‘Bomb cyclone’ sweeps toward Midwest

National Guard troops rescued stranded motorists in Colorado after a massive late-winter storm swept across more than 25 states on Thursday, bringing blizzards, high winds, floods, and a tornado. The “bomb cyclone,” or rapidly developing low-pressure system, triggered a blizzard that caused widespread power outages in Colorado. The storm caused airlines to cancel hundreds of flights at Denver International Airport, and about 200 vehicles were disabled on Interstate 25 near Colorado Springs. Cpl. Daniel Groves, a Colorado State Patrol officer, was hit and killed on Interstate 76 near Denver.

The storm affected states from the northern Rocky Mountains to Texas. In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem closed all state offices on Thursday, and snow clogged up travel in western Nebraska. Iowa saw heavy rain and flooding. The storm even spawned a tornado in Dexter, N.M.