Colorado, 2004

Winter Weather in Colorado, January 7, 2004

January 7, 2004 · NWS GJT · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

An upper level disturbance moved across western Colorado in a northwest flow and produced 4 to 10 inches of snow across the northern mountains. Local amounts up to 16 inches were measured in the Park Mountains.

Where it happened

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.

  • 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
3

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.

An upper level disturbance moved across western Colorado in a northwest flow and produced 4 to 10 inches of snow across the northern mountains. Local amounts up to 16 inches were measured in the Park Mountains. Winds gusting to around 40 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.

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 7, 3:19 AM MST, 8 hours 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 7, 3:19 AM MST, 8 hours 41 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 7, 5:49 AM MST, 6 hours 11 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

3 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Elkhead and Park Mountains

When
January 7, 12:00 PM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Elkhead and Park Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Flattop Mountains

When
January 7, 12:00 PM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Flattop Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
40.062, -107.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus

When
January 7, 12:00 PM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 5383210, 5383211, 5383212.