Shopping carts topped with heavy snow sit marooned in the lot of a grocery store as a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Golden, Colo. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A motorist struggles to clear snow from in front of a vehicle parked along Washington Street as a late winter storm regained force late Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Denver. Forecasters predict that the storm, which has already dropped a foot or more of snow, will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A Denver city plow moved along the westbound lanes of Speer Boulevard as a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Denver. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A pedestrian navigates a sidewalk packed with snow as a late winter storm regained force and resumed snowing late Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Denver. Forecasters predict that the storm, which has already dropped a foot or more of snow since starting Thursday morning, will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A pedestrian moves along Speer Boulevard as a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Denver. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Motorists pass under an electric sign illuminated with a warning of a storm as a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Denver. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A heavy layer of snow covers a branch of a tree along Speer Boulevard as a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Denver. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A motorist clears snow from her all-wheel-drive vehicle as a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Denver. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A lone vehicle moves eastbound along normally-conggested Speer Boulevard as a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Denver. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A pedestrian cleans off his umbrella while waiting for a bus at a stop along eastbound Speer Boulevard during a snow stormon Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Denver. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A bicycle sits covered with snow as a city bus moves along the westbound lanes of Speer Boulevard as a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Denver. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Livestock huddle in the deep snow outside Divide, Colo., as the snow and wind continue Thursday, March 14, 2024. A major storm is dumping heavy, wet snow in Colorado — forcing flight cancellations and shutting down a highway that connects Denver to Colorado ski resorts. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP) 
A jeep passes a stranded snowplow while traveling west of Ute Pass on U.S. Highway 24 toward Woodland Park, Colo., Thursday, March 14, 2024. A major storm is dumping heavy, wet snow in Colorado — forcing flight cancellations and shutting down a highway that connects Denver to Colorado ski resorts. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP) 
An electric Nissan Leaf gets a charge at a station as a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Golden, Colo. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Crews work to deice airplanes at Denver International Airport during a major snowstorm that led to the cancellation of over 800 flights in Denver on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post via AP) 
A Scion wagon sits marooned in a snowbank as a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Golden, Colo. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Normally heavily travelled, the eastbound lanes of Sixth Avenue at Kipling are open as a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Lakewood, Colo. Forecasters predict that the storm will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A homeowner clears snow from a walkway as a late winter storm regained strength and resumed snowing Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Denver. Forecasters predict that the storm, which has already dropped a foot or more of snow on the region, will persist until early Friday, snarling traffic along Colorado’s Front Range communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
AURORA | Schools and some government agencies remain closed today while Aurora agencies and governments will delay reopening until mid-morning as a late-winter storm moves out of the metro area.
As of 7 a.m. FridayAurora had received about 16 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service.
The storm is expected clear Friday morning.
The heaviest snow totals were west and south of the metroplex.
Snow reports were still being collected but the highest accumulation so far was 53 inches in Nederland, west of Boulder, the weather service said.
Interstate 70 west of Denver remained closed to trucks through noon Friday. Trucks that got stuck in the snow, some without the tire chains required to travel the route, were the main reason traffic shut down on the highway after the storm moved in so authorities were trying to prevent that from happening again.
Thousands in Colorado have been without power as authorities closed highways and schools during a winter storm that pummeled the area, breaking tree branches and stymying cars.
More than 10,000 customers were still without power across Colorado late Thursday primarily in metro Denver and along the Front Range, according to poweroutage.us.
A mountain stretch of Interstate 70, the state’s main east-west highway, closed as the storm moved in Wednesday night. Trucks, many without the tire chains required to travel the route, got stuck and blocked other vehicles from getting through for hours.
About 800 flights were canceled at Denver International Airport on Thursday but only about 20 were scratched Friday and more than 100 were delayed, according to Flightaware.com.
Aurora officials said fleets of snowplows were working to clear mostly main thoroughfares across the city.
Arapahoe County Public Works will reopen the Cherry Creek Dam Road Friday morning.
Cherry Creek School District called snow days for Thursday and Friday. The last time the district called a snow day was in January, following Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Denver Public School also called for a snow day Friday.
Aurora Public Schools is on spring break this week.
The Aurora Police Department said in a social media post that they will likely remain on crash alert, “meaning you will exchange information with the other driver if involved with a minor crash” without injuries.
Police are asking residents not to call 911 to report power outages. Call Xcel Energy instead.
“An exception to that could be a downed power line that poses an imminent safety risk,” Moylan said.
Multiple agencies such as the city, the police department, Aurora911, Public Works and Emergency Operations Center “are setting up a unified command to respond to any citywide emergencies,” according to a social media post from the City of Aurora.
The city postponed the Targeted Violence Prevention Program community training. It was initially set for Thursday but has been rescheduled for March 28.
People without housing seeking shelter from the elements can go to Aurora Day Resource Center, at 13387 E. 19 Place. Shelter is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.