SIDNEY -  Travelers stranded in communities across western Nebraska started to see relief Monday morning when the Nebraska Department of Transportation began opening portions of Interstate 80 and Highway 30. 

A powerful late-winter storm intensified Sunday morning with heavy snow and wind, leading to road closures across the Nebraska Panhandle, northeast Colorado and southeast Wyoming. I-80 was first closed in the Sidney area at 8 p.m. on Saturday.

The eastbound lanes of I-80 are open from Big Springs on. The westbound lanes remained closed from I-76/I-80 junction, through Wyoming, to the Utah border. NDOT officials said the road remains closed while Wyoming and Colorado continue to dig out of historic snowfall totals.

Westbound I-80 is now open between Grand Island and the I-76/I-80 junction. I-76 to Denver is open.

According to the National Weather Service, Bordeaux, Wyo. received 44 inches of snow in a 72-hour period. Buckhorn Mountain and Four Corners, Colo. each got 42 inches, 41 inches for Aspen Springs, Colo. and Cheyenne, Wyo. finished with 36 inches.

Closer to Sidney, Pine Bluffs had 20 inches of snow poured on them, Dix, Neb. got 19 inches and there was 16.5 inches near Harrisburg. 18.5 inches of snow fell in Harrison, Neb., Chadron finished with 8 inches, 7 for Alliance, 19 for Gering and Sidney ended up with 4 inches.

Highway 30 in the Nebraska Panhandle has been reopened to local traffic only. Highway 385 is now open from Sidney to Alliance. Highway 26 reopened from Lewellen to the Nebraska-Wyoming border.

Highway 71 from Scottsbluff to the Colorado border, Highway 88 from Bridgeport to the Wyoming border, and Highway 26 from Lewellen to Ogallala were still closed Monday morning. 

All major highways in Sioux, Dawes, Sheridan and Box Butte Counties also remained closed Monday morning.

Current conditions on I-80 in Wyoming (Photos from WYDOT are east and west of Cheyenne)

 

 

ROAD CONDITIONS