Alert archive / Colorado / Winter Storm Watches in 2016

Winter Storm Watch 13, NWS Pueblo, CO

December 9, 2016Chaffee County, Lake County, Saguache County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this winter storm watch at Dec 9, 2016, 3:03 PM MST for Chaffee County, Lake County, Saguache County, Colorado. It took effect at Dec 10, 2016, 2:00 PM MST. It was in force for .

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Dec 9, 2016, 3:03 PM MST (22:03 UTC)
In effect from
Dec 10, 2016, 2:00 PM MST
Expired
Dec 10, 2016, 4:00 AM MST
In force
Issued by
NWS Pueblo, CO

Counties Chaffee County, CO, Lake County, CO, Saguache County, CO

The radar

The Grand Junction radar (KGJX), 173 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:08 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Grand Junction, CO (KGJT), launched 12:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 199 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Grand Junction, CO at 12:00Z on 2016-12-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Grand Junction, CO at 12:00Z on 2016-12-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 58 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1639 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
65 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
58 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
255 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

114 
WWUS45 KPUB 092203
WSWPUB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
303 PM MST FRI DEC 9 2016

COZ058-060-100615-
/O.NEW.KPUB.WS.A.0013.161210T2100Z-161212T0000Z/
WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT-
EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT-
INCLUDING...CLIMAX...BONANZA
303 PM MST FRI DEC 9 2016

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY
AFTERNOON. 

* LOCATION...WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE ABOVE 11000 FEET AND THE
  EASTERN SAWATCH RANGE ABOVE 11000 FEET.

* CAUSE AND TIMING...SNOW WILL DEVELOP LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND
  BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES SATURDAY NIGHT INTO MIDDAY SUNDAY. SNOWFALL
  WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF TO FLURRIES AND SNOW SHOWERS BY LATE
  SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...12 TO 18 INCHES...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS
  ON WEST FACING SLOPES OF THE SAWATCH RANGE.

* WIND...WEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 50 MPH. 

* IMPACT...THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL
  CREATE VERY LOW VISIBILITY...ESPECIALLY ABOVE TIMBERLINE. ROADS
  OVER HIGH MOUNTAIN PASSES...INCLUDING FREMONT PASS...MONARCH
  PASS AND TENNESSEE PASS WILL BECOME SNOWPACKED AND
  HAZARDOUS...WITH VERY DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS POSSIBLE. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW ACCUMULATION THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE
LATEST FORECASTS.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
977 
WWUS45 KPUB 100146
WSWPUB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
646 PM MST FRI DEC 9 2016

COZ058-060-101200-
/O.CON.KPUB.WS.A.0013.161210T2100Z-161212T0000Z/
WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT-
EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT-
INCLUDING...CLIMAX...BONANZA
646 PM MST FRI DEC 9 2016

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

* LOCATION...EASTERN SAWATCH AND WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGES ABOVE
  11000 FEET...INCLUDING FREMONT AND MONARCH PASSES.

* CAUSE AND TIMING...A MOIST PACIFIC JET STREAM WILL PRODUCE
  HEAVY BLOWING SNOW FROM LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MIDDAY
  SUNDAY...DECREASING SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...12 TO 18 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
  POSSIBLE.

* WIND...WEST 20 TO 30 OCCASIONALLY GUSTING TO 50 MPH.

* IMPACT...TRAVEL WILL BE HAZARDOUS DUE TO HEAVY BLOWING SNOW...POOR
  VISIBILITIES AND ICY OR SNOW COVERED ROADS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THAT SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS
ARE POSSIBLE. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

&&

$$
513 
WWUS45 KPUB 101100
WSWPUB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
400 AM MST SAT DEC 10 2016

COZ058-060-101900-
/O.UPG.KPUB.WS.A.0013.161210T2100Z-161212T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KPUB.WS.W.0012.161210T2100Z-161211T1800Z/
WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT-
EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT-
INCLUDING...CLIMAX...BONANZA
400 AM MST SAT DEC 10 2016

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
11 AM MST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM
2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 11 AM MST SUNDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS
NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* LOCATION...EASTERN SAWATCH AND WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGES ABOVE 
  11000 FEET...INCLUDING FREMONT AND MONARCH PASSES. 

* CAUSE AND TIMING...A MOIST PACIFIC JET STREAM WILL PRODUCE HEAVY
  SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY
  MORNING.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...8 TO 18 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
  POSSIBLE. 

* WIND...WEST 20 TO 40 OCCASIONALLY GUSTING TO 60 MPH ACROSS THE
  HIGHER PEAKS AND PASSES.

* IMPACT...TRAVEL CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
  REMAIN DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING AS ROADS
  BECOME SNOWPACKED AND VISIBILITIES DROP TO UNDER 1/2 MILE IN
  BLOWING SNOW.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING.  SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF
SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN
AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...
FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

&&

$$

COZ059-061-101900-
/O.NEW.KPUB.WW.Y.0031.161210T2100Z-161211T1800Z/
LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT-
WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT-
INCLUDING...LEADVILLE...ALPINE...GRANITE...ST ELMO
400 AM MST SAT DEC 10 2016

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
11 AM MST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 11 AM MST SUNDAY.

* LOCATION...THE SAWATCH RANGE BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FEET...AND
  CENTRAL LAKE COUNTY INCLUDING LEADVILLE. 

* CAUSE AND TIMING...A MOIST PACIFIC JET STREAM WILL PRODUCE HEAVY
  SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY
  MORNING.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...4 TO 8 INCHES WITH LOCAL AMOUNTS UP TO 10
  INCHES. 

* WIND...WEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AT TIMES. 

* IMPACT...TRAVEL CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE LATE THIS AFTERNOON
  AND ESPECIALLY TONIGHT DUE TO A COMBINATION OF MODERATE TO
  HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Pueblo, CO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 9, 3:06 AM MSTWinter Weather AdvisoryPUBChaffee, Lake, Saguache9 hr

Nearby

Winter Storm Watches in Colorado, 2016Every winter storm watch in 2016

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.