The Nation : Snowstorm Hits Rockies

A storm brought up to 19 inches of snow to the Rockies and headed toward the Plains, prompting ranchers to herd livestock into protected areas, the National Weather Service said. In Alabama, authorities blamed dense fog and speeding motorists for a series of pileups that left two persons dead and closed Interstate 10 near Mobile for 10 hours. The violent storm, centered over the southern and central Rockies, spread rain and snow from Arizona to Montana and whipped up high winds in the Southwest. In the southern Colorado mountains, the storm blanketed the Purgatory ski area with 19 inches of snow.