Carlsbad Caverns opens after heavy snowfall

Carlsbad Caverns National Park reopened Wednesday after heavy snowfall shut down the popular New Mexico tourist stop a day earlier.

Carlsbad Caverns' chief of interpretation and education, Marie Marek, said about 80 people were waiting to get into the park when it opened Wednesday morning, compared with the dozen or fewer people typically waiting when the park opens.

However, New Mexico hasn't seen the last of winter weather this week. The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the northwest quarter of the state through Thursday morning. The advisory includes Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Farmington, Gallup, Grants, Taos, Los Alamos and Las Vegas. Forecasters say up to three inches of snow is possible at lower elevations.