COLORADO, Wyoming and Nebraska are bracing for Storm Xylia as the blizzard has culled travel, downed trees and cut power across the Rocky Mountains. The potentially historic snowstorm is set to strike this weekend in parts of the Rockies and High Plains. The storm – dubbed as Winter Storm Xylia by The Weather Channel – […]
COLORADO, Wyoming and Nebraska are bracing for Storm Xylia as the blizzard has culled travel, downed trees and cut power across the Rocky Mountains.
The potentially historic snowstorm is set to strike this weekend in parts of the Rockies and High Plains.
The storm – dubbed as Winter Storm Xylia by The Weather Channel – could lead to multiple feet of snow in areas of western Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming.
According to the Weather Channel, the looming winter storm comes after parts of Wyoming, Nebraska, the Dakotas and Minnesota experienced snow earlier in the week – with some areas getting 12 inches of snow.
“A gyre of low pressure aloft will carve its way into the Southwest and take its time before it moves out early next week,” the channel explained.
“Slow-moving upper lows like this one are notorious Rockies and High Plains snowstorm generators.”
Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico is expected to be pushed to the High Plains and into the Rockies’ Front Range.
Some areas of the Plains and Mississippi Valley are might see heavy, flooding rain and severe thunderstorms.
And winter storm watches have been issued for areas of southeast Wyoming, the Nebraska Panhandle and northeast Colorado, the Weather Channel reported.
According to Accuweather, Denver, Colorado, could get “one of its biggest snowstorms since 1885.”
“The looming storm threatens to be a long-duration event that could result in snowfall totals nearing 2 feet in Denver and piling as high as 3 feet in places west of Denver, such as Boulder and Fort Collins,” the news outlet wrote.
On Wednesday, the National Weather Service in Cheyenne, Wyoming, took to Twitter to warn about the winter storm.
The tweet read: “Whiteout conditions & hazardous travel will be a major impacts as early as Friday, especially Saturday into Sunday evening.
“We will continue to monitor the forecast & give lead time ahead of this significant event!”
They revealed that the extremely heavy snowfall will result in white-out conditions and low visibility.
Temperatures in areas Wyoming are expected to be below freezing over the weekend.
Meanwhile, airlines announced on Thursday that travel waivers will be issued for Colorado airports prior to the “significant winter storm,” USA Today reported.
As the storm is set to hit, Spirit Airlines “may issue a flexible travel policy” to their guests.
The airline issued a travel advisory and flexible travel policies for March 12, 13, and 14.
