Colorado Schools Close Wednesday as Snow Storm Weather Forecast Colorado Worsens

Colorado State University and several school districts moved to close on Wednesday as the snow storm weather forecast colorado brought heavy, wet snow across the state. The closures affect schools from the mountains to the Denver metro area, with slick roads expected into Wednesday morning.

Some mountain and foothill areas saw as much as 15 to 20 inches of snow Tuesday night, and more was expected to pile up into Wednesday afternoon. Road conditions from the mountains and foothills down across the Eastern Plains were expected to be slick and snow covered, while Denver metro neighborhoods, bridges and overpasses could have icy spots where plows had not cleared the streets.

Denver, Aurora and Jeffco

Denver Public Schools, Aurora Public Schools and Jeffco Public Schools all announced that classes would be canceled because of the weather. Denver Public Schools also said all school-related events and activities were canceled on Wednesday except for CHSSA-sanctioned competitions. Douglas County and Boulder Valley also called off classes.

Poudre School District in Northern Colorado said all schools would be closed Wednesday, May 6, and that the closure would not be a remote learning day. The district said, "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," giving families a direct change in plans for the day.

Colorado State University

Colorado State University said it would be closed on Wednesday, with the final day of classes for the spring semester set for Friday. The Oval at Colorado State University closed starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday because of wet, heavy snow on tree branches, and the university said barricades would be placed to ensure safety.

The school said, "The Oval will be closed starting at 6 p.m. today due to wet, heavy snow on tree branches. Barricades will be placed to ensure safety. The Oval will remain closed tomorrow for further assessment. The University will continue to monitor the weather situation and provide updates on operations if necessary," leaving the campus feature shut through Wednesday while staff reassess conditions.

University campuses

The University of Denver announced late Tuesday that its campus would be closed on Wednesday, and the University of Colorado Boulder campus would also be closed. CU Boulder said there were few students currently on campus, and the last day of final exams there was last week.

For students and staff, the practical impact is immediate: classes are off, many campus events are off, and travel will stay difficult through the morning commute. The storm is forcing decisions campus by campus, and the closures show how far the weather has spread from the mountains into the state’s population centers.