A powerful snowstorm is wreaking havoc in the Colorado mountains, unleashing heavy snowfall and gusty winds. The National Weather Service in Boulder has issued warnings of treacherous road conditions and the possibility of up to 18 inches of snow accumulation.

Forecasters have predicted winds reaching up to 75 mph in certain elevated areas, creating dangerous travel conditions due to blowing snow. The adverse weather conditions have prompted the closure of U.S. 6 at Loveland Pass between Interstate 70 and Montezuma Road, as reported by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) around 9 a.m.

Earlier this morning, closures were put in place on Interstate 70 eastbound in Silverthorne and Vail. CDOT announced that the closures were lifted after the strong winter storm subsided. However, the westbound lanes in Vail remained closed for a brief period due to a crash, but were reopened around 7:30 a.m. Similarly, the eastbound lanes in Silverthorne were temporarily closed for snow removal operations but reopened at 7:50 a.m., according to CDOT updates.

The National Weather Service warns that the snowy conditions will persist throughout the day and into Saturday morning. Following this snowstorm, another is expected to sweep through on Saturday night and Sunday, potentially bringing up to two feet of additional snowfall to the north and central mountains.

Residents and travelers in the affected areas are advised to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary travel. The extremely cold air mass moving across the plains is expected to persist until Tuesday.