(File photo: AP)

Blowing snow and icy roads in suburban Denver and other parts of eastern Colorado have closed schools and shut down highways.

Stretches of Interstate 70 were closed Tuesday, preventing travelers headed from near the Kansas border from reaching the Denver area.

Winds in some places were gusting up to 45 mph (72 kilometers per hour) and creating blizzard conditions.

The snow has been fairly light but the wind is pushing it across roadways, hurting visibility.

The storm has also shut down schools and military installations in and around Colorado Springs, including Fort Carson and the US Air Force Academy.

The avalanche danger was also elevated in Colorado’s mountains.

On Monday, a backcountry skier died in a slide near Aspen.