Historic snowstorm in Lincoln County strands motorists

LINCOLN County, Colo. – “Historic” snowfall continues to lash Elbert and Lincoln Counties Thursday, as forecasters warn that up to three feet of total accumulations are possible by the time the winter storm loosens its grip Saturday afternoon.

“There is about 8 to 9 inches of snow on the ground right now and another 13 to 21 on the way,” Capt. Michael Yowell of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office told Denver7. “In some areas of Lincoln County, we have road and bridge crews with heavy equipment dealing with 8- to 10-foot snow drifts.”

Yowell said Thursday that the biggest concern is motorists driving on closed roads or “using various apps to navigate their way around a mess.”

“We have stranded motorists across the country, and we are trying to convince them to save gas and take precautions, survival kits and things like that while driving,” he added.

During a Thursday briefing, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder said Elbert and Lincoln counties were the “epicenter” of this winter blast.

Lincoln County is definitely going to be hit hard,” said Greg Heavener, NWS warning coordination meteorologist. “Parts of Lincoln County could easily exceed three feet of snow.”

A winter storm warning is in effect until Saturday As weather forecasters warn, conditions will continue to deteriorate. “Do not travel or expect to travel in these locations through at least Saturday as heavy snow will continue long after this storm. If you live in rural areas of eastern Douglas, Elbert, Lincoln or southern Washington County be prepared to be stranded for several days’ NWS forecasters wrote.

Today’s forecast

Colorado snow forecast: Up to 4 inches possible in Denver starting Friday

Both directions of I-70 were already closed Thursday between just east of Denver and all the way to the Kansas border. The Colorado State Patrol told Denver7 that troopers responded to calls to assist stranded motorists between Watkins and Limon along I-70.

Law enforcement agencies in Lincoln County have added a dire warning to motorists trying to navigate deteriorating road conditions. “Our resources have reached the point where we are no longer able to adequately respond to everyone’s emergency,” Yowell said.

He added that additional resources helped respond to the winter storm, including CDOT, firefighters and other law enforcement “trying to conduct search and rescue operations to get people to warming shelters.”

He said emergency services responded to reports of about a dozen people stranded Thursday afternoon. “But the problem is that some of these apps that they use take them so far off the beaten path that we can’t reach them anymore, and it’s a real problem that we have to deal with. now,” Yowell said.

When asked how many other motorists could be stranded in Lincoln County, Sheriff Tom Nestor told Denver7, “That’s what we’re afraid of, we don’t know.”

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office

He said the 10 to 12 people who have already been helped have been located because “they are the ones who have cell service.”

‘We find people on provincial roads who have no business being there because they are so far from the highway. So we don’t know who we’re missing because some of these drifts on these county roads are 8 to 10 feet deep,” Nestor said.

Denver7 again

Colorado weather blog: I-70 closed just past the Denver-Kansas border

In a further warning to drivers, Sheriff Nestor said fire and ambulance crews with four-wheel drive vehicles are getting stuck as first responders turn to heavy machinery, including tractor loaders, to get to drivers.

“I haven’t seen a storm like this in many, many years,” he said. “I’ve been with the sheriff’s office for 36 years and we’re struggling to make ends meet. We just can’t get people out.”

CDOT

The message to anyone looking to hit the roads in Lincoln and Elbert counties hit hard by this winter storm is to stay home.

“I haven’t seen a storm like this in a long time. I don’t know how to leave people stranded. I don’t know how we’re going to get people to hospitals. This one worries me,” said Sheriff Nestor. “We hope to get through this without anyone getting hurt or killed. But I’m not going to hold my breath now, this is dangerous.”

• Watch Denver7’s full briefing from Lincoln County officials in the video player below.

‘This is dangerous’: Motorists standing in Lincoln County’s historic snowstorm