Raging blizzard hits Denver

DENVER, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- After weeks of unseasonably mild and dry weather, Denver was slammed with a blast of winter weather, meteorologists said.

Blizzard conditions Friday night closed roads and highways, including a section of I-70 from Denver to Kansas City. Accuweather.com reports blinding snow and slippery conditions have also affected other major highways. Up to 5 feet of snow has been reported in parts of Colorado.

More than 600 flights were canceled at Denver International Airport.

Residents heeded a travel advisory that said it would be "extremely dangerous, if not impossible," to venture outside their homes. The light traffic allowed snowplows to keep ahead of the accumulating heaps on the highway.

Soctt Entrekin, spokesman for the National Weather Service, told The Denver Post: "Usually the first part of February is quite dry. Four or five days ago, this storm didn't even seem a possibility."

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said he was pleased with the execution of the plan to clear the streets and artery roads whenever the city gets more than 12 inches of snow.