Winter Storm Kayla Dumps Feet of Snow; Woman Killed in Minneapolis Identified

Winter Storm Kayla hammered the Plains for days, but its problems are far from over. One person has died in Minnesota from the lingering impacts of the storm.

After more than 24 hours closed, Interstate 80 reopened in both directions Wednesday afternoon in Nebraska, according to the Associated Press. More than 200 miles of that freeway had been closed Tuesday and into Wednesday morning due to severe wintry conditions that made travel extremely dangerous.

(MORE: Severe Weather Clobbers South, But No Deaths Reported)

The storm also had impacts on air travel. At Denver International Airport, dozens of flights were canceled Tuesday morning, a day after more than 500 flights were canceled at the hub, according to FlightAware.

Here's more on the problems Kayla is creating across the West.

Wisconsin

Top snowfall total: 16.6 inches, Gile

Central Wisconsin endured extremely poor conditions created by Kayla Tuesday, where visibilities were low and snowfall rates were high.

"I would say that this [snowfall] this year has been one of the more significant ones," Wisconsin State Patrol Sgt. Bryan Wrycha told WAOW.com. He also said authorities had to respond to several incidents of snow-related crashes and runoffs in Marathon County.

Many schools remained closed on Wednesday; WISC-TV has a complete list.

Although many roads remained slippery and snow-covered Wednesday morning, travel was slowly getting back to normal across the state.

Minnesota

Top snowfall total: 13.5 inches, near Bloomington

A woman died Tuesday night in downtown Minneapolis when she was struck by a car while crossing a road. Officials said 56-year-old Rachel Y. David was hit by a turning vehicle while she attempted to cross a downtown street, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported. It's believed that weather may have been a factor in the crash, and David apparently left work early to get home as the heavy snow began to fall, the report added.

The Minnesota State Patrol closed all state and U.S. highways south of U.S. 14, including I-90, Tuesday afternoon and evening to prepare for rapidly deteriorating conditions, but all roads were reopened Wednesday morning.

Despite the closures, there were hundreds of accidents across the state, the Minnesota State Patrol told the AP. Through 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, there were 287 crashes and 221 spinouts reported in Minnesota.

Snow emergencies were declared for Minneapolis, St. Paul and Mankato, among other towns, the AP also reported. Many schools will remain closed Wednesday because of the snowy roads.

(PHOTOS: Kayla in the Plains, Midwest)

Southwest of Mankato, at least a half-dozen commercial buildings were destroyed by a wind-whipped fire in Madelia Wednesday morning. There were no reports of injuries, but the strong winds from Kayla helped the fire spread quickly, the AP said. Two-thirds of the businesses on one side of Main Street were destroyed by the blaze, city administrator Jane Piepgras told the AP.

"A lot of people's livelihoods changed overnight," Madelia Mayor Mike Grote told the AP, adding that the fire may have been started by an explosion inside one of the businesses overnight.

Iowa

Top snowfall total: 16 inches, Boyden

Thousands of Iowans lost power during Winter Storm Kayla due to strong winds that knocked down power lines. Most of those outages were restored by Wednesday morning, but roads were still very messy in the hardest-hit areas.

Most roads in southern and western Iowa were completely covered with snow and ice Wednesday morning, according to the state DOT. Along some stretches of highway in central and northern Iowa, travel was still not advised on Wednesday.

Conditions became so poor in Mitchell County during the storm that crews pulled all snow plows off the roads Tuesday morning, according to local reports.

“Extremely hazardous travel to nearly impossible at times. Please reconsider any travel plans,” the National Weather Service in Des Moines wrote in a forecast discussion.

Nebraska

Top snowfall total: 18.3 inches, Grand Island Airport

A snow emergency for the town of North Platte was lifted Wednesday morning, according to the Lincoln County EMA, but travel problems remain across many parts of the state.

The Nebraska Department of Roads closed more than 200 miles of Interstate 80 between Lincoln and North Platte due to dangerous conditions caused by heavy snow and strong winds, according to the AP.

(MORE: Kayla Was One of the Heaviest Snowstorms on Record for Nebraska)

In the town of Holdrege, severe wintry conditions left some drivers stranded on roads Tuesday morning. Phelps County dispatcher Paul Swearingen confirmed to weather.com that those motorists were rescued safely and most residents were hunkered down at home as conditions deteriorated for the town of about 5,500.

Weather observations in the area revealed the town in south-central Nebraska was hit by 6-foot snow drifts Tuesday morning, leading to the closure of roads and the Holdrege Airport. At least one foot of snow has fallen from Kayla in Holdrege.

At Grand Island Airport, a wind gust of 53 mph was reported, as were blizzard conditions, according to the NWS.

Many school districts will remain closed Wednesday. You can find a complete list of closures here.

Before Kayla arrived, a snow emergency was declared for Omaha and several nearby communities, KMTV.com reported. The declaration made it unlawful for motorists to park their cars on public streets in those cities during the time frame specified by the snow emergency, the report added. This made it easier for plows to navigate the roadways during the heaviest snowfall.

Kansas

A large stretch of Interstate 70 in western Kansas has reopened after a Tuesday shutdown. During the storm, roads quickly became snow-packed and icy in northwestern Kansas, and officials warned against travel west of Salina, the AP reported. As a result, hotels were packed and 18-wheelers were stranded on the side of roadways.

KDOT district engineer Jeff Stewart told the AP there was very little visibility Tuesday on portions of I-70 and north of the interstate, conditions were even worse.

Despite the wintry conditions, few power outages were reported across the Sunflower State.

South Dakota

Top snowfall total: 17 inches, Vermillion

After it was closed all day Tuesday, Interstate 29 was reopened in southeastern South Dakota Wednesday morning, but officials asked anyone driving on that freeway to remain extremely cautious, the AP reported.

Many schools and businesses will remain closed Wednesday as the state recovers from Kayla. The City of Sioux Falls issued a snow emergency Tuesday, according to KDLT.com.

Wyoming

Top snowfall total: 33 inches, near Glenrock

Laramie County closed schools in both of its districts Tuesday as Kayla dumped heavy snow on the area. According to the Wyoming Eagle Tribune, all activities were canceled Tuesday and buses were not sent out.

Nonessential employees living in some areas of Cheyenne and Laramie County were advised to stay home Tuesday, while others were expected to report at 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, the report added.

Colorado

Top snowfall total: 41 inches, near Coal Bank Pass

Schools and major roadways remained closed in parts of Colorado on Tuesday, one day after more than three feet of snow fell in some areas.

Denver Public Schools and many surrounding districts will not have classes Tuesday; the Denver Post has a complete list of closures in the area.

Denver's fleet of snow plows were out on Tuesday morning, hoping to keep the roads passable, the Denver Post also reported. To track snow plows across the state, click here.

Many major interstates were closed across the Eastern Plains on Tuesday morning, but several of the smaller roadways were also dangerous. To see a map of road conditions across the state, check the state's DOT website.

In Aspen, some travelers remarked that the heavy snow has kept them from leaving town, the AP reported. The resort town received plenty of additional snow from Kayla in what has already been a snowy season.

"This is the most snow I've ever seen here in Aspen," Jason Nonemaker, who was visiting Aspen for a work trip, told the AP. "This has been unbelievable."

New Mexico

Top snowfall total: 16.7 inches, near Angel Fire

Heavy snow and extremely strong winds greeted New Mexicans on Monday morning. The state's Department of Transportation reported many roads in northern and western New Mexico were slowed by the poor conditions, and officials warned drivers to be extra careful if they venture out on Monday.

According to NWS storm reports, wind gusts as high as 95 mph were reported in southern parts of the state, while areas of northern New Mexico picked up as much as 8 inches of new snowfall through Sunday night.

Utah

Top snowfall totals: 6 inches, Blanding and Moab

Roads in the Beehive State became hazardous starting Monday morning as the snowfall increased in intensity across parts of central and southern Utah. The NWS warned drivers that roads will become especially dangerous on all routes in those parts of the state, Fox 13 Salt Lake City reported.

The AP said officials already responded to more than 100 wrecks on state roads on Saturday. Dozens of those accidents involved minor injuries on slick roadways, the report added.

Iron and Beaver counties announced school closures for Monday, according to KSL.com. Southern Utah University was also closed for the day.

Arizona

Top snowfall totals: 15 inches, Grand Canyon North Rim and Mormon Lake

The Flagstaff Unified School District was closed Monday due to heavy snow, according to the Arizona Daily Sun. At least 10 inches of snow fell by Monday morning in northern and central Arizona, according to local storm reports.

(MORE: 1 Killed by Severe Storms in California)

Nevada

Top snowfall total: 19 inches, near Mount Rose Ski Area

Travel issues began Sunday night in the Reno-Sparks area, where nearly a foot of snow fell over the weekend, according to NWS reports. NWS meteorologist Tony Fuentes told the Reno Gazette-Journal roadways were likely to suffer as temperatures fell Sunday night.

"That’s the main concern,” Fuentes told the Gazette-Journal. “Lots of surfaces are wet, and the temperature is down. Icy roads are going to be an issue.”

Several flights were canceled or delayed Sunday at Reno-Tahoe International Airport due to the snowstorm, the report added.

California

Top snowfall total: 30 inches, near Lake Thomas Edison

Interstate 80 was reopened near the California-Nevada state line after a 40-car pileup occurred early Sunday, according to the AP. The freeway was closed near Farad because of the collision that occurred on snowy roads. The closure lasted about two hours, but there were no reports of injuries, KTVN.com said.

Blowing snow and ice also caused big problems along Interstate 5 east of Los Angeles Monday morning, forcing the California State Patrol to briefly close the freeway, the AP also reported.