Winter-like storm in late spring sends Americans checking their calendars

A snowplow faces 23 feet of snow on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado on May 13.

May 19, 2011 – FLAGSTAFF, AZ – A frigid spring storm blew through Northern Arizona on Wednesday, bringing a mix of rain, sleet and wet snow. High temperatures are typically around 70 degrees this time of year, but the high for Wednesday was 43 and came at 1:30 a.m. Temperatures hovered around freezing for much of the day. “It’s a bit on the unusual side, but not unprecedented,” said Ken Daniel, a National Weather Service meteorologist. “It’s an unusually strong and cold system coming down from the Northwest, and it’s bringing in some moisture as it moves across the state.”No road closures were reported, but blowing dust and icy pavement made driving hazardous, with accidents clogging Interstates 40 and 17. Winds gusting over 40 mph whipped up dust along I-40 between Flagstaff and Winslow and forced the Arizona Department of Public Safety to escort cars along a five-mile stretch. There were multiple rollover accidents on I-17 and a major rollover reported on Lake Mary Road. Thick fog was considered a factor in some of the accidents. –Arizona Daily Star

Colorado is similarly in the path of the wintery-weather onslaught. The high country is in for another round of snow Thursday, with an additional 4 to 8 inches over the higher mountain passes. There are a number of Winter Weather Alerts in place for the high country through the early evening hours. Snow totals will be in the 8- to 16-inch range when all is said and done. –The Denver Channel