Civil Emergency Declared Overnight In Summit County As Snowstorm Pounds Colorado Mountains
FRISCO, Colo. (CBS4) - Relentless snow and wind pounded Summit County and the Interstate 70 mountain corridor late Thursday, prompting officials to issue a civil emergency for the area. That is an alert sent via the National Weather Service to alert travelers of widespread extended road closures and that a warming center was available at the recreation center In Silverthorne.
Parking lots were full at most businesses along I-70 with stranded travelers that couldn't find overnight lodging. Some truck drivers were sitting on roads adjacent to the highway in hopes of being first in line when the interstate reopens.
PHOTO GALLERY: Snow Day In Colorado: Feb. 7, 2020
The Silverthorne Recreation Center is still open as a warming shelter and evacuation site. The Red Cross is still on-site to assist. https://t.co/o2tqTmMerZ
— cowyredcross (@COWYRedCross) February 7, 2020
The American Red Cross opened a shelter in the early morning hours Friday to accommodate I-70 travelers stranded in Silverthorne. The shelter is located at the Silverthorne Recreation Center on Rainbow Drive.
I-70 mountain conditions remain extreme—see this video just taken at the Eisenhower Tunnel. Expect long delays and closures as crews work to restore roads to safe condition. pic.twitter.com/tWsJQFvtza
— Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) (@ColoradoDOT) February 7, 2020
There is no estimate as to when travel will resume because of the long duration of the storm and the need for CDOT to perform avalanche mitigation on both sides of the Eisenhower-Johnson tunnels.
715am ... latest on EB closure of I-70 at Silverthorne from Meteorologist Chris Spears. https://cbsloc.al/2vc0BrF
Posted by CBS Denver on Friday, February 7, 2020
Several snow slides were reported just after midnight on the west side of the tunnels.
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