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A moisture-packed, slow-moving winter storm dumped record snowfall and brought Albuquerque and much of the state to a standstill today.

Countless airline flights had to be canceled and thousands of motorists were stranded by snows ranging from a few inches to more than 3 feet.

Parts of the metro area had 2 feet of wet, heavy snow, according to the National Weather Service.

At Albuquerque International Sunport, snowfall through 10 p.m. Friday measured 10.5 inches. That topped a record set Dec. 15, 1959 as the most in a calendar day, and boosted the December total to the highest monthly amount ever.

By early this morning, the Sunport had 13 inches of snow, and was expecting another 3-4 inches today, said meteorologist Tim Shy.

But it isn't the fluffy stuff, he said, warning that it won't be easy to shovel. "This is a prime setup for people with limited physical abilities to overdo it," he said.

The heavy snow snapped tree branches and caused power outages throughout the city.

I-25 was closed from Albuquerque to Colorado, I-40 was barricaded between from Albuquerque to Grants as well as from Albuquerque to the Texas border, and many other roads were snow-packed and hazardous.

Three airlines, Southwest, American and Northwest, shut down operations Friday at Albuquerque International Sunport because of the storm. Continental and U.S. Airways remained in operation, according to an employee at the airport's communications center.

Officials could not provide information on how many flights had been canceled because of the storm that continued to dump snow on Albuquerque late Friday night.

"I've lost count; I don't have that many fingers and toes," said an employee at the center.

An employee at a Southwest Airlines reservation center in Texas said the airline closed operations at the Albuquerque airport at about 3 p.m. Friday due to limited de-icing supplies and winter conditions.

"It's been very treacherous, icy, snow-packed, very limited visibility," state Department of Public Safety spokesman Peter Olson said Friday.

The snow-packed highways also stranded many motorists. Shelters were set up at schools and churches, including Moriarty High School and Clayton Baptist Church.

In Albuquerque, airport spokesman Daniel Jiron advised travelers to call individual airlines to find out if a flight has been delayed or canceled.

By mid-afternoon Friday, the storm was packing its most serious punch in the central part of the state, the weather service reported. The Pecos area received more than 3 feet of snow, while Madrid got more than 2 feet.

Working the front desk at the Buckaroo Motel in Tucumcari, Amber Meguire said Friday that the motel has rented out eight of their nine rooms to stranded motorists, mainly from Amarillo.

"It's snowing now, but it's dangerous because (the roads) are starting to ice up," said Meguire. "People have been coming in saying they've tried all the other places in town, looking for a room."

Hoping to head home after taking second place at a tournament in West Las Vegas, the Deming Wildcats 16-man wrestling team made it slightly past Santa Fe before they had to turn around and stay at a motel on Thursday. The roads hadn't improved by Friday, so the team will stay an additional night at another motel with an indoor pool.

"I think everybody is making the best of it," coach Jesse Padron told the Santa Fe New Mexican. "All the kids and us would like to be home with their families, especially during this time, but we're having a good time."

In Santa Fe, state offices were closed. Rio Rancho closed all city facilities due to road conditions. In Albuquerque, most Bernalillo County offices were open except for several community centers in the East Mountain areas, and employees were given the option to leave work early, said Marie Quintero, public information technician for the county.

Many businesses closed in Albuquerque today, as was Metro Court. Misdemeanor arraignments scheduled today will be held at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, said court spokeswoman Janet Blair, with felony first appearances to follow.

The storm is expected to taper off tonight, followed by cold, sunny weather. But by Monday another storm will begin rolling in from the Pacific Northwest, with yet another on its heels.