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PrintWintry weather across the Western Plains that dumped as much as two feet of snow on parts of Colorado and slowed holiday travel in surrounding states was expected to continue causing disruptions for air travelers heading west today.
For mid-Missourians traveling west by car, meanwhile, the conditions are expected to continue improving into the holiday weekend.
Officials with the Colorado and Kansas departments of transportation said they expected to see improvements on Interstate 70 and other highways this morning. Nevertheless, conditions are less than optimal.
“The interstates are wet and slushy,“ said Stacey Stegman, a Colorado Transportation Department spokeswoman. “The problem areas are the on and off ramps and less-traveled highways.”
Interstate 70 remained closed Thursday from Salina, Kan., to Denver, but Stegman predicted the state’s interstate highways would be open by noon today.
“That doesn’t mean they’ll be clear though,” she said. “Someone just called and said that I-25 looks like Siberia. We’ll need a few more days to get it clear.”
Kristen Brands, public affairs manager for the Kansas Department of Transportation, said conditions were not as bad in Kansas. The state closed part of I-70 to prevent travelers from becoming stranded near the Kansas-Colorado border and plan to reopen it after officials received the go-ahead from Colorado.
Stan Whitley, also of Kansas Transportation Department, urged caution for westbound travelers.
“Travel is very difficult if you’re going to be going westbound on I-70,” he said. “If you don’t have to go, you shouldn’t until conditions improve.”
Those who choose to make the trip should carry plenty of food, blankets and flashlights, Brands said.
The bad weather also snarled westbound air traffic and is expected to continue causing disruptions. Denver International Airport is expected to remain closed until noon today, with only limited operations to follow.
Keith Bernhardt, a travel consultant with Summit Travel in Columbia, said holiday travelers are going to need patience and a flexible schedule when dealing with airlines.
“They’re ... refunding tickets and letting people reschedule without penalty due to the weather,” Bernhardt said.
At Kansas City International Airport, 14 departures and 16 arrivals had to be canceled Thursday due to the weather disruptions, said Joe McBride, a spokesman for the airport.
He suggested passengers make arrangements with their airlines over the phone or online.
“We had some lines at Frontier, United and Southwest,“ he said. “If they’re flying through Denver, there will be ripple effects.”
There were also cancellations at Lambert St. Louis Airport. Shirley Walls, a spokeswoman for the airport, said most passengers unable to fly made arrangements to stay at hotels. “I haven’t seen any stranded travelers here,” she said.
Airline representatives urged passengers to watch the weather and plan ahead.
“Patience is key for everyone involved,” said Morgan Durrant, a U.S. Airways spokesman. “Check with your airline 24 hours ahead of your flight and continue to monitor the weather.”
Passengers traveling by air should contact their airlines. For information on road conditions in Colorado, call 303-639-1111 or go to cotrip.org. For conditions in Kansas, call 866-511-5368 or go to 511.ksdot.org.
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