Heavy snow causes chaos in Colorado

5th March 2013, by Abi Butcher

More than 50 cars were involved in pile-ups near Vail yesterday afternoon

Heavy snow storms in Colorado have caused travel chaos and left the state on “considerable” avalanche alert. In the past 24 hours, Breckenridge reported 9in (23cm) of new snow, Steamboat 13.5in (34cm) and Loveland 12in (31cm).

A stretch of the Interstate 70 in the Colorado mountains was closed yesterday after heavy snow and wind caused accidents involving more than 50 vehicles near Vail.

The adverse conditions temporarily closed westbound I-70 from Georgetown to Silverthorne, eastbound I-70 from Frisco to Silverthorne, and eastbound I-70 at Vail Pass. Westbound I-70 also was closed briefly at Floyd Hill because of accidents.

One skier died at the weekend and another was critically injured after setting off an avalanche on Saturday on the western side of Cameron Pass, about 135 miles northwest of Denver. Both skiers were wearing avalanche transceivers, and this was the fourth avalanche fatality in Colorado this season.

Colorado historically receives the heaviest snowfall in March, and the Colorado Avalanche Information Centre has issued level 3 warnings (considerable) across most of the state, saying that the recent sunshine across Colorado, followed by snow, has complicated conditions.

• snow
• colorado
• avalanche

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