Polis Ahead Of Storm: 'Stay Safe, Use Common Sense'

DENVER, CO — With a Winter Storm Warning in effect for much of the weekend in Denver, its western suburbs and out to Castle Rock, Boulder, Greeley and Ft. Collins, Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday urged Coloradans to stay home, if possible, and use extreme caution if they must venture out.

"Stay safe, use common sense, if it starts to snow, it's probably going to continue," Polis said at a news conference. "We're activating the National Guard for search and rescue, but you don't want to be one of those who is searched for and rescued."

Polis appeared at the virtual news conference with representatives from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Colorado State Police, who said their agencies already were well into the planning stages for a storm that is predicted to bring between 14 to 24 inches in some areas, with accumulations of 30 inches possible near Boulder and Ft. Collins.

The message from all parties was simple: stay home if you can, and if you must be on the roads, make sure your car is equipped for the conditions and that you have extra clothes, blankets and a working cellphone in case you get stranded.

"We'll do our best to get (to stranded motorists) as quickly as possible, but you should try to stay off the roads and stay home," Chief Matthew Packard of the Colorado State Patrol said. "Colorado weather can change in an instant, so slow and cautious (driving) will be prudent."

John Lorme, director of maintenance and operations for CDOT recalled how some motorists failed to heed advice to stay off the roads when the Bomb Cyclone hit Colorado in March 2019. A few hundred drivers on Interstate 25 south of Denver ended up getting stranded and having to spend the night in emergency shelters.

Polis said the weekend is not supposed to bring brutally cold weather -with temperatures in the 20s and 30s predicted - perhaps a silver lining. He also said most trees do not yet have their foliage, which would make them more vulnerable to breaking under the weight of heavy snow.

However, the governor said downed power lines always are a possibility during a storm, and major utility providers are prepared to work in neighborhoods to restore power. Polis said there are no risks of power failures at a "systemic level" like Texas experienced a few weeks ago.

Polis has asked those scheduled to receive COVID-19 vaccines over the weekend to check if their appointments have been canceled, and to reschedule if they have.

"If they have been canceled, don't panic, the vaccines are still there and the appointment will be rescheduled quickly," Polis said.

Polis said the state is not expecting the weather to impact shipments of the vaccine. The state already has received this week's shipments, and the governor is expecting scheduled shipments on Monday and Tuesday to arrive as planned.

Find detailed forecasts at the National Weather Service and National Weather Service's Snowfall Probabilities Page. COtrip.org has CDOT road information.