Strong upslope flow brought heavy snow to the higher elevations of the eastern San Juan Mountains and La Garita Mountains. Snowfall totaled 22 inches at the summit of Wolf Creek Pass.
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The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
Strong upslope flow brought heavy snow to the higher elevations of the eastern San Juan Mountains and La Garita Mountains. Snowfall totaled 22 inches at the summit of Wolf Creek Pass.
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 7, 4:07 AM MST, 1 hour 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 407 AM MST MON FEB 7 2005 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) ...ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM MOVING INTO COLORADO... NEXT UPSTREAM SYSTEM MOVING INTO WESTERN COLORADO AT THIS HOUR. MAIN JET CORE IS STILL BACK OVER NEVADA AND UTAH...BUT THIS WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST COLORADO LATER THIS MORNING AND THIS AFTERNOON. CHECK OF THE SNOTELS INDICATES NOT MUCH PRECIP HAS MOVED INTO THE MOUNTAINS YET. AREA RADARS AND WOLF CREEK PASS OBSERVATION INDICATE POSSIBLY SOME SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS...BUT JUST NOT STACKING UP YET. SNOWFALL INTENSITY WILL DEFINITELY INCREASE TODAY...AS JET CORE MOVES OVERHEAD AND LAPSE RATES STEEPEN. OROGRAPHIC SNOW MACHINE SHOULD REALLY GET CRANKED UP FOR THOSE HIGH ELEVATION RIDGES ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. SOME OF THIS ENERGY LIKELY TO MAKE ITS WAY AS FAR EAST AS THE SANGRE DE CRISTO RANGE TODAY...BUT MAINLY THE HIGHER SLOPES. ELSEWHERE...REALLY NOT LOOKING FOR TOO MUCH IN THE WAY OF PRECIP. THERE COULD BE A SURPRISE OR TWO...HOWEVER. WITH THE MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES CONTINUING TO RIVAL SPRINGTIME VALUES (H7-H5 VALUES OF 7-8 DEGC/KM ACROSS NEARLY ALL OF SOUTHERN COLORADO)...CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY MAY THROW A SURPRISE OR TWO INTO THE FORECAST. JUST AS THE LAPSE RATES ARE ESCALATING THIS AFTERNOON...THE NOSE OF THE UPPER JET MOVES IN...BRINGING WITH IT AN AREA OF WEAK QG ASCENT. WITH STEEP LAPSE RATES...YOU USUALLY DONT NEED MUCH QG ASCENT TO GET THINGS GOING. SO...COULD END UP POPPING A FEW INTENSE CONVECTIVE SNOW SHOWERS BY LATE IN THE AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF JET AXIS... WHICH WOULD BE PRETTY MUCH ANYWHERE NORTH OF THE RATON RIDGE. TONIGHT...SURPRISINGLY STEEP NOCTURNAL LAPSE RATES CONTINUE. ACCORDING TO THE ETA12...A LARGE AREA OF 8+ DEGC/KM H7-H5 LAPSE RATES WILL COVER THE EASTERN PLAINS...PRETTY MUCH FROM 03Z ON THROUGH THE NIGHT. IN ADDITION...THE 06Z ETA12 RUN HAS THE TROUGH COMING THROUGH JUST A LITTLE BIT FARTHER SOUTH THAN THE PREVIOUS RUN...WHICH ENDS UP DEEPENING THE SURFACE LOW ON THE PLAINS JUST A LITTLE BIT FARTHER SOUTH. THIS ALLOWS THE FRONT TO DROP A LITTLE BIT FARTHER SOUTH TONIGHT...PROVIDING PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT BETTER FRONTAL FOCUS THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. ANYWAY... THE COMBINATION OF THE STEEP LAPSE RATES...THE SURFACE FRONT...AND THE WEAK QG FORCING WITH THE UPPER TROUGH COMING THROUGH...MAY BE ENOUGH TO CONTINUE SOME CONVECTIVE SNOW SHOWERS. I GUESS I COULD EVEN ENVISION MORE ORGANIZED WEST-EAST PRECIP BANDS FORMING AS THE ASCENT MOVES THROUGH AND LIFTS THE LOW LEVEL STRATUS LAYER. SO... DESPITE THE LACK OF MODEL GENERATED PRECIP ON THE PLAINS TONIGHT...WILL HAVE A BROADBRUSH SCATTERED POP (30%) ACROSS THE PLAINS. OROGRAPHICS/LAPSE RATES CONTINUE TO REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR HEAVY SNOW ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...SO THE SNOW SHOULD KEEP FLYING UP THERE. ALSO...THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTOS SHOULD CONTINUE TO PICK UP SNOW FOR THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. LW .LONG TERM... (TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) TUES-THURS...FRONT SURGES INTO THE PLAINS ON TUESDAY AS UPPER TROF MOVES EASTWARD INTO KANSAS BY 0Z. HAVE UPPED POPS ON NORTH SIDE OF PALMER DIVIDE AND IN TELLER COUNTY AS FROPA MAY BRING A QUICK SHOT OF SCATTERED SHOWERS THESE AREAS. OTHERWISE WARNING EXPIRATION OF NOON LOOKS ON TRACK AS SUBSIDENCE AND NW FLOW STILL PROGGED TO MOVE IN QUICKLY JUST AFTER THE NOON HOUR. DROPPED POPS ALL AREAS FOR THE AFTERNOON DOWN TO ISOLATED AS EXPECT ONLY A LINGERING INSTABILITY SHOWER. NOT SURE ABOUT FOG/STRATUS FOR TUES NIGHT...MODELS TRY TO DRY IT OUT PRETTY QUICK THROUGH THE COLUMN BUT SFC ETA12 FIELDS HINTING AT DRAWING BACK A MOIST LAYER AS THE SFC HIGH PUSHES INTO KS AND KEEPS SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW UP THE ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY. ENHANCED DOWNSLOPE NEAR THE MTNS WILL LIKELY KEEP CLOUDS OUT OF THESE AREAS... BUT HAVE KEPT SOME CLOUDS IN THE GRIDS IN THE ARK VALLEY. CONTINUED NORTHWEST FLOW WEDNESDAY REINFORCES THE HIGH PRESSURE INTO THE PLAINS...KEEPING SOUTHEAST SFC FLOW. HAVE KEPT GRIDS SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN GUIDANCE FOR DAY AND THEN INTO OVERNIGHT...WHEN LIGHT WINDS SHOULD BRING GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING MOST AREAS. TRICK AGAIN WILL BE IF CLOUDS DEVELOP IN THE ARK VALLEY GIVEN PERSISTENT SE FLOW. WILL DEPEND ON HOW MUCH MOISTURE CAN MIX OUT DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS. THURSDAY BRINGS SOUTHERLY FLOW TO THE FAR EAST PLAINS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE HIGH...WITH WEAK RIDGING ALOFT. FRI-SUN...DGEX AND GFS STILL DEPICTING SOUTHWEST TROF MOVING ONSHORE AND SPREADING MOISTURE AND PRECIP INTO THE CWA BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND INTO SATURDAY...THEN TRANSITIONING BACK TO A NORTHWEST TO WESTERLY FLOW FOR SUNDAY. CENTERS SUGGESTING ECMWF SOLUTION IS MORE REALISTIC AND WOULD DELAY ONSHORE PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER TROF BY A DAY. CONSIDERING PREVIOUS PERFORMANCES THIS WINTER OF TAKING SOUTHERN SYSTEMS EASTWARD TOO QUICKLY...WILL HOLD OFF ON MAKING ANY CHANGES AND ONLY MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THESE GRIDS FOR CONSISTENCY PURPOSES. KC && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS AND THE EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS (COZ60-68) THROUGH 19Z TUESDAY. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 639 AM MST SUN FEB 6 2005 COZ058>089-093>099-071400- 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- 639 AM MST SUN FEB 6 2005 ...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING TO TUESDAY MORNING FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SAWATCH AND SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A MOIST WEATHER SYSTEM...WILL BRING UP TO 2 INCHES OF WET SNOW TO PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS TODAY...AS IT MOVES FROM NEW MEXICO INTO KANSAS. THIS HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL ACROSS BACA AND PROWERS COUNTIES...WITH LIGHTER AMOUNTS ELSEWHERE. ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM...MOVING IN FROM THE PACIFIC...WILL SPREAD SNOW INTO THE MOUNTAINS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE LATER TONIGHT. THIS INCLUDES THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE EASTERN SAN JUAN AND LA GARITA MOUNTAINS. UP TO 6 INCHES OF NEW SNOW COULD FALL IN THESE AREAS BY EARLY MONDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL MOVE OVER COLORADO MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS OF COLORADO STARTING EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...AND LASTING INTO THE DAYLIGHT HOURS OF TUESDAY. SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE FOR THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FEET...AND FOR THE SAWATCH RANGE ABOVE 11000 FEET. LIGHT TO MODERATE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS AND IN THE PIKES PEAK AREA. WINDS WILL INCREASE OVER ALL OF THE MOUNTAINS IN SOUTHERN COLORADO STARTING SUNDAY NIGHT AND LAST INTO TUESDAY. SUSTAINED WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. IN WIND PRONE AREAS...SUCH AS THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS WEST OF WESTCLIFFE...WINDS COULD GUST TO 50 TO 60 MPH. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL WILL BE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY AS THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM APPROACHES THE STATE FROM THE SOUTH. AT THIS TIME...MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION WITH THIS SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO BE IN THE FORM OF RAIN...WITH SNOW POSSIBLE ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY OVER PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS...AND TONIGHT OVER PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN SAN JUAN AND LA GARITA MOUNTAINS. LW/KC
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, February 2005
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: 5438085, 5438086.