Another in a series of weather disturbances impacted southern Colorado. Several inches of snow fell over much of the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
Another in a series of weather disturbances impacted southern Colorado. Several inches of snow fell over much of the area. The heavier snow amounts across the area were 6 inches at Rye in Pueblo county...and near Monument in El Paso county...and 8 inches at Cuchara in Huerfano county.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 19, 1:45 PM MST, 3 hours 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
145 PM MST THU FEB 19 2004
.SHORT TERM...
(TONIGHT AND FRIDAY)
WINTRY MIX PRECIPITATION ANTICIPATED TONIGHT WITH MORE TRANQUIL
WEATHER ON FRIDAY.
CURRENTLY...WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC UPPER AIR ANALYSES SHOWED
VIGOROUS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND ITS ASSOCIATED ULJ RACING(ESTIMATED
SPEED 60 MPH) ACROSS NERN NM HEADING INTO THE CNTRL/SRN PLAINS. SERN
CO IS CURRENTLY IN THE PERFECT LOCATION OF THE SYSTEM FOR
CLOUDS/PRECIPITATION. IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD COLD AIR(CP AIR MASS) IN
PLACE...IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MORE INTERESTING DAY. PLENTY OF
MID/UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE...STEEP LAPSE RATES(H7-H5) 8-9 C/KM...AND
H6-H5 TROWAL(THETA-E RIDGE0 AND INTENSE FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING AT
H6-H5 AND H7-H6 ARE ALL JUXTAPOSED TO PRODUCE CLOUD COVER AND A
PRECIPITATION SHIELD OVER MUCH OF SERN CO THIS AFTN. THE THERMAL
STRUCTURE HAS NOT REALLY SUPPORTED MUCH IN THE WAY OF HEAVY SNOW...SO
FAR...FOR TELLER COUNTY...PALMER DIVIDE AND SERN CO. IN FACT...
PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN ALL LIQUID...WITH A COUPLE OF LIGHTNING
STRIKES...IN SERN CO. ONLY ***SPOTTY*** 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW HAS
FALLEN FROM THE INTENSE SNOW SHOWERS AROUND TELLER AND NRN EL PASO
COUNTIES...THIS MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. ACTUALLY...THE IR SATELLITE
IMAGERY IS SUPPORTING A CLEARING SKY ACROSS SWRN CO...EXCEPT FOR SOME
ISO-SCT INSTABILITY SNOW SHOWERS FORMING OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY.
ANOTHER WEAKER MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS CURRENTLY OVER UT AND
MOVING TOWARDS CO.
TNGT...STRONG LOW SHOULD BE WELL EAST OF CO BY MID EVENING WITH THE
NEXT WEAKER MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE
CNTRL ROCKIES. IN RESPONSE TO THIS SYSTEM...LOW AND MID LEVEL
WINDS SHOULD BE ENHANCED AND OUT OF THE N-NE FOR TONIGHT. MID LEVEL
STATIC STABILITIES BECOME MORE STABLE WITH TIME TONIGHT...SO NOT SURE
HOW MUCH INSTABILITY WILL PLAY A PART IN THE SNOW SHOWERS. IN
FACT...MUCH OF THE CURRENT SFC CONVECTION COULD DIE OUT ACROSS SRN CO
AFTER SUNSET. MESO-ETA WANT TO PRINT OUT ANOTHER ROUND OF
PRECIPITATION FOR THE PALMER DIVIDE AND SERN CO MTNS/FOOTHILLS
TONIGHT. GIVEN THE W-NWLY MID LEVEL FLOW...ALBEIT WEAK...POTENTIAL
FOR SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE IN THE CNTRL MTS. FEEL THE SWRN CO MTS
WILL SEE SOME SCT SNOW SHOWERS...BUT ACCUMULATIONS WILL NOT BE
WIDESPREAD...SO WILL NOT EXTENDED THE ADVISORY. I HAVE DOWNGRADED
THE WINTER STORM WARNING(IN CONJUNCTION WITH NWS BOU) FOR TELLER AND
NRN EL PASO COUNTIES TO A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WITH ANOTHER 1-3
INCHES POSSIBLE IN NRN EL PASO COUNTY AND ANOTHER 2-6 INCHES POSSIBLE
IN TELLER COUNTY. FOR THE SERN CO MTS/FOOTHILLS...WILL BE PUSHING IT
FOR THE ADVISORY...BUT WILL KEEP IT FOR CONTINUITY. IF THE SKY
CLEARS...THEN FOG IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY COULD BE A PROBLEM. TOUGH
CALL AND WILL MAKE IT A LAST MINUTE DECISION.
FRI...N-NWLY FLOW WITH A SHORTWAVE RIDGE MOVES INTO THE CNTRL
ROCKIES ON FRI. PRETTY DECENT H5-H3 DRY SLOT MOVES INTO CO WITH
SOME MOISTURE AT THE SFC-H7...WHICH MIGHT BE OVERDONE IN THE MESO-
ETA. THERE WILL STILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME LINGERING SNOW
SHOWERS IN THE SERN CO MTS/FOOTHILL EARLY FRI MORNING...SO WILL
JUST CONFINE POPS THERE. OTHERWISE...THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST
APPEARS ON TRACK. METZE
.LONG TERM...
(FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY)
COOLER TEMPS AND SOMEWHAT UNSETTLED WEATHER FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK.
DIDNT MAKE ANY BIG CHANGES TO LONG TERM FORECAST. TREND IS FOR
CURRENT SYSTEM TO DEPART...THEN THE UPPER JET REMAINS SOUTH OF THE
AREA AS SERIES OF S/W TROFS RIPPLE THROUGH THE FLOW INTO THE CNTRL US
THROUGH THE WEEK. FIRST BIT OF ENERGY MOVES INTO THE SOUTHWEST
MOUNTAINS EARLY SATURDAY...AND MAY BRING SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS TO
WEST AND CNTRL MTNS. EXPECTING CLOUDY CONDITIONS MOST AREAS SATURDAY
INTO SUNDAY AS TROF PASSES OVER...UPPED OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPS BOTH
NIGHTS TO REFLECT THIS. CURRENT PROGS HAVE WEAK RIDGING ALOFT
MONDAY...THEN NEXT TROF OVER THE AREA TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY GIVES A
RETURN TO SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AS LARGER WESTERN UPPER TROF FINALLY
PUSHES ONSHORE...FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER PACIFIC FROPA. TEMPERATURES
GENERALLY REMAIN NEAR NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. TIMING OF INCOMING
SYSTEMS WILL BE DIFFICULT...BUT LACK OF STRONG ORGANIZED SYSTEM AND
LACK OF DEEP MOISTURE ON THE PLAINS SUGGESTS THAT SCATTERED TO
ISOLATED SHOWERS FOR THE MOUNTAINS...HIGH VALLEYS...AND ADJACENT
PLAINS IS THE WAY TO GO EACH DAY. KC
&&
PUB...WINTER WX ADVISORY FOR TELLER AND N EL PASO
COUNTIES UNTIL 12 AM MST FRIDAY...ZONES 81...82...84
WINTER WX ADVISORY C MTNS UNTIL 12 AM MST FRIDAY...
ZONES 58>61...63
WINTER WX ADVISORY S MTNS/RATON MESA REGION UNTIL 6 AM MST
FRIDAY...72>75...79...80...87...88.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 700 AM MST THU FEB 19 2004 COZ058>089-093>099-201400- ALAMOSA VICINITY/CENTRAL SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- CANON CITY VICINITY/EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY- CENTRAL CHAFFEE COUNTY BELOW 9000 FT- COLORADO SPRINGS VICINITY/SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT-CROWLEY COUNTY- DEL NORTE VICINITY/NORTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY- EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT-LA JUNTA VICINITY/OTERO COUNTY- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY- LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT- NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/MONUMENT RIDGE/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 8500 AND 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500 FT-PIKES PEAK ABOVE 11000 FT- PUEBLO AND VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SOUTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500 FT/PIKES PEAK BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- TRINIDAD VICINITY/WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY BELOW 7500 FT- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY/EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS BELOW 10000 FT- WALSENBURG VICINITY/UPPER HUERFANO RIVER BASIN BELOW 7500 FT- WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT- WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST CHAFFEE COUNTY ABOVE 9000 FT- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FEET-WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000 FT- 700 AM MST THU FEB 19 2004 ...NUMEROUS WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL COLORADO... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A WINTER STORM OVER THE FOUR CORNERS REGION WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST TODAY. THIS WEATHER SYSTEM WAS BRINGING SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS THIS MORNING...AND WILL BRING SNOW TO THE PARTS OF THE PLAINS LATER THIS MORNING...AND LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER THE FAR EAST PLAINS. THE MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS WINTER STORM IS IN NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY WHERE HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED BY THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. A TOTAL OF 4 TO 8 INCHES IS EXPECTED ACROSS THIS REGION. NORTH WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT OVER THE PALMER DIVIDE. WHITE OUT CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR AND TRAVEL ACROSS MONUMENT RIDGE WILL BE VERY HAZARDOUS IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE. PEOPLE PLANNING TRAVEL BETWEEN COLORADO SPRINGS AND DENVER SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR EXTREME WINTER CONDITIONS. OVER THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS...SNOW IS ALREADY FALLING IN MANY LOCATIONS OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN. SNOWFALL WILL GENERALLY RANGE BETWEEN 4 AND 8 INCHES WITH 12 INCH AMOUNTS POSSIBLE IN THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS...THE WET MOUNTAINS...AND SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS. IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...IT WILL ALSO SNOW...WITH 1 TO 4 INCH AMOUNTS EXPECTED. AREAS FROM WALSENBURG SOUTH TO THE COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO BORDER WILL ALSO SEE SOME LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW. ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND LAST THROUGH THE NIGHT. OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE COLORADO PLAINS...RAIN SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP BY LATER THIS MORNING. AS COOLER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION... THE RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WINDS WILL ALSO GET GUSTY ON THE PLAINS...WITH NORTH WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH. DUE TO THE WARM GROUND...SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE BETWEEN A TRACE TO UP TO 3 INCHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE REGION SATURDAY... TUESDAY AND THURSDAY AS A SERIES OF WEATHER SYSTEMS MOVE OFF OF THE EASTERN PACIFIC AND ACROSS THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES. THESE SYSTEMS WILL VARY IN STRENGTH AND THE TIMING WILL BE DIFFICULT BUT EACH ONE WILL OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME WINTRY PRECIPITATION ESPECIALLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS PASSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT. && HODANISH/FORTUNE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1137 AM MST THU FEB 19 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1135 AM SNOW BLACK FOREST 39.05N 104.67W
02/19/2004 1.00 INCH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
STILL SNOWING.
&&
METZEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
244 PM MST THU FEB 19 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0115 PM SNOW 7 NNE BLACK FOREST 39.14N 104.62W
02/19/2004 3.00 INCH ELBERT CO TRAINED SPOTTER
0140 PM SNOW BLACK FOREST 39.05N 104.67W
02/19/2004 3.00 INCH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
0200 PM SNOW MONUMENT 39.07N 104.86W
02/19/2004 1.50 INCH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
METZEThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, February 2004
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5385611, 5385612, 5385613.