A winter storm produced heavy snow over many areas. 22 to 27 inches in southern Chaffee County.
Every event with a place to put it; 15 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
A winter storm produced heavy snow over many areas. Some of the higher reported snow totals with this winter storm were...6 to 8 inches around Walsenburg (Huerfano County)...Colorado City...Beulah...Rye (Pueblo County)...San Isabel (Custer County) and Aguilar (Las Animas County)...9 to 11 inches around Fort Garland (Costilla County)...Climax (Lake County)...Rosita (Custer County)...La Veta (Huerfano County) and Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral County)...14 inches at Cuchara (Huerfano County) and west of Westcliffe (Custer County)...18 inches at Leadville (Lake County)....22 to 27 inches in southern Chaffee County.
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 Dec 5, 4:30 AM MST, 9 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 430 AM MST WED DEC 5 2007 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) SHORT TERM CONCERNS INCLUDE TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION CHANCES TODAY WITH SNOW AMOUNTS ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SW MTS TONIGHT. CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATING MINOR DISTURBANCES EMBEDDED IN THE MODERATE WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE STATE AS A BROAD UPPER TROUGH CONTINUES TO DIG ACROSS THE UPPER GREAT LAKES AND INTO THE CENTRAL CONUS. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY ALSO INDICATING ANOTHER EASTERN PAC SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED 130 KT JET CORE JUST OFF SHORE OF THE PAC NW COAST ATTM. AT THE SFC...POLAR FRONTAL BOUNDARY ASSOCIATED WITH DIGGING CENTRAL CONUS TROUGH CURRENTLY LYING ACROSS NORTHEAST WYOMING THROUGH WESTERN NEBRASKA AND NORTHEAST KANSAS WITH MSAS DATA INDICATING 5-6MB PRESSURE RISES ACROSS EASTERN KANSAS ATTM. TODAY...MINOR EMBEDDED DISTURBANCE CONTINUES TO TRANSLATE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO WITH LEE TROUGHING STRENGTHENING ACROSS THE I-25 CORRIDOR. SFC HIGH PRESSURE AND POLAR FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS WITH LOW LEVEL EASTERLY UPSLOPE FLOW DEVELOPING ACROSS EASTERN COLORADO THROUGH THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON. CENTER OF HIGH AND BULK OF COLD AIR TO REMAIN ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS...WILL SEE TEMPERATURES WARM QUICKLY THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING WITH STEADY OR SLOWLY FALLING TEMPS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE LOWER ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY WITH MODIFIED POLAR AIRMASS FILTERING INTO THE REGION. MODELS CONSISTENT WITH DEVELOPING WAA QPF ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TIER THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING AND HAVE KEPT BEST POPS THERE WITH ONLY LIGHT IF ANY PRECIP EXPECTED. TONIGHT...WESTERLY FLOW PROGGED TO INCREASE ACROSS THE REGION AS STEM MOVING ONSHORE ACROSS THE PAC NW CONTINUES ACROSS THE NORTHERN GREAT BASIN AND INTO THE ROCKIES TONIGHT. MOISTURE DEEPENS ACROSS THE STATE AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM AND WITH GOOD OROGRAPHIC FLOW...SHOULD SEE LIGHT SNOW DEVELOPING ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND SW MTS AFTER MIDNIGHT. SNOW MODEL YIELDING 1-4 INCHES LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT...THOUGH WITH SNOW CONTINUING THROUGH THE DAY THURSDAY...LONG TERM FORECASTER ISSUED A SNOW ADVISORY FOR ZONES 60...66...68 BEGINNING AT 06Z THU. EXPECTING TO SEE MILD OVERNIGHT LOWS ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS AND ADJACENT PLAINS WITH STRENGTHENING SFC GRADIENT AND GUSTY WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20-40 MPH DEVELOPING IN USUAL WIND PRONE AREAS OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO AND WET MTS...AND SOUTHERN I-25 CORRIDOR. WITH WEAK WAA CONTINUING ALOFT...WILL SEE MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE PLAINS...AND HAVE LOWERED POPS WITH ONLY A FEW SPRINKLES OR FLURRIES POSSIBLE. -MW .LONG TERM... (THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ...VERY COMPLEX WEATHER PATTERN THU-SUN... ...PROLONGED HEAVY SNOW CONTINENTAL DIVIDE POSSIBLE THU NIGHT-FRI NIGHT... ...FREEZING DRIZZLE FAR SOUTHEAST CO PLAINS POTENTIAL FRI NIGHT-SAT... THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...WEST-EAST ORIENTED 100-120KT UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK BEGINS TO MOVE INTO THE GREAT BASIN AND CENTRAL ROCKIES. RELATIVELY MOIST AIR MASS HITS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND MAINLY OROGRAPHIC SNOW SHOULD START TO DEVELOP FOR NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTED MOUNTAIN BARRIERS LIKE THE COLLEGIATES...SOME OF THE LA GARITA MOUNTAINS... AND PARTS OF THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS. 700MB TEMPERATURES WILL STILL BE RELATIVELY WARM....AROUND -2C TO 0C...SO ANY SIGNIFICANT SNOW GROWTH WOULD BE AROUND THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS AND PASSES. NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION ANTICIPATED EAST OF THE DIVIDE ON THURSDAY. BY THURSDAY NIGHT...VIGOROUS WEST- EAST 120KT UPPER LEVEL JET IS DIRECTLY OVER THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. OROGRAPHIC DRIVEN SNOWFALL WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE HIGHER TERRAIN. WILL PROBABLY SEE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 6-17 INCHES AROUND THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND QUICKLY TAPER OFF HEADING DOWN IN ELEVATION. PLAN TO KEEP ADVISORY FOR HIGHER CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ZONES...060...066...AND 068 ON THURSDAY. PLAN ON A WINTER STORM WATCH STARTING FOR SAME ZONES THURSDAY NIGHT AS SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL RATES BEGIN. MEANWHILE...THERE HAS BEEN A POTENTIAL OF FRONTOGENETICAL FORCED BAND OF SNOW DEVELOPING TOWARDS PIKES PEAK AND PALMER DIVIDE/COLORADO SPRINGS THURSDAY NIGHT...BUT NAM- WRF HAS BACKED OFF AND IS A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH. VERY SHALLOW CP AIR MASS/FRONTAL BOUNDARY OOZES INTO THE EASTERN CO PLAINS. FRIDAY...120-130KT UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK AND MIDDLE-UPPER LEVEL WINDS BACK TO MORE SOUTHWESTERLY. AN ABUNDANCE OF MOISTURE CONTINUES TO ADVECT INTO WESTERN CO AND CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. THE OROGRAPHIC SNOW MACHINE SHOULD CONTINUE FOR THE HIGHER TERRAIN AS 700MB TEMPERATURES REMAIN AROUND -2C TO 0C. COLD SEE ANOTHER 6-17 INCHES OF SNOW FOR THE HIGHER CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TERRAIN. WINTER STORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR ZONES 060...066...AND 068. MIGHT NEED SNOW ADVISORIES FOR LEADVILLE AND SNOW LOWER ELEVATION INCLUDING THE HIGHER TERRAIN MOUNTAIN PEAKS OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS. THE SHALLOW CP AIR MASS ACROSS EASTERN CO PLAINS WILL BE PROBLEMATIC(FRI AND SAT) FOR HIGH TEMPERATURES. GIVEN THE LACK OF CYCLOGENESIS AND INCREASING PRESSURE GRADIENT...I WOULD LEAN TOWARDS THE SHALLOW COLD AIR TO REMAIN LOCKED INTO THE LOWER AR RIVER VALLEY. THERE MAY ACTUALLY BE QUITE A SURFACE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ACROSS SOUTHEAST CO PLAINS...AROUND 30F LAA AND 50F TRINIDAD. STRATUS/FOG MAY MOVE IN/OR FORM ACROSS THE EASTERN CO PLAINS. VERY TOUGH CALL FOR HIGH TEMPERATURES AND WENT SLIGHTLY BELOW MOS ACROSS SOUTHEAST CO...EXCEPT AROUND THE RATON MESA. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...A WIDE VARIETY OF WEATHER WILL BE LIKELY THESE FORECAST PERIODS. RELATIVELY VIGOROUS MIDDLE-UPPER SOUTHWEST FLOW CONTINUES ACROSS THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. THE STRONGEST OROGRAPHIC DRIVEN SNOWFALL SHIFTS TO AROUND THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS FRIDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER FOOT OF SNOW WILL BE LIKELY FOR WOLF CREEK AND 6-12 INCHES FOR THE LA GARTIA AND COLLEGIATE MOUNTAIN RANGES. AGAIN...WINTER STORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR 060...066...AND 068 FOR FRIDAY NIGHT. STILL MIGHT NEED AN ADVISORY FOR LEADVILLE AND LOWER ELEVATIONS. THERE IS SOME SLIGHT DRYING PROJECTED ON SATURDAY AS THE UPPER LEVEL TOUGH MOVES INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES...BUT WITH THE UPPER LEVEL COLDER TEMPERATURES FLUFFY SNOW SHOWERS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE AROUND THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. MEANWHILE...THE SHALLOW CP AIR MASS/FRONT BOUNDARY OOZES BACK INTO EASTERN CO FRIDAY NIGHT. ISENTROPIC 295K INDICATED ASCENT ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHEASTERN CO PLAINS FRIDAY NIGHT AND WEAKENS DURING SATURDAY MORNING. LIFR/IFR STRATUS/FOG SHOULD DEVELOP ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTHEAST CO PLAINS AND TO THE PALMER DIVIDE. PRECIPITATION TYPE WILL BE A CHALLENGE ONCE AGAIN. MOISTURE IS A LITTLE DEEPER TOWARDS THE I-25 CORRIDOR AND MOUNTAINS...SO LIGHT SNOW/LIGHT RAIN COULD BE POSSIBLE. IT IS POSSIBLE THE MOISTURE COULD REMAIN SHALLOW ENOUGH FOR FREEZING DRIZZLE AT COLORADO SPRINGS/PUEBLO FRIDAY NIGHT PER SOUNDING DATA....BUT WILL HOLD OFF MENTIONING. SOUNDING DATA DOES SUGGEST THE GREATER FREEZING DRIZZLE THREAT OUT AROUND LA JUNTA...EADS...LAMAR...ETC...WITH SHALLOW MOISTURE JUXTAPOSED WITH RELATIVELY DRIER AIR ALOFT FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY MORNING. STILL COULDN/T RULE OUT SOME LIGHT SNOW/LIGHT RAIN MIXING IN WITH THE FREEZING DRIZZLE. MIGHT NEED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE FAR SOUTHEAST CO PLAINS...AND POSSIBLE BACK TOWARDS PUEBLO/COLORADO SPRINGS... FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY MORNING. PRECIPITATION CHANCES MIGHT BE PRETTY SLIM ACROSS OUR EASTERN CO MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHEAST PLAINS SATURDAY AFTERNOON GIVEN THE H7-H5 SIGNIFICANT /DRY/ SLOT WITH SOUTHWEST FLOW. VERY TOUGH CALL. COOLED TEMPERATURES OFF A BIT ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHEAST CO PLAINS...AND I WOULDN/T BE SURPRISED IF THIS AREA DOESN/T GET OUT OF THE 20S SATURDAY WHILE SOMEWHERE AROUND THE RATON MESA IT IS IN THE 50S. SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...LONGWAVE TROUGH MOVES THROUGH THE ROCKIES ON SUNDAY THROUGH POSSIBLY TUESDAY WITH SOME DRYING NOTED. COLD AIR SHOULD REMAIN OVER THE CENTRAL ROCKIES THROUGH THE PERIOD. METZE && .AVIATION... ISOLATED SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TIER OF COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH CLOUDS AND LIGHT PCPN POSSIBLY OBSCG MTS. VFR CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED ELSEWHERE. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND SW MTS TONIGHT...WITH MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS LIKELY BY THURSDAY MORNING. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SNOW ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM MST THURSDAY FOR COZ060-066-068. WINTER STORM WATCH FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT FOR COZ060-066-068. && 23/17
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 622 AM MST WED DEC 5 2007 COZ058>089-093>099-061400- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT- LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT- EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT- CENTRAL CHAFFEE COUNTY BELOW 9000 FT- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST CHAFFEE COUNTY ABOVE 9000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY/EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS BELOW 10000 FT- EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- DEL NORTE VICINITY/NORTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- ALAMOSA VICINITY/CENTRAL SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- SOUTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 8500 AND 11000 FT- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500 FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FEET- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000 FT- WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500 FT/PIKES PEAK BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT-PIKES PEAK ABOVE 11000 FT- CANON CITY VICINITY/EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY- NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/MONUMENT RIDGE/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT- COLORADO SPRINGS VICINITY/SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7400 FT-PUEBLO AND VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FT- WALSENBURG VICINITY/UPPER HUERFANO RIVER BASIN BELOW 7500 FT- TRINIDAD VICINITY/WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY BELOW 7500 FT- CROWLEY COUNTY-LA JUNTA VICINITY/OTERO COUNTY- EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY- EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY- 622 AM MST WED DEC 5 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...WITH SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 4 INCHES POSSIBLE BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE HIGHER TERRAIN ON THURSDAY WITH AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 6 INCHES LIKELY. A MAJOR WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE CENTRAL ROCKY MOUNTAINS THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE WEEKEND...AND POSSIBLY OUT OF THE AREA BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...HIGH VALLEYS...AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. THE GREATEST CHANCE FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL WILL BE ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE EASTERN SAN JUAN...LA GARITA...AND SAWATCH MOUNTAIN RANGES. A COUPLE OF FEET OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS HIGH TERRAIN...ESPECIALLY AROUND WOLF CREEK...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. MINOR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS MAY OCCUR ACROSS THE SANGRE DE CRISTO AND WET MOUNTAINS THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. ALONG THE INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS...A WINTRY MIX OF LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE...LIGHT SNOW...LIGHT SLEET...OR LIGHT RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING. THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL BE EAST OF INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
15 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 2007
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: 69913, 69916, 69917, 69914, 69911, 69912, 69915, 69920, 69923, 69919, 69922, 69924, 69925, 69926, 69927.