\'Bomb cyclone\' hits U.S. Midwest

Meteorologists call it a bomb cyclone…a ferocious winter storm that's sweepng across parts of the Central United States bringing hurricane-force winds and heavy snow that has left more than a thousand motorists stranded… At Denver International Airport Wednesday, runways were shut down and more than 1300 flights cancelled.

Tens of thousands of people lost power in Colorado and in Texas….

And major roads in Colorado were closed after white-out conditions made it nearly impossible to drive… (SOUNDBITE) UNNAMED GIRL SAYING: "Never have I ever seen anything like this - this is crazy!" (SOUNDBITE) UNNAMED WOMAN - (wed0310 - kcnc - limon, Colorado) "Well we were heading to steamboat springs to go snow skiing and snow-mobiling (reporter - 'now it looks like your plans have changed a little bit?') atleast until the road opens…' The storm was blamed for the death of a Colorado state trooper who was hit by a car sliding on ice on the highway while he attended to a car wreck… By Thursday morning it was moving eastward..But a state of emergency was still in effect in Colorado as schools and government offices remained closed... with meteorologists warning that parts of Kansas and Nebraska should prepare for the storm's arrival.