Colorado’s first major winter storm of the season drops nearly 3 feet of snow

Colorado’s first major snowstorm of the season brought much of the Front Range and Eastern Plains to a standstill on Friday as it dumped nearly three feet of snow in some areas and closed government offices, schools and major highways.

Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency for the storm, authorized the Colorado National Guard to respond and assist those affected by the storm, and activated the state Emergency Operations Center.

Southern Colorado, the eastern plains and mountains received the most snowfall Friday, with at least 35 inches in Cuchara; 28 inches in Rye and Genoa; and 22 inches in Pinecliffe.

Weather officials reported 9 inches of snow in Denver, 13 inches in Aurora and 15 inches in Highlands Ranch and Lakewood Friday morning.

Sustained subfreezing temperatures contributed to a devastating house fire in Lakewood Friday morning, which was started around 5 a.m. by a space heater that was set up to prevent pipes from freezing.

The fire destroyed a residence near Ammons Street and West 12th Avenue, killing two cats and displacing four people, according to West Metro Fire Rescue.

Aside from the Lakewood fire, the storm’s impacts were largely limited to major traffic disruptions caused by road closures across Colorado. Law enforcement reported no significant accidents and Xcel Energy reported no widespread power outages as of late Friday.

That was the goal when Colorado Department of Transportation officials banned commercial vehicles and all trailers from most highways and interstates Friday evening and Saturday morning, agency officials said in a news release.

Semi-trucks and other large vehicles were prohibited on the sections of Interstate 70, Interstate 25, US 285, US 40 over Berthoud Pass and US 6 through Clear Creek Canyon and over Loveland Pass until 8 a.m. Saturday.