Colorado, 2005

Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Colorado, January 3 to 5, 2005

January 3 to 5, 2005 · NWS PUB · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A winter storm deposited heavy snow over parts of southern Colorado as well as respectable ice accumulations over parts of southeast Colorado. 26 inches of snow at the summit of Wolf Creek Pass in Mineral County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 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
13

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 winter storm deposited heavy snow over parts of southern Colorado as well as respectable ice accumulations over parts of southeast Colorado. Some of the heavier precipitation reports follow: 5 inches of snow was noted at Crestone in Saguache County...8 inches occurred at Poncha Passin Saguache County...12 inches of snow 10 miles southwest of Creede in Mineral County...14 inches of snow 3 miles south of South Fork in Rio Grande County...26 inches of snow at the summit of Wolf Creek Pass in Mineral County.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 ice storm, 5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft

When
January 3, 6:00 AM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When
January 3, 6:00 AM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Ft

When
January 3, 6:00 AM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.832, -106.332 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When
January 3, 6:00 AM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.778, -106.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Western Kiowa County

When
January 3, 1:00 PM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Western Kiowa County forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.433, -102.740 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Eastern Kiowa County

When
January 3, 1:00 PM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Eastern Kiowa County forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.433, -102.740 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Bent County

When
January 3, 1:00 PM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Bent County forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.955, -103.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Lamar Vicinity / Prowers County

When
January 3, 1:00 PM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Lamar Vicinity / Prowers County forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.955, -102.393 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Crowley County

When
January 3, 1:00 PM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Crowley County forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.327, -103.785 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, La Junta Vicinity / Otero County

When
January 3, 1:00 PM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
La Junta Vicinity / Otero County forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.903, -103.716 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Eastern Las Animas County

When
January 3, 1:00 PM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Eastern Las Animas County forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.316, -104.039 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Springfield Vicinity / Baca County

When
January 3, 1:00 PM MST to January 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Springfield Vicinity / Baca County forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.319, -102.560 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Del Norte Vicinity / Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft

When
January 4, 5:00 PM MST to January 5, 7:00 AM MST
Where
Del Norte Vicinity / Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.832, -106.332 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, January 2005

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5434360, 5434365, 5434367, 5434368, 5434361, 5434362, 5434363, 5434364, 5434369, 5434370, 5434371, 5434372, 5434366.