 SALIDA,
Colo. (Reuters) - A spring storm dumped more than 3 feet of snow in central Colorado's
Arkansas Valley -- an unusual amount there at any time of year -- and more was
on the way on Saturday, local officials said.
``It shut down everything
here as far as government and private businesses,'' said Trooper Sam Trujillo
of the Colorado State Patrol.
The storm poured between 35 and 41 inches
of snow across Chaffee and Park counties, 130 miles southwest of Denver. A storm
warning remained in effect Saturday.
Many roads were closed but there were
no major power outages, Trujillo said.
The Arkansas Valley, about 25 miles
long, usually sees average snowfalls of up to 10 inches in the winter. People
were staying indoors as crews cleared roads across the county, according to the
state trooper.
``They're used to it but they're not used to this amount,''
Trujillo said. ``If it's a regular snowfall -- 6 to 10 inches -- they can handle
it. But when it snows and snows and snows the equipment just isn't there to handle
it.''
The storm was part of a slow-moving system that has been hanging
over south-central Colorado for days, said Bernie Rayno, a senior meteorologist
for AccuWeather.
``It's pretty much been sitting out there so that's certainly
one aspect of it,'' he said.
The storm was moving Saturday toward the Plains
states, where it was likely to bring heavy rains and other severe weather into
Texas, he said.
|
