A strong low pressure system preceded by a deep and moist southwest flow brought a prolonged period of winter weather and widespread heavy snow to western Colorado.
Every event with a place to put it; 21 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 GJT wrote it up.
A strong low pressure system preceded by a deep and moist southwest flow brought a prolonged period of winter weather and widespread heavy snow to western Colorado.
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 Dec 21, 3:28 PM MST, 6 hours 32 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
328 PM MST SUN DEC 21 2008
.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...
MODELS CONTINUED TO INDICATE A STRONG WINTER STORM WILL MOVE THROUGH
THE AREA IN THE MONDAY TUESDAY TIME FRAME. WILL ATTEMPT TO SORT OUT
DETAILS FURTHER WITH THIS LATEST FORECAST ISSUANCE.
DEEP PACIFIC TROF PROGGED TO MOVE ONSHORE TONIGHT SETTING UP
SOUTHWEST FLOW AT THE MID-LEVELS RESULTING IN AN OVERRUNNING REGIME.
CONCURRENTLY...A WEAK SHORTWAVE TROF SWEEPS ACROSS THE AREA FROM
THE WEST PROVIDING JUST A BIT MORE LIFT. AS A RESULT...LIGHT SNOW
WILL BEGIN...ENVELOPING MUCH OF THE CWFA BY MORNING.
ON MONDAY...THE PACIFIC TROF AXIS SWINGS EASTWARD INTO THE GREAT
BASIN WITH 130 KT JET MOVING THROUGH THE BASE OF THE SYSTEM. NOSE OF
THE JET WILL MOVE ACROSS THE FOUR CORNERS AND INTO THE SAN JUAN
MOUNTAINS BY 00Z TUESDAY. DIFFLUENCE AND DIVERGENCE ASSOCIATED WITH
THE LEFT EXIT REGION OF THE JET COMBINED WITH STRONG SOUTHWEST
FLOW WILL ENHANCE SNOWFALL ACROSS THE REGION...MOST NOTABLY FAVORING
SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES. TEMPERATURE ADVECTION BECOMES MORE NEUTRAL
WITH COLDER AIR MOVING IN ALOFT BRINGING SLIGHTLY STEEPER LAPSE
RATES. SOUTH WINDS AT THE SURFACE COMBINED WITH FAVORABLE DYNAMIC
LIFT SHOULD YIELD IMPRESSIVE SNOWFALL ACROSS THE SAN JUANS AND THE
SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAIN ZONES. IN ADDITION...THE DURANGO AND PAGOSA
SPRINGS AREAS SHOULD ALSO BE HEAVILY IMPACTED. THEREFORE WILL
UPGRADE THE WATCH TO A WARNING FOR THE FOUR CORNERS AREA BEGINNING
MONDAY AFTERNOON. BANKING ON SOUTHWEST FLOW MOVING OVER COLD DOME
IN THE GUNNISON BASIN TO BRING PROLONGED PERIODS OF SNOW EARLY
THIS WEEK...SO WILL UPGRADE THIS AREA TO WARNING ALSO.
STORM WILL FURTHER INTENSIFY MONDAY NIGHT AS COLD FRONT SWEEPS
NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE CWFA. NAM A BIT QUICKER WITH
FROPA AND TIMING MAY IMPACT TOTALS TO SOME DEGREE FOR THE NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS WHERE ONSET OF WEST AND NORTHWEST FLOW IS MORE CRITICAL.
HOWEVER...LARGE SCALE LIFT REMAINS IMPRESSIVE AS DEEP TROF STAYS
JUST WEST OF THE CWFA. TROF AXIS SWEEPS ACROSS THE REGION TUESDAY
CARRYING COLD POOL ALOFT OVER THE REGION. THIS WILL RESULT IN MUCH
STEEPER LAPSE RATES WHICH WILL ENHANCE SNOW PRODUCTION. OROGRAPHIC
LIFT FROM NORTHWEST FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO BRING SNOWFALL TO THE
MOUNTAINS WHILE TROF PASSAGE HELPS WITH SNOW IN THE LOWER
ELEVATIONS. MAY YET NEED SOME ADVISORIES FOR SOME CENTRAL VALLEY
LOCATIONS...BUT GREAT UNCERTAINTY WITH RESPECT TO TIMING AND
AMOUNTS...SO WILL HOLD OFF FOR NOW.
OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE A BIT MILDER TONIGHT AND MONDAY NIGHT DUE TO
BLANKETING CLOUDS. DAYTIME HIGHS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL MONDAY...BEFORE
DIPPING A FEW DEGREES BEHIND THE COLD FRONT ON TUESDAY.
.LONG TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...
SNOWFALL QUICKLY DIMINISHES TUESDAY NIGHT...BUT THE WESTERN TROUGH
QUICKLY RELOADS FOR MORE SNOWFALL THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS. ANOTHER
WEAK WAVE PASSES ON THE 24TH AND THE BOUNDARY LAYER REMAINS VERY
MOIST INTO THURSDAY WITH WEAK DISTURBANCES PASSING. LIGHT SNOWFALL
IS LIKELY IN THE MTNS WITH A CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOWFALL IN THE
VALLEYS. IT COULD BE A QUITE PICTURESQUE CHRISTMAS. BUT THE NEXT
STRONGER TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT APPROACH THURSDAY NIGHT
AND PASSING ON FRIDAY. THE GFS IS SLOWER AND MORE CLOSED WITH THIS
SYSTEM COMPARED TO THE MORE PROGRESSIVE EC. BUT KEPT LINGERING
SHOWERS INTO SATURDAY WITH A STORM BREAK EXPECTED FOR NEXT SUNDAY.
&&
.AVIATION...
VFR CONDITIONS WILL DOMINATE THROUGH MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. CEILINGS WILL
LOWER AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT WITH SNOW SHOWERS DEVELOPING BY MONDAY
MORNING. MVFR LOCALLY IFR CONDITIONS MONDAY MORNING WILL DIMINISH TO
PREDOMINANTLY IFR OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND HIGH VALLEYS...WITH MVFR
CONDS EXPECTED FOR THE LOWER VALLEYS...INCLUDING KGJT AND KMTJ.
FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL BRING LIFR CONDITIONS TO ALL AIRPORTS FOR AT
LEAST A FEW HOURS...SEVERAL HOURS IN AGE AND ASE.
&&
.GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
.CO...WINTER STORM WARNING MONDAY THROUGH MIDNIGHT TUESDAY
NIGHT FOR THE WESTERN COLORADO MOUNTAINS...ZONES
3/4/9/10/12/13/17/18/19.
WINTER STORM WARNING MONDAY THROUGH 6 PM TUESDAY
FOR THE FOUR CORNERS REGION AND THE UPPER GUNNISON
RIVER BASIN...ZONES 14/21/22/23.
WINTER STORM WATCH MONDAY THROUGH MIDNIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT
FOR THE CENTRAL COLORADO RIVER BASIN...ZONE 8.
.UT...WINTER STORM WARNING MONDAY THROUGH MIDNIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT
FOR THE LA SAL AND ABAJO MOUNTAINS...ZONE 28.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MONDAY THROUGH 6 PM TUESDAY
FOR THE EASTERN TAVAPUTS PLATEAU...ZONE 25.
SHORT TERM.....NL
LONG TERM......JOE
AVIATION.......JOEHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 545 AM MST SUN DEC 21 2008 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-221245- ANIMAS RIVER BASIN-ARCHES/GRAND FLAT-CANYONLANDS/NATURAL BRIDGES- CENTRAL COLORADO RIVER BASIN- CENTRAL GUNNISON AND UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER BASIN- CENTRAL YAMPA RIVER BASIN-DEBEQUE TO SILT CORRIDOR- EASTERN UINTA BASIN-EASTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS- ELKHEAD AND PARK MOUNTAINS-FLAT TOPS- FOUR CORNERS/UPPER DOLORES RIVER- GORE AND ELK MOUNTAINS/CENTRAL MOUNTAINS-GRAND AND BATTLEMENT MESAS- GRAND VALLEY-LA SAL AND ABAJO MOUNTAINS-LOWER YAMPA RIVER BASIN- NORTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-PARADOX VALLEY/LOWER DOLORES RIVER- ROAN AND TAVAPUTS PLATEAUS-SAN JUAN RIVER BASIN-SOUTHEAST UTAH- SOUTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-TAVAPUTS PLATEAU- UNCOMPAHGRE PLATEAU AND DALLAS DIVIDE-UPPER GUNNISON RIVER VALLEY- UPPER YAMPA RIVER BASIN-WEST ELK AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS- 545 AM MST SUN DEC 21 2008 ...WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND HIGH VALLEYS OF WESTERN COLORADO AND EASTERN UTAH MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FEW SNOW SHOWERS WILL FALL OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO TODAY AND TONIGHT...OTHERWISE DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/GJT FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ACTIVE WINTER WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE REGION THROUGH FRIDAY. ONE STORM WILL CONTINUE TO BRING WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL TO THE MOUNTAINS AND HIGH VALLEYS OF EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. A SECOND STORM WILL BRING MORE SNOWFALL TO THE REGION ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND WILL THROUGH FRIDAY. TRAVEL INTO THE HIGH COUNTRY WILL REMAIN HAZARDOUS. TRAVELERS CAN EXPECT PERIODS OF LOW VISIBILITY AND ICY AND SNOWPACKED ROADS OVER THE MOUNTAIN PASSES...AS WELL AS VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TONIGHT...THOUGH SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW AMOUNTS. AS/JDC
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
14 winter storm, 7 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall of 1 to 2 feet occurred while wind gusts of 20 to 45 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 12 to 17 inches occurred above the 7500 foot level while 5 to 12 inches of new snow fell at lower elevations. Wind gusts of 25 to 45 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 3 to 5 inches occurred while wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 10 to 26 inches occurred while wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 10 to 14 inches occurred while frequent wind gusts of 30 to 55 mph produced blowing and drifting snow. A peak wind gust of 65 mph was recorded on Mount Abrahms.
Snowfall of 10 to 25 inches occurred while frequent wind gusts of 30 to 60 mph produced blowing and drifting snow. A peak wind gust of 91 mph was recorded on Eagle Mountain. Several avalanches occurred throughout the storm, some of which caused temporary road closures near Red Mountain Pass and Molas and Coalbank passes.
Snowfall of 10 to 18 inches occurred while wind gusts of 25 to 45 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 1 to 2 feet occurred while wind gusts of 15 to 25 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 1 to 2 feet occurred while wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 3 to 6 inches occurred while wind gusts of 20 to 35 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 5 to 8 inches occurred while wind gusts of 15 to 25 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 5 to 12 inches occurred.
Widespread snowfall of 2 to 4 inches occurred while wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 5 to 12 inches occurred while wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 1 to 2 feet occurred while wind gusts of 15 to 25 mph produced blowing and drifting snow. Snowfall amounts in the Pagosa Springs area were around 2 feet.
Snowfall of 6 to 7 inches blanketed the majority of the area while wind gusts of 15 to 25 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 2 to 5 inches occurred while wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 12 to 26 inches occurred while wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph produced blowing and drifting snow. Travel along Interstate 70 was severely impacted and Vail Pass was closed for a period of time.
Snowfall of 6 to 9 inches blanketed the western portion of the area, including downtown Grand Junction. Traffic was severely hampered and numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the slippery roads. Interstate 70 was closed for a period of time from 24 Road to Horizon Drive.
Widespread snowfall of 3 to 5 inches occurred with locally higher amounts up to 8 inches in the Paradox area. Wind gusts of 20 to 35 mph produced blowing and drifting snow.
Widespread snowfall of 3 to 6 inches occurred with locally higher amounts around 8 inches in the Cedaredge and Paonia areas. Gusty winds reaching speeds of 20 to 30 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 2008
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: 144560, 144569, 144548, 144567, 144570, 144572, 144559, 144564, 144565, 144582, 144584, 144555, 144558, 144575, 144577, 144547, 144580, 144562, 144546, 144557, 144556.