A late spring snowstorm slams Colorado, closing schools and disrupting commuters

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - A late spring snowstorm has eased across parts of Colorado after closing schools, snarling flights and turning roads slushy on Wednesday.

The system swept over the Rocky Mountains and into the High Plains a day earlier and was expected to wind down Wednesday afternoon. Several towns at higher elevations received about 2 feet (nearly 61 centimeters) of snow.

A winter storm warning remained in place, with another 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) of snow expected in Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver and Castle Rock, the National Weather Service said.

Commuters in Denver were dealing with slick roads. A few crashes were reported by the State Patrol but there was no word of serious injuries. Forecasters warned that snow-loaded tree limbs could snap. "Avoid parking under trees," the weather service's Denver office posted.

The town of Estes Park, near Rocky Mountain National Park, saw 22 to nearly 28 inches of snow (56 to 71 centimeters), the weather service said.

In Boulder, some spots got a foot of snow (30 centimeters), and officials warned of downed trees and branches.

Denver might see its biggest snowfall of the season. The city's international airport recorded 5.5 inches (nearly 14 centimeters) of snow after early flight delays and cancellations, the weather service said.

Temperatures dropped into the low 30s Fahrenheit on Wednesday morning (0 degrees Celsius), prompting Denver to activate its cold-weather shelter plan. Denver Public Schools and other districts and colleges canceled classes. Warmer weather is expected Thursday.

The storm didn't stop thousands of people from showing up for an outdoor David Guetta concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Tuesday night, although organizers moved the start time up an hour. Fans bundled up in furry winter coats and beanies while lining up to enter.

The Colorado Rockies postponed two games against the New York Mets, but that happens more often than not during Denver's spring baseball season, including four times in 2015, according to the MLB.

Snow in May isn't unheard of in Colorado and is even more common in Wyoming's capital of Cheyenne, which sits almost 1,000 feet (300 meters) higher than Denver and is cooler and windier, often piling snow into drifts.

April was warmer and dryer than usual, with Denver missing an inch of rain (2.5 centimeters) and 2.8 inches of snow (7 centimeters) last month.

For some farmers, who have felt the pressure from Colorado's ongoing drought, the snow was an opportunity.

Adam Jones of Unsung Family Farms in Longmont planted carrot seeds just days earlier to take advantage of the precipitation.

"You can't get as even distribution with driplines or sprinklers," he told KMGH-TV. "There's nothing like starting seeds with snow or water."

Jones moved more delicate crops inside, and used a heater to keep them warm.

The unsettled weather stretched beyond the Rockies. Severe thunderstorms, some capable of producing tornadoes, were possible across the Southeast on Wednesday, with the strongest storms expected from Arkansas through Georgia.