Roads are becoming "sheets of ice"

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- As conditions rapidly deteriorate through the afternoon, Chief Meteorologist Terry Gerbstadt says things are still getting cranked up.

Heavy snow bands blanket the metro Colorado Springs area, and what began as rain in Pueblo is now starting to change to a mix before eventually becoming snow.

Officially, we remain in a Blizzard Warning across all of Eastern Colorado and a Winter Storm Warning for the higher elevations west of the Front Range. A blizzard is defined as winds in excess of 35 mph for a sustained period of time, and visibilities reduced to one-quarter of a mile or less due to blowing snow.

Here are Terry's predictions of expected snowfall amounts, based on the latest computer forecast model information:
Colorado Springs & Pueblo: 5-10 inches
Monument Hill: 10-20 inches
Wet Mountains / Southeastern Plains: 10-20 inches, with isolated amounts near 2 feet in spots with drifts.

Snow should stick around through the early morning hours of Friday, gradually tapering off from northwest to southeast.

Travel is HIGHLY discouraged this afternoon and evening.