A winter storm packing high winds and heavy snow hit northwest Kansas, forcing the closure of a section of Interstate 70.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the area through late Tuesday, forecasting up to 15 inches of snow.

National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Kochasic in Goodland said Tuesday the band of storms from Colorado has been dumping heavy snow in northwest Kansas. The combination of heavy snow and wind gusts up to 55 miles per hour are expected to lead to whiteout conditions in the area.

The Kansas Department of Transportation says the nearly 200-mile stretch of I-70 from Goodland, Kansas, to Denver was closed Tuesday because of the hazardous conditions.

Kochasic says he expects sections of I-70 east of Goodland to be closed later Tuesday.