Thousands without power as winter storm rolls over New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Tens of thousands of people in New Mexico were without power Thursday as the first major winter storm of the season rolled across the northern two-thirds of the state and into Colorado, bringing with it snow and fierce winds that forced schools and government offices to close.

Dozens of crews with Public Service Co. of New Mexico were mobilized to address widespread outages that had been reported overnight and in the early morning hours from Albuquerque to Santa Fe and beyond. The utility urged residents to be patient, saying there were about 41,000 people still affected by the outages.

“We know any time without power is frustrating,” the company said in messages to customers.

Schools in Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and elsewhere across northern New Mexico canceled classes, while authorities warned people to stay off the roads. Plows were busy trying to keep major highways clear, but state police announced midday that Interstate 25 just south of the Colorado border was closed in both directions.

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque issued a blizzard warning for parts of the state and reported that more than 100 vehicles were stranded on highways in the state’s northeast corner. Forecasters warned of “very dangerous driving conditions” that were made worse by low visibility because of blowing snow.

Interstate 70 across Colorado’s Eastern Plains also was closed, as residents in that state braced for what some said could be the biggest snowstorm to hit the Denver area in November in years. Some people reported Thursday that they already had more than 14 inches (35.56 centimeters) of snow on the ground.

The National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center said extensive and widespread disruptions could be expected as the storm moves through New Mexico and Colorado, dropping between 1 and 2 inches (5 centimeters) of snow within an hour in some spots.

Tonja Goode Ross said she would be staying home and enjoying a cup of hot chocolate instead of trying to brave what was the “first real snow” of the season for Corona. This rural part of central New Mexico was turned into a winter wonderland, its pastures covered by a thick blanket of snow and its tree branches bowing from the weight of fresh powder.

Almost a foot (30.48 centimeters) of snow had fallen by early morning and another 2.5 inches (6.35 centimeters) fell within a 2-hour period.

“Moisture is always a blessing here — no matter the form it comes in,” she said.

The weather service warned that the storm could bring historic amounts of snow through Friday. More than 4 feet (1.22 meters) was expected in some parts. Snow drifts could top 6 feet (1.83 meters), making some travel impossible — potentially for days, forecasters said.