Heavy Snow in Colorado, January 1 to 3, 2004

Name: Heavy Snow in Colorado, January 1 to 3, 2004
Start: 2004-01-01T18:00
End: 2004-01-03T23:00
Location: Colorado

January 1 to 3, 2004 · NWS GJT · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

A very moist and potent Pacific storm produced 6 to 12 inches of snow in most lower elevation areas of western Colorado. Some heavier amounts included 25 inches three miles west of Pagosa Springs, 19 inches near Doyleville, 17 inches one mile southeast of Steamboat Springs, and 16 inches six miles southeast of Norwood.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

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 Grand Junction, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 1, 3:04 PM MST, 2 hours 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 1, 3:04 PM MST, 2 hours 56 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 1, 4:45 AM MST, 13 hours 15 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Central Yampa River Basin

When: January 1, 6:00 PM MST to January 3, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Central Yampa River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.361, -107.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Animas River Basin

When: January 1, 6:00 PM MST to January 3, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Animas River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.287, -107.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Central Colorado River Basin

When: January 1, 6:00 PM MST to January 3, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Central Colorado River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin

When: January 1, 6:00 PM MST to January 3, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.737, -107.907 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Debeque to Silt Corridor

When: January 1, 6:00 PM MST to January 3, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Debeque to Silt Corridor forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.308, -108.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin

When: January 1, 6:00 PM MST to January 3, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.698, -108.507 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Grand Valley

When: January 1, 6:00 PM MST to January 3, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Grand Valley forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.308, -108.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Paradox Valley / Lower Dolores River Basin

When: January 1, 6:00 PM MST to January 3, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Paradox Valley / Lower Dolores River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.294, -108.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, San Juan River Basin

When: January 1, 6:00 PM MST to January 3, 11:00 PM MST
Where: San Juan River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.194, -107.048 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Upper Gunnison River Valley

When: January 1, 6:00 PM MST to January 3, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Upper Gunnison River Valley forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.535, -107.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Upper Yampa River Basin

When: January 1, 6:00 PM MST to January 3, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Upper Yampa River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.485, -106.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Colorado in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Colorado, January 2004

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5383498, 5383499, 5383500, 5383501, 5383502, 5383503, 5383504, 5383505, 5383506, 5383507, 5383508.