Frost, flakes and fog put Front Range roadways into a bind this morning.
Interstate 25 was closed for about three hours between Fort Collins and Cheyenne, due to blowing snow and icy spots. It reopened around 11 a.m.
Chain laws are in effect for all commercial vehicles at the Eisenhower Tunnel, Vail Pass and Berthoud Pass.
There were no injuries or road closures associated with multiple crashes in Garfield County early this morning, the Colorado State Patrol said, despite the fact that a driver on Interstate 70 ran into the patrol cruiser of a trooper cleaning up previous accidents.
One accident about 7:35 this morning on I-25 near Wellington sent two children to the hospital.
The State Patrol said a Ford F150 pickup was traveling north on I-25 when the driver lost control and rolled into the southbound lanes.
A 7-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl in the back of the extended cab were not wearing seat belts and were ejected, the State Patrol said in a news release.
The boy was airlifted to Medical Center of the Rockies with serious injuries. An ambulance took the girl to Poudre Valley Hospital, also with serious injuries.
The 36-year-old male driver and the adult female passenger were also taken to Poudre Valley.
Their names were not released, but the State Patrol said they were from West Valley, Utah.
The man was cited for careless driving causing injuries and for operating an uninsured motor vehicle. The State Patrol said it appears he was driving too fast on the snowy and icy roads.
Another crash about 9:45 a.m. on Interstate 76 near Keenesberg sent two men to the hospital.
The State Patrol said a 1997 Infiniti sport utility vehicle was westbound on I-76 when the driver lost control and rolled the car.
A passenger in the back was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected. Abdirahman Abdille, 39, of Fort Morgan was taken to Platte Valley Medical Center with serious injuries, the patrol said in a news release.
The driver, Abdalle Hassan, 24, of Fort Morgan was also taken to the hospital with serious injures. He was cited with careless driving causing injuries.
A front-seat passenger was not injured.
The State Patrol said Hassan was driving too fast for the wet and icy roads.
Mountain ski reports boasted heavy new snow from the storm system, up to 18 inches at Arapahoe Basin in the past 24 hours, 16 inches at Copper Mountain and 15 inches at Silverton.
The National Weather Service predicted a total accumulation of less than half an inch.
The storm is the most significant snow-producer so far this fall for the metro area, with reports of up to 5 inches in Evergreen, 2.5 inches in Parker, and 3.4 inches near Louviers in Douglas County.
Today’s high will be near 39, with wind gusts up to 48 mph.
Monday’s weather will be clearer with a high near 57.
Demetria Gallegos: 303-954-1683 or dgallegos@denverpost.com
