Connect with us

Denver, CO

Heavy, wet snow brings much of Denver, foothills to a standstill. Unless you had a shovel. Or a sled.

Published

on

Heavy, wet snow brings much of Denver, foothills to a standstill. Unless you had a shovel. Or a sled.


After lulling Coloradans into visions of an early spring, the month of March worked hard Thursday to live up to its reputation as the state’s snowiest, dumping a foot and more of snow in the foothills and across metro Denver and closing schools, local government offices, businesses and roads.

Warmer, sunnier weather at the start of the week slid into cooler, stormier conditions. Starting Wednesday evening, rain and winds hit the mountains, turning into wet, heavy snow that then rolled across the Denver area. More than 2 feet of snow fell at higher elevations, reaching 36 inches in Conifer, nearly 24 inches in Golden and 9 inches in Denver.

Although the snow lightened throughout the day in many places, forecasters and state highway officials said the storm wasn’t over. National Weather Service meteorologist Russell Danielson in Boulder said 4 to 8 more inches could fall by Friday morning and the slightly above-freezing temperatures will drop, transforming slushy roads to icy ones.

The brunt of the storm was expected to ease by morning, the weather service said.

Advertisement

School districts throughout metro Denver and northern Colorado canceled classes Thursday and some, including Denver Public Schools and the Douglas County School District, also canceled Friday classes.

Government offices from Boulder to Colorado Springs were closed due to snow. The Colorado General Assembly took a snow day, too.

In some cases, people who showed up to work got to leave early. Michelle Swaisgood was waiting outside her workplace, Athletic Lettering in Arvada, for her husband to pick her up. The business, which customizes letter jackets and other sports team apparel, closed before noon because of a power outage.

Swaisgood thought she would spend the rest of the snowy, work-free afternoon watching movies. “We already have our shoveling done because we are early rising people.”

The storm caused hundreds of scattered power outages across metro Denver as of Thursday evening, affecting a total of close to 82,000 customers stretching from Boulder to Castle Rock and from Aurora to Clear Creek County near Georgetown. Xcel Energy, the state’s largest electric utility, said nearly 345 crew members were working to restore power.

Advertisement

Operations were normal at Denver International Airport, where only about an inch had fallen by  Thursday afternoon. However, more than 800 flights were canceled and another 245 were delayed, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. Airport spokeswoman Stephanie Figueroa said nearly all the cancellations were made preemptively Wednesday evening.

Travel by ground remained hazardous in spots throughout Thursday. The Colorado Department of Transportation issued a travel alert around 12:35 p.m., asking travelers to be prepared for highway closures and extended delays and to have food, water, blankets and other items in their vehicles.

Jereme Koehler works to clear the walkways in front of his home early in the morning before starting work as a major snowstorm dumps snow in Lakewood on March 14, 2024. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)

Interstate 70 was closed between Denver and Silverthorne for part of Thursday. It was reopened to passenger vehicles in the afternoon but the eastbound lanes were closed again by evening after multiple accidents and slide-offs. The highway was to remain closed to commercial vehicles between Eagle/Vail and Morrison until noon Friday, CDOT said.

Interstate 25 over Monument Hill will likely be closed due to safety concerns through Thursday evening, according to CDOT.

A pedestrian makes their way across West Colfax Ave. as a major snowstorm dumps snow in Lakewood on March 14, 2024. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)
A pedestrian makes their way across West Colfax Ave. as a major snowstorm dumps snow in Lakewood on March 14, 2024. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)

Despite city officials’ repeated urgings in the leadup to the storm to stay off the roads, spots were at a premium Thursday afternoon in the upper parking lot at Ruby Hill Park in west Denver. By 2 p.m., upwards of 100 people, ranging from young children towing sleds to 20-somethings strapping on ski and snowboarding boots, were swarming the spot known for its sledding hill and Ruby Hill Rail Yard skiing and snowboarding areas.

“When I-70 is closed there are only so many places you can go,” said Lane Parker as she stood at the top of the sledding hill alongside her sister-in-law Autumn Gardner.

Advertisement

While activity was humming at Ruby Hill, traffic was light on South Broadway in Denver’s Baker neighborhood. Several businesses along the usually busy thoroughfare had “Closed” signs on their doors.

Benicio Barela, 6, goes sledding at Ruby Hill Park in Denver on Thursday, March 14, 2024. A major snowstorm arrived overnight Wednesday and has already dropped more than 2 feet of snow in some areas of the Front Range foothills. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Benicio Barela, 6, goes sledding at Ruby Hill Park in Denver on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

But coffee shops and restaurants on Broadway still attracted clientele. Ten minutes after opening, Postino Broadway had already seated two tables. At Snooze, a breakfast and brunch restaurant, eight tables were occupied and there was a slight wait at the host stand.

Those looking to enjoy the snow on the slopes had fewer choices Thursday. Eldora, Loveland, Arapahoe Basin and Echo Mountain ski areas announced closures for the day. Eldora reported 30 inches of snow overnight and snow slides on its access road, according to the ski area’s website.

People were advised to scratch any plans for camping Friday in Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Colorado Parks and Wildlife said on the social media platform X that the area west of Golden had gotten 36 inches of snow by Thursday morning.

“We won’t be dug out by tomorrow,” the CPW post said.

The arts also got snowed out. The Denver Art Museum was closed Thursday. All shows at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts were canceled. Cirque du Soleil’s show “Crystal” at Ball Arena was called off Thursday.

Advertisement
A worker with a snow shovel negotiates heavy, wet snow in the University Hills King Soopers parking lot in Denver on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
A worker with a snow shovel negotiates heavy, wet snow in the University Hills King Soopers parking lot in Denver on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

A low-pressure system that stalled out unleashed the snow along the Front Range. March is historically Colorado’s snowiest month and it’s not unusual for the Denver area to be battered by big snow storms then. An average of 11.5 inches of snow falls in Denver in March, making up about 20% of the city’s average yearly cumulative snow total.

This week’s storm, though, stands out, Paul Schlatter, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boulder, said.

“Normally the storm system will slowly move across the Colorado-New Mexico border and just kind of meander its way eastward there,” Schlatter said. “This one is actually diving straight south over Arizona.”

And a “really strong easterly upslope flow” is pulling moisture in from Iowa and Nebraska, he added. “Once the easterly flow gets to the mountains, the eastern slopes get dumped on.”

March snow storms are typically wet, but this one is packed with moisture, Schlatter said. When the numbers from an unusually moist snow in early February are added, he expects this to be the area’s second-wettest start of the year.

Because of the heavy, wet snow, many homeowners tried to get a jump on the accumulation by getting out to shovel for the first time early Thursday morning.

Advertisement

In the Washington Park neighborhood, Ian Peterson was out and busy clearing the sidewalks around the block at Pearl Street and Fourth Avenue.

“I have this thing, so It’s easy,” Peterson said, pointing to his snow blower. Many residents who waited longer didn’t have the luxury of using snowblowers. The snow was too heavy by then.

Down the street from Peterson, Jenn Prileszky was watching as her three children were helping a neighbor build a snow fort. She said her kids heard the snow blower going and wanted to get outside.

“This is our first winter in Colorado so the snow is still kind of a novelty,” said Prileszky, whose family recently moved from Georgia.

Denver Post reporters Joe Rubino, Noelle Phillips, Katie Langford, Jacob Factor, Elizabeth Hernandez, John Wenzel, John Meyer and Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton contributed to this report.

Advertisement



Source link

Denver, CO

Bo Nix’s footwork is “a lot better” as he plays under center more. Coincidence?

Published

on

Bo Nix’s footwork is “a lot better” as he plays under center more. Coincidence?


On the first of Bo Nix’s four touchdown passes against Green Bay, he did what he does more frequently than any quarterback in football.

Nix escaped from the pocket and took off running. He moved up and to the left before hitting Michael Bandy for a 20-yard catch-and-scamper.

The next three touchdowns, though, are where the Broncos offense can dream about a deep postseason run or even more.

Nix, operating from the gun, delivered strikes of all shapes and sizes and did so with clean footwork in the pocket.

Advertisement

He identified coverage, took a short, one-step drop and fired a perfectly placed low ball to Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Then a three-step drop to get the ball up and down with beautiful pace and timing to Courtland Sutton one-on-one up the right sideline.

Nix polished off the fourth touchdown when he five-step dropped, hitched up in the pocket twice and uncorked a rocket up the seam for Troy Franklin on a motion and route concept the Broncos have made hay on most of the year.

The Packers game represented a breakout as Nix completed 23 of 34 passes for 302 yards and the four touchdowns, but his game’s been heating up more broadly over the past month.

He had an efficient day in a much different style against Las Vegas, completing 31 of 38 passes and engineering three battering-ram touchdown drives. He threw for 616 yards in the two weeks before that in wins over Washington and Kansas City.

In those four games, Nix has completed 69.5% of his passes for 282.5 yards per game and thrown five touchdowns and an interception. Before that stretch, he completed 60.9% and averaged 212 yards per game.

Advertisement

What’s changed? Start from the ground up.

“I think his footwork has got a lot better,” offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said Thursday. “And the way he handles himself in the pocket, trusting the protection. We’ve talked about it all year and the last four games he’s done a really good job of that.

“He’s moving when he needs to and he’s hanging in there when he needs to.”

Head coach Sean Payton earlier this season said the quarterbacks get some specific footwork drilling done during a normal game week but not a ton. They’ll work a particular concept or drop between periods, but for the most part, the work is plan-specific.

Nix, though, has been working on his own pocket presence in his own ways in recent weeks.

Advertisement

“I think he’s probably one of the best … at learning from mistakes, and looking in the mirror and seeing what his weaknesses are,” tight end Evan Engram told The Post.

“He’s sitting in there, he’s trusting the protection, he’s letting it rip. And that’s something that he saw. And he worked on. And like – I can’t say how hard that is. I’ve never done it in my life. You’ve got freakin’ monsters rushing you, every play. And credit to the O-line, too.

The staff also appears to be doing a better job of helping get Nix into good rhythm. Part of that is by playing more frequently from under center. The touchdowns outlined above came out of shotgun, but one commonly held belief is that playing from under center helps keep footwork clean because a quarterback is forced to do it coming back from the center.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Denver, CO

Nikola Jokic passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most assists by center in NBA history as Nuggets beat Magic

Published

on

Nikola Jokic passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most assists by center in NBA history as Nuggets beat Magic


For his latest trick, Nikola Jokic dribbled into oncoming traffic and escaped unscathed.

Sometimes after he reels in a defensive rebound, the Nuggets center prefers to launch an aerial attack with one of his long outlet passes. This time, he brought the ball with him up on his usual route up the middle of the floor. Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. trailed him by a step. Up ahead, Tyus Jones veered into his lane from the left, sensing an opportunity to pick the pocket of a lumbering big man.

But Jokic is nimble. Before Jones could cut across his front side, he anticipated the attempted swipe and transferred his dribbling hand with a behind-the-back move that shouldn’t have looked so graceful. Jones whiffed. Carter caught up, but Jokic decelerated to allow him to pass. Then the newly minted best passing center of all time went behind the back again — this time, a dime to Jamal Murray, who finished the play with a lefty floater.

Denver’s stars were just showing off at that point in the third quarter of a 126-115 win over the Magic that wasn’t always so smooth-sailing.

Advertisement
DENVER , CO – DECEMBER 18: Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets passes behind his back as Tyus Jones (2) of the Orlando Magic watches during the third quarter at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, December 18, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

It was a monumental night. At 30 years old and 302 days, Jokic passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Thursday for the most assists by a center in NBA history. Coming into the game, all he needed was six to match Abdul-Jabbar’s career total of 5,660. He finished the evening with 13, highlighting a 23-point, 11-rebound triple-double.

“For those of us that love the history of the game, that one should be wrote about and talked about, and that should be a national story,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “Because that’s passing a guy that you could argue — if you just want to go by generations and not, ‘Who’s the best player of all time?’ and all the talk-talk stuff — Kareem is in the conversation. Look at his MVPs. Look at the winning. And our guy tonight from Denver just passed him in a category.”

“This is a time that I can be able to look back and appreciate all the years I’ve had to play this game with him,” Murray said. “It’s special. Passing Kareem in anything is pretty cool. So I think it just speaks to his greatness and how unselfish he is.”

Jokic has also passed other Hall of Famers including Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson on the all-time list this season, now ranking 50th overall in career assists. Next up for him to catch is another legendary passer, Larry Bird. Jokic is 28 away from tying him.

“I always say the assist makes two people happy (instead of one). My coach ‘Deki,’ he always said that,” Jokic said Thursday, paying homage to the late Golden State Warriors and Mega Basket coach Dejan Milojevic.

Advertisement

“Maybe it’s not a splashy pass or whatever,” the three-time MVP continued, “but I think when you make the right play, you’re going to feel good about yourself.”

Adelman was especially adamant about the historical significance of the occasion. He gave Jokic the game ball in Denver’s locker room after the win.

“It’s such a cool thing, because it’s Kareem, who was passed by LeBron (James) as the all-time leading scorer, which puts in perspective who Nikola passed,” Adelman said. “So it’s a celebration of both people. It’s somebody that completely changed the game. The sky hook. The longevity. … I feel like in the modern era, we talk about Tom Brady and all these people. But go look at Kareem. The guy changed his name while he played. The guy plays 20-plus years and, until the very end, was impactful on teams that went to the Finals. So for Nikola to pass him, I think, says a lot. And if we’re going to celebrate what LeBron did, (we should celebrate this also). And I know it’s a different kind of thing because it’s a center, it’s a position. I’ll just keep saying it. Just don’t get tired of this, because it’s unique.”

Jokic is also closing in on Oscar Robertson for second all-time in triple-doubles. Thursday was his 177th, bringing him within four of the iconic guard. He became the first center in league history to average a triple-double last season, and he’s on pace to do so again this year with 29.8 points, 12.4 rebounds and 10.8 assists per game.

Orlando called a timeout after Jokic and Murray combined for that saucy transition bucket in the third quarter. As they sauntered to the huddle, Nuggets assistant coaches Ognjen Stojakovic and JJ Barea could only laugh at the duo’s skill and panache.

Advertisement
DENVER , CO - DECEMBER 18: Assistant coach Ognjen Stojakovic laughs as the Orlando Magic take a timeout during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 126-115 win at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, December 18, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
DENVER , CO – DECEMBER 18: Assistant coach Ognjen Stojakovic laughs as the Orlando Magic take a timeout during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 126-115 win at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, December 18, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

“That’s how kind of we made our staple in that second unit growing up, was just the give-and-go,” Murray said of Jokic’s passing. “… A lot of give-and-go, and you could see his court vision and his fluidity.”

The Nuggets did most of their work Thursday during an astonishing second quarter. They flipped a 47-33 deficit with a 35-7 run that only took the last 6:26 of the first half. Murray scored 20 of his 32 points in the frame. Reserve point guard Jalen Pickett ignited the comeback and was a plus-26 in eight minutes of playing time that quarter.

Both teams were short-handed at Ball Arena. Orlando was fending without Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. Denver was down three of its best defenders with Peyton Watson (right trunk contusion) ruled out shortly before tip, joining Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon on the shelf.

In Watson’s place, Bruce Brown started his first game as a Denver Nugget since April 9, 2023. David Adelman used 10 of his 11 available players, including Julian Strawther, who was cleared to play earlier this week after missing a month with a back injury.



Source link

Continue Reading

Denver, CO

Things To Do In And Around Denver This Weekend – 12/17-12/21 – 303 Magazine

Published

on

Things To Do In And Around Denver This Weekend – 12/17-12/21 – 303 Magazine


When: Dec 7, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Where: Fight Club – 1959 16th St Mall Denver
Cost: Price varies
The Lowdown: 

Guests have the option of $39 bottomless flatbreads, which includes the price of their oche reservation for Social Darts®. The bottomless flatbread menu features Smoked Salmon Flatbread, Four Cheese Flatbread, Breakfast Flatbread, or Garden Vegetable Flatbread. Guests can also order off the á la carte menu, which includes a fresh-cut fruit plate, breakfast sliders,, avocado toast, and Flight Club’s famous churros.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending