West Battered by Snowstorm; Schools Closed

A powerful storm dropped up to 30 inches inches of snow Thursday on the mountains of the West, creating blizzard conditions that closed schools and snarled traffic.

Heavy snow blew across Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, and rain, snow and lightning drove eastward into Nebraska and the Dakotas. Kansas had winds gusting to 82 m.p.h. during the night, National Weather Service officials reported.

Snow also fell over eastern Idaho, northern Utah and northwestern Nevada. Since late Wednesday, the Utah ski resort of Snowbird had received 30 inches of snow.

“This is a dangerous late winter storm and people should be prepared for wet snow and areas of blowing and drifting snow,” the weather service in Wyoming said.

Fifteen inches of snow fell overnight in the northern Wyoming community of Story and 8 inches fell at Burgess Junction. Sheridan and Big Horn received 5 inches. Forecasters said another 1 1/2 feet of snow was possible by today in Wyoming’s northern mountains.

High wind driving heavy, wet snow created blizzard conditions in Montana. Schools were closed at Fairfield, Heart Butte and Conrad in the north-central part of the state because electrical power was knocked out.

In Colorado, Denver’s Stapleton International Airport reported flight delays of up to 30 minutes because of reduced visibility during the morning. Denver received 4 inches of snow, while up to a foot of snow was expected in the state’s northern and central mountains.