Denver Post reader Millie Hendricks submitted this photo of snow blanketing Denver's Burns Park. Snow started to accumulate in much of the Denver metro area by late afternoon on Wednesday, February 20th. Submit your snow photos here. (Millie Hendricks, reader submitted photo)

The snow that began falling Wednesday afternoon continued into the evening, causing problems for the state's interstates, highways and airports and setting the stage for a nasty morning commute.

Some metro areas could get up to 8 inches of new snow by Thursday morning, according to forecaster Bob Koopmeiners of the National Weather Service .

Multiple automobile accidents occured on U.S. 285, according to the Twitter account for www.285bound.com, and a jacknifed semi-truck briefly closed westbound Interstate 70 at Georgetown. Interstate 25 is currently closed in both directions between 1st Street and 6th Street in Pueblo.

Approximately 50 flights have been delayed and 30 cancelled at Denver International Airport due to the storm, according to a news release.

DIA recommends that travelers check the status of their flight at flydenver.com and provide themselves with ample time to reach the airport.

A winter weather advisory posted by the weather service for the Denver metro area continues from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 9 a.m. Thursday.

FORECAST: Hour-by-hour breakdown of Denver weather

Also, a winter storm warning has been posted for most of Colorado's eastern plains, including Sterling, Fort Morgan and Limon.

Widespread mountain areas will also receive new snow from the weather system, and widespread heavy snow is expected overnight in northeastern and northern Colorado.

Four to eight inches of snow is expected along the Front Range, with slightly heavier amounts south and east of the metro area.

WEBCAMS: Current conditions in Denver and the mountains

Heavy snow reduced visibilities overnight Wednesday and

Junior Katie Harris of Oklahoma City hides under her hooded jacket as she walks across the campus of Colorado College in Colorado Springs on Feb. 20, 2013. Snow began falling in the Springs late Wednesday morning, by 3:00 p.m. it was also falling in downtown Denver. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
travel could be hazardous as area roads become snow packed, icy and slick, the weather service warns.

Freezing drizzle and a slight chance of thunderstorms are in the weather service forecast for the eastern plains.

The heaviest snow is expected east of I-25 and south of I-76, according to the weather service, with overnight accumulations of up to 12 inches.

Northern mountain areas should receive between 4 to 8 inches of snow, with up to 10 inches for mountain locales south of I-70.

SUBMIT: Send us your snow photos

Snow is likely Thursday morning in Denver before 11 a.m., the weather service reports.

The high temperature Thursday

University of Denver lacrosse goalie Jamie Faus clears snow from in front of the net before the Pioneers' practice Wednesday at Barton Stadium on campus. A winter storm warning remains in effect for much of Colorado's Eastern Plains until 5 p.m. Thursday. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)
in Denver should top out near 28 degrees. New snow accumulation on Thursday in the city should be about 2 inches.

Snow remains in the forecast for the mountains on Friday and through the weekend.

Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822, knicholson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/kierannicholson