Travelers Stranded, Accidents Kill 4 as Snowstorm Whips Wide Area

A winter storm blamed for four deaths spread snow Thursday from the southern Rockies to the Great Lakes and stranded more than 1,000 holiday travelers at Denver’s Stapleton International Airport.

Winter storm warnings were posted for southern and central Colorado and northwestern New Mexico. Severe thunderstorm warnings were in effect for parts of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas as cold air moved into the area.

Snow fell in the central southern Rockies, the northern and central Plains and into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Thirteen inches of snow fell overnight in Marshall, Minn., and up to five inches was reported in northern Wisconsin.

Four people died in traffic accidents blamed on the storm, one each in Nevada, Wyoming, South Dakota and Colorado.

In Minnesota, winds of up to 25 m.p.h. added to the problems caused by a foot of snow.

Lyman Gay, who runs a service station in Marshall, made it to work without any trouble but said other people should not venture out.

“I’m sure there’s a lot of problems around,� Gay said. “Any time you get snow and ice you always have lots of problems. It’s drifting pretty good out there. I’d recommend everybody stay home.�

A 50-mile stretch of U.S. 191 from Rock Springs, Wyo., to the Utah state line remained closed Thursday because of blowing snow.

In northwest Wyoming, the temperature was 8 degrees below zero early Thursday.

The storm assured a white Christmas for Colorado, but also stranded more than 1,000 travelers who spent Wednesday night at Stapleton International Airport in Denver, airport spokesman Norm Avery said. The storm forced some flight cancellations and caused delays of up to six hours.