Storm Kills 3, Knocks Out Power to 2.7M

Denver could see historic snowfall

(NEWSER) - Heavy snowfall in Colorado has shut down sections of I-70 and I-25 amid a number of accidents, as snow piled up at two inches per hour on the Eastern Plains. An area near Denver has already seen a foot and a half of snow, and another foot is likely in some regions, experts tell the AP . Northeastern Colorado is facing a blizzard warning through tomorrow, with possible 30mph winds likely halting travel. More»

City could see three times its average annual snowfall

(NEWSER) - A major snowstorm is expected to hit Seattle tonight, dumping as much as a foot by tomorrow evening. And it looks like things will get worse: Weather.com is predicting up to 18 inches in parts of the Seattle area within 48 hours; MSNBC notes that is three times the city's average annual snowfall of 5.9 inches. Other sections of Washington could see even more—and as much as 3.5 feet could hit the Cascades. In Portland, where the average annual snowfall is 2.4 inches, up to 8 inches of snow are expected. More»

Flights delayed, motorists stranded

(AP) - Heavy snow from a winter storm blanketed parts of the West today, stranding motorists throughout New Mexico and delaying holiday travelers trying to fly in and out of Albuquerque and Denver. The snow and high winds struck the region yesterday and forced dozens of drivers off Interstate 40 after severe conditions made driving in western New Mexico nearly impossible. Parts of western New Mexico were slammed with more than a foot of snow by this morning, and some parts of the state saw 17 inches of snow as state and local police responded to dozens of minor accidents. More»

Some residents evacuating Nome

(NEWSER) - Roofs are being ripped off and residents are seeking higher ground today as Alaska’s western coast is pummeled by a storm the likes of which hasn't been seen since 1974. In Nome, which is bearing the brunt of the severe weather, water is pooling at the base of buildings, one meteorologist tells the AP . Last night saw blizzard conditions with wind gusts up to 80mph; surging waves are also being reported, and a sea level rise of up to seven feet could cause more severe flooding later today. More»

Lake Shore Drive closed, 24-foot swells on Lake Michigan...

(NEWSER) - One-third of the country is covered in snow , but the storm hammering Chicago is especially intense. What they’re dealing with, courtesy of the Tribune , Sun-Times , and the San Francisco Chronicle :

• Hundreds of motorists and bus riders were stranded last night and early this morning on Lake Shore Drive due to snow, ice, and whiteout conditions; while many were rescued after five hours or so, some reported being trapped for as many as nine hours. The Drive was completely closed around 7:50pm, as officials tried to clear abandoned vehicles from the paths of plows, buses, and salt trucks.
• Though official reports claim drivers were urged to stay in their cars, “Lake Shore Drive” quickly became a trending topic on Twitter as users tweeted that people were being told to leave their cars in order to avoid danger from Lake Michigan’s 24-foot swells.