Decreased visibility and blowing snow Monday night caused closures of highways including Highway 24 in both directions from Colorado Springs to Limon, and Interstate 70 in both directions from Denver to the Kansas state line, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Also closed as of 10:45 p.m. were:

Winds on the plains, out of the north, were gusting up to 38 mph, plunging wind chill temperatures to below zero, according to the National Weather Service. 

– Colorado Springs Airport: Arrivals and departures.

– Hundreds of flights were canceled Monday in Denver. See updated DIA arrivals and departures.

Most schools and military installations are closed Tuesday.

– List: Updated school, business and military closings and delays.

– Interactive map: Traffic around Colorado Springs.

– Updated travel conditions around Colorado.

Jack Ladley, an operations manager for the City of Colorado Springs’ Public Works Department, said the snowstorm that continues to dump snow in the Pikes Peak region has not been a common one for the city. He said storms usually segment the city for plow crews, allowing them to focus on smaller areas that see most of the snowfall.

“In this particular storm, it’s just spread out all over,” Ladley said.

City snow crews have been on “full call out” since Sunday afternoon. Ladley said the entire team of 40 plows has been going full steam for more than 24 hours trying to get a grip on the city’s 5,200 miles of snow-covered, slushy, icy streets.

He asked everyone in Colorado Springs to be patient and a plow will eventually hit all areas. He referred to the movie “Groundhog Day,” named for a holiday which aptly is Feb. 2, noting that crews have been focused on primary and secondary arteries since the call out. Once plows get done clearing those roads, they have to go back and do them all over again.

Ladley said he’s heard impatient residents wondering where the plows are.

“I heard one person say, ‘Plows are like unicorns. I heard they exist, but I haven’t seen one,” he said, noting that plows will likely begin clearing residential streets following the afternoon commute.

The operations manager said the early start to the storm over the weekend, helped thin traffic on city roads Monday as many schools, colleges, churches, government offices and military bases announced closures for Monday as early as Sunday afternoon. The first wave of the winter storm dumped three inches or more of snow on the Pikes Peak region overnight. But that was just the start.

Jennifer Stark with the National Weather Service in Pueblo said an additional eight inches of snowfall is possible before things wind down on Tuesday. That would bring total snowfall to around six to 12 inches in Colorado Springs and up to 16 inches in northern El Paso County, around the Palmer Divide, she said.

But it’s not just snow commuters should worry about.

Even after snow clears Tuesday, winds will remain, said KKTV meteorologist Emily Roehler.

“The wind is going to be a real problem,” Roehler said.

Colorado Springs police remained on “cold reporting” for crashes, which means for non-injury fender benders, drivers can file an accident report after the storm has passed. Because of closures and plowing, police reported no major crashes Monday.

On Monday at the Colorado Springs Airport, most flights were running as scheduled, with two flights to Denver canceled. If you’re flying today, check www.flycos.com or www.flydenver.com before you head out.

A winter storm warning remains in effect until 11 a.m. Tuesday, when “we’ll start to see things wind down,” Stark said.