Heavy Snow in Colorado, January 20, 2004

Name: Heavy Snow in Colorado, January 20, 2004
Start: 2004-01-20T00:30
End: 2004-01-20T13:00
Location: Colorado

January 20, 2004 · NWS PUB · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A storm system produced some moderate snow amounts to select areas of southern Colorado. and 6 miles west of Poncha Springs in Chaffee county.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 PUB wrote it up.

A storm system produced some moderate snow amounts to select areas of southern Colorado. Some of the higher reported snow totals include 6 inches 6 miles east of Monument in El Paso county...7 inches in Rye in Pueblo county and Cuchara in Huerfano county...and an isolated amount of 8 inches 6 miles north-northwest of Black Forest in El Paso county...and 6 miles west of Poncha Springs in Chaffee county.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: January 20, 12:30 AM MST to 1:00 PM MST
Where: Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: January 20, 12:30 AM MST to 1:00 PM MST
Where: Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.426, -104.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft

When: January 20, 12:30 AM MST to 1:00 PM MST
Where: Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.110, -105.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Ft

When: January 20, 12:30 AM MST to 1:00 PM MST
Where: Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.747, -106.194 (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: 5382286, 5382287, 5382288, 5382289.