snow piles up outside.

The Front Range will have a cloudy day Friday with light flurries through the afternoon. Temperatures are expected to increase to the 30s and 40s this weekend. Next week, Front Range temperatures are expected to be in the 50s and 60s.

Some closures and delays linger across the state

Eldora ski area remained closed on Friday. Workers mitigated avalanche conditions and prepared roads, parking lots, lifts, and slopes Friday morning, according to its website. Echo Mountain also remained closed on Friday and said workers had a lot of snow removal ahead. 

“Our friends at CDOT and Clear Creek County have their hands full with these road conditions and we do not want to add hundreds of cars to the road by rushing to open,” the ski area said on its website. “We also have several hours of work to do on our side before we can open our gates to the public.”

Loveland and Arapahoe Basin ski areas reopened Friday after being closed Thursday.  

Some of these ski areas reported at least a foot and a half of snow over the last few days.

Interstate 70 through the mountains was opened Friday but CDOT warned of icy and snowpacked roads. 

On Friday, Denver International Airport had so far canceled 22 flights and had more than 250 delays. The Colorado Springs airport canceled 2 flights and had 20 delays.

In Metro Denver, about 9,000 people were without power, according to Xcel Energy’s website Friday morning. The company said more than 300 crew members were working to restore power but heavy, wet snow and downed lines made it difficult.