Denver airport shut down by massive winter storm

A massive winter storm shut down Denver International Airport Wednesday afternoon along with hundreds of miles of highway across Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska.

The airport - a hub for United Airlines and the sixth-busiest commercial airport in the nation - advised via its offical twitter account that passengers not attempt to travel to the airport while Peña Boulevard, the main route to the field, remains unpassable.

It also told passengers already at the airport to stay put.

The decision to close the airport entirely came hours after the storm caused power outages to the field's fuel depot and de-icing facilities, ABC news is reporting.

The airport is currently reporting wind gusts of up to 46 MPH and extremely low visibility.