Heavy, wet snow blanketing mountains, foothills, and plains forces dozens of districts and three major universities to cancel classes Wednesday.
A powerful late-season snowstorm swept through Colorado on Tuesday night and into Wednesday, dumping as much as 15 to 20 inches of heavy, wet snow across the mountains and foothills — and prompting a wave of school and university closures across the state.
The storm system is expected to continue through Wednesday afternoon, leaving roads slick and snow-covered from the high country down to the Eastern Plains. In the Denver metro area, unplowed neighborhood streets along with bridges and overpasses posed the greatest hazards for morning commuters.
Three of Colorado’s largest school districts — Denver Public Schools, Aurora Public Schools, and Jefferson County Public Schools — announced they would cancel all in-person classes and school-related activities for the day. DPS noted that CHSSA-sanctioned competitions would still proceed as scheduled.
“Due to forecasted heavy wet snowfall and hazardous road conditions, all Poudre School District schools will be closed Wednesday, May 6. This will not be a remote learning day.” — Poudre School District
Poudre School District in Northern Colorado was among the first to announce closures, citing hazardous road conditions. Douglas County, Boulder Valley, Littleton, Thompson, and Greeley-Evans districts followed, along with more than a dozen smaller districts across the Front Range and Eastern Plains.
The snowstorm also disrupted higher education. Colorado State University announced a full campus closure — notable timing given that Friday marks the final day of the spring semester. CSU also closed its iconic Oval early Tuesday evening after heavy snow weighed down tree branches, with barricades placed around the area for safety.
The University of Denver and the University of Colorado Boulder both announced Wednesday closures as well, though CU Boulder noted that relatively few students remain on campus following the conclusion of final exams last week.
Authorities urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel throughout Wednesday and to allow extra time on the roads as crews worked to clear major routes. The storm is forecast to taper off by Wednesday evening, with temperatures expected to rebound later in the week.
