UPDATE (1:20 p.m.): Berthoud Pass has reopened with icy conditions. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center reports that heavy precipitation over a short time frame across the southern portion of the Front Range (including large parts of Grand County) has increased the avalanche danger to HIGH. Snowfall rates of 2-4 inches per hour stressed a weak underlying snowpack, causing a natural avalanche on Berthoud Pass that closed US Highway 40 last night.



WINTER PARK (11 a.m).: A localized snowstorm hammered the Continental Divide and Winter Park Resort on Sunday night, closing Berthoud Pass and sending travelers back on US Highway 40 through Kremmling and Silverthorne to return to the Front Range.

The Colorado Department of Transportation closed Berthoud Pass at 6:30 p.m. Sunday because of severe weather and avalanche-control work, according to its website. The pass was still closed as of 11 a.m. Monday morning, according to the CDOT website.

A check of nearby ski resort websites indicates that Winter Park received the most snow out of the mini-system, with 16 inches of fresh powder reported during the past 24 hours. The only other resort that even came close was Loveland, with 11 inches. Snow tapered off quickly to the west, with Arapaho Basin reporting seven inches, Breckenridge five inches and Vail one inch.

This story will be updated as new information becomes available.