UPDATE: Some Wyoming Roads Reopen, But Heavy Internet Use Stalls WYDOT Website
Road crews made headway as they struggled to clear and open highways slapped by the snow Sunday and the high winds today.
But heavy traffic of the informative wyoroad.info website of the Wyoming Department of Transportation forced the closure of the popular high-bandwidth map, it announced earlier today.
"We are currently in the process of developing a new map to address this issue and will have a version available for the public to test drive in early 2017.
"In the meantime, you will be redirected to www.wyoroad.info in 15 seconds..."
WYDOT offers two maps on its website: A low-bandwidth map with color-coded road conditions such as blue for "slick in spots," and a high-bandwidth map with both color codes and indicators on those roads detailing road conditions. Red triangles indicate a highway is closed, for example.
But apparently too many people were seeking the more detailed advice and overloaded the system.
So for now, you will need to consult the low-bandwidth map.
Interstate 25 is open from Cheyenne to Buffalo, but WYDOT warns of high winds and blow-over risks and prohibits light, high-profile vehicles from Cheyenne to exit 126 south of Douglas.
Eastbound I-80 is closed from Rawlins to Laramie because of a crash. WYDOT's website does not have any details about that crash. Westbound I-80 is open, but WYDOT prohibits light, high-profile vehicles because of the high winds.
Closer to Casper, U.S. Highway 20 (the Old Glenrock Highway) from Casper to Glenrock is slick with blowing snow and limited visibility.
WYDOT says all other roads from Casper have the same problems of slick roads with blowing snow and limited visibility: U.S. Highway 20-26 from Casper to Shoshoni; Wyoming Highway 220 from Casper to Muddy Gap; Wyoming 251 (Casper Mountain Road); Wyoming 257 (West Belt Loop); Wyoming 258 (Wyoming Boulevard/Outer Drive); and Wyoming 487.
I-90 is open from the Montana state line through Sheridan, Buffalo, Gillette, Moorcroft and Sundance to the South Dakota border, but it's slick.
The road conditions will remain in flux and possibly get worse because of the high wind warning around Casper forecast to expire at 5 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Riverton office of the National Weather Service.
Much of the rest of central and southeast Wyoming is under a high wind watch forecast to expire at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The National Weather Service forecasts winds from the southwest will increase to 30 mph 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph. It expects the strongest winds on Tuesday when gusts will exceed 70 mph
The winds will causes drifting and some blowing snow on roads and highways, and they will pose serious risk for light and high-profile vehicles.