Due to extremely cold and snowy weather conditions, authorities are asking people to not travel to or around the Cody area for the time being.

Around noon on Sunday, Park County Emergency Manager Mart Knapp declared a "weather emergency."

"Due to the strong winds, blowing and drifting snow, and the resulting extremely low visibilities, people in the Cody and the surrounding area are urged to avoid travel," the Park County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post on Knapp's behalf. "The county is also having a hard time keeping area highways open. In addition, the combination of wind and cold temperatures are producing dangerous wind chills."

The Wyoming Department of Transportation urged everyone in the Cody area to stay home and off the roads.

"High winds have virtually closed city and county roads (and) Chief Joseph Scenic Highway is closed," said Cody Beers, regional spokesman for the department, around 11:30 a.m. "It's a very dangerous situation."

As of early Sunday afternoon, the South Fork Highway was also closed at milepost 9, the Sheriff's Office said.

"In addition, numerous county roads are impassible as the snow removal crews cannot keep up with the blowing and drifting snow," said the Sheriff's Office. "County residents are urged to stay home and travel only if it’s an absolute necessity."

The Cody Police Department encouraged local residents to use extreme caution if they ventured outside.

"Please make sure you have the appropriate emergency preparedness items in your vehicle in the event you do become stranded," the department said in a Facebook post.

The National Weather Service says bitterly cold temperatures and wind chill will combine for dangerously low wind chill temperatures into Sunday night; the wind chill is expected to drop as low as minus 25 in Powell. A high wind watch is in place for Cody until Tuesday night.

In Powell, the actual temperature dropped to a low of minus 15 degrees on Sunday morning.