and the eastern Sawatch Range. 17 inches on Monarch Pass (Chaffee County) and 29 inches near the summit of Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral County).
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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.
Another in a series of winter storms produced blizzard conditions and copious amounts of snow to the eastern San Juan and La Garita Mountains...the Upper Rio Grande Valley...and the eastern Sawatch Range. Some of the higher snow totals were...17 inches on Monarch Pass (Chaffee County) and 29 inches near the summit of Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral County). This heavy snow was accompanied by winds gusting to 70 mph at times.
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 24, 3:30 PM MST, 9 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 330 PM MST WED DEC 24 2008 .SHORT TERM... (TONIGHT AND THURSDAY) FORECAST CONCERNS ARE PLENTIFUL. FIRST CONCERN WILL BE TIMING AND MAGNITUDE OF WESTERN MOUNTAIN SNOWS STARTING LATER TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. THEN POTENTIAL FOR STRONG WIND GUSTS LOWER EASTERN SLOPES OF THE SE MTS/ADJACENT PLAINS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. UPPER TROF OFF THE WEST COAST OF CA BEGINNING TO MOVE ONSHORE AS NEXT KICKER UPPER LOW DIGS DOWN THE WEST COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. CLOUDS BEGINNING TO INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE CONTDVD AREAS. HOWEVER WEB CAMS AND HIGHER MTN AWOSS NOT REPORTING ANY SNOW JUST YET. EXPECT THIS WILL CHANGE OVER THE NEXT 3-6 HRS AS PCPN IS RAPIDLY SPREADING EASTWARD ACROSS CA/SRN NV WRN AZ IN AREA RADARS AHEAD OF THIS FIRST WAVE. MODELS ARE STILL RAMPING UP THE SNOW ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST MTS AFTER 06Z AS JET MAX AHEAD OF FIRST TROF BEGINS TO NOSE INTO SW CO. BOTH NAM/GFS PRINTING OUT FROM 2-6 INCHES IN THE 6 HR PERIOD THROUGH 12Z ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MTS. THIS IS LIKELY DRIVEN MOSTLY BY OROGRAPHICS AS BEST DYNAMIC FORCING IS STILL TO THE SOUTH AND LAPSE RATES NOT TERRIBLY STEEP YET. IN FACT 18Z NAM SEEMS TO HAVE DELAYED HEAVIER SNOW UNTIL LATER THURS MORNING WHICH LOOKS REASONABLE. DO NOT PLAN TO CHANGE HEADLINES THOUGH AND WILL LEAVE THE START TIME AT 07Z AS COVERAGE OF SNOW SHOULD BE RAMPING UP BY THEN. ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS/PLAINS...LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER BRIEF MARGINAL SET UP FOR A MTN WAVE...BUT ONLY BRIEFLY AS 120KT UPPER JET EVENTUALLY MOVES IN ALOFT AND FORWARD SHEAR INCREASES. LEE TROF STRENGTHENS IN RESPONSE TO INCOMING SYSTEM WITH H7 WINDS INCREASING TO AROUND 50 KTS BY LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON (THIS IS WHEN FORWARD SHEAR INCREASES AS WELL). WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE SOME NEAR HIGH WIND CRITERIA GUSTS ALONG THE LOWER EASTERN SLOPES OF THE SE MTS...ESPECIALLY JUST NORTH OF WALSENBURG WHERE WINDS WILL CHANNEL THROUGH THE GAPS (MUCH LIKE THE LAST EVENT). WINDS WILL ALSO BE ON THE INCREASE ACROSS THE SE PLAINS AS WELL WHERE GUSTS UP TO 40 TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE BY AFTN...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SE CORNER. WINDS WILL KEEP MINS WARM TONIGHT WITH MTN PEAKS LIKELY WARMER THAN THEIR COLDER VALLEY COUSINS THANKS TO WAA ALOFT. LOWER EASTERN SLOPES WILL ALSO STAY WARM DUE TO ENHANCED WESTERLY DRAINAGE WINDS. BY THURSDAY...SNOW SHOULD REALLY GET GOING IN THE WESTERN MTNS WHERE REMAINDER OF ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS FOR THE CENTRAL MTS/WRN VALLEYS GO INTO AFFECT. NAM PUTS AROUND A FOOT OF SNOW THROUGH THE 12 HR PERIOD ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MTS...WITH 3-6 ACROSS THE SAWATCH RANGE AND LA GARITA MTS. BY THIS TIME...JET CORE ASSOC WITH WEAKENING TROF WILL BE SHOOTING OFF TO THE EAST ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS...BUT AREA WILL COME UNDER THE NOSE OF THE NEXT JET ASSOC WITH TROF DIGGING INTO THE GREAT BASIN BY 00Z FRI. CAA ALOFT WILL HELP STEEPEN THE LAPSE RATES IN THE AFTN AS WELL...SO CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY DURING THE AFTN. WINDS INCREASE ACROSS THE WRN MTS..ESPECIALLY INTO THE EVENING HOURS WHICH RAISES CONCERNS FOR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS (SEE DISCUSSION BELOW). MEANWHILE...MAY SEE A FEW WAVES OF SNOW MOVE ACROSS THE VALLEY AND INTO THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MTS...BUT NOT LOOKING FOR A WHOLE LOT OF ACCUMULATION AT THIS POINT. THIS MAY COME LATER AS TROF EDGES CLOSER. WINDS SHOULD HELP MAX TEMPS ON THE PLAINS CLIMB INTO THE 50S...WHILE WRN MTS STAY IN THE 20S/30S. SO WHILE THE WESTERN HALF THE FCST AREA WILL BE EXPERIENCING A WHITE CHRISTMAS...THE EASTERN HALF WILL SEE ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES WITH DRY AND VERY WINDY CONDITIONS. -KT .LONG TERM... (THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ...BLIZZARD SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS THURSDAY NIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY... MODELS INDICATE A BLIZZARD FOR THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE EASTERN SAN JUAN...LA GARITA AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS FOR THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING. A 130+ KNOT JET STREAK WILL MOVE ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. AS IT MOVES ACROSS...WINDS AT THE H5 LEVEL WILL REACH 80-90 KNOTS...WITH SOME OF THIS MOMENTUM REACHING THE SURFACE. GUIDANCE INDICATES POTENTIAL FOR SUSTAINED 36-38 KNOTS AT KCPW LATE THURSDAY NIGHT/EARLY FRIDAY. BELIEVE THERE IS GOOD POTENTIAL FOR GUSTS EXCEEDING 43 KNOTS (50 MPH) FOR 3 HOURS OR MORE. COMBINED WITH HEAVY OROGRAPHIC/DYNAMIC SNOW THAT WILL BE FALLING...BLIZZARD CONDITIONS SHOULD ENSUE. PER COORDINATION WITH GRAND JUNCTION OFFICE...A BLIZZARD WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...INCLUDING THE PASSES. TRAVEL WILL LIKELY BECOME IMPOSSIBLE LATER THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY. DELAY TRAVEL PLAINS BY ABOUT 24 HOURS IF POSSIBLE. STILL A CHANCE FOR SOME LIGHT SNOW SHIFTING TO THE PLAINS LATER FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...NOT LOOKING REAL PROMISING AT THIS POINT. WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP SOME LOW TO MID GRADE POPS IN THERE AS MODELS HAVE BEEN OSCILLATING ON THIS A LITTLE FROM RUN TO RUN...BUT LATEST RUNS HAVE LITTLE IF ANY UPSLOPE TO SUPPORT ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT ACROSS THE PLAINS. THERE IS A SMALL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY WHEN THE FRONT SHIFTS SOUTH FRIDAY EVENING...WHEN SOME AREAS COULD SEE A BRIEF SNOW SHOWER DURING PASSAGE. A MILD ZONAL FLOW PATTERN SETS UP OVER THE WEEKEND...CONTINUING INTO NEXT WEEK. MAY HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH WINDS...BUT LITTLE IN THE WAY OF COLD AIR OR SNOW TO DEAL WITH. GUESS WE CAN TAKE BREATH NOW. LW && .AVIATION... MTN OBSCURATIONS WILL LOWER ACROSS THE CONTDVD THROUGH THE EVENING WITH WIDESPREAD LIFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED BY LATE EVENING AS NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHES AND HEAVY SNOW BEGINS TO FALL. EASTERN MTS AND SAN LUIS VALLEY WILL SEE VFR CONDITIONS WITH GUSTY WEST WINDS ALONG THE LOWER EASTERN SLOPES OF THE SE MTS/ADJACENT PLAINS. HAVE PUT A PERIOD OF GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS AFTER 10Z FOR KCOS...BUT EXPECT STRONGER GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH NEAR KAFF. A FEW SHOWERS WITH VFR TO MVFR CIGS MAY DRIFT ACROSS THE SAN LUIS VALLEY LATE TONIGHT/EARLY THURS MORNING WITH IFR CIGS SPREADING ALONG THE WRN SLOPES OF THE SANGRES BY EARLY THURS MORNING. ON THURS...GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF THE SE PLAINS BY AFTN. -KT && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 5 PM MST FRIDAY FOR COZ067. BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 6 PM THURSDAY TO NOON MST FRIDAY FOR COZ060-066-068. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 AM TO 6 PM MST THURSDAY FOR COZ060. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM NOON TO 5 PM MST FRIDAY FOR COZ060-066- 068. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM MST THURSDAY FOR COZ066-068. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 AM THURSDAY TO 5 PM MST FRIDAY FOR COZ064. && 31/50
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 209 PM MST WED DEC 24 2008 COZ058>089-093>099-252115- 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- 209 PM MST WED DEC 24 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ANOTHER STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE STATE THIS EVENING...BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS EXPECTED BY LATE TONIGHT ALONG ALL OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES OF THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ARE FORECAST TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF THE SNOWFALL STARTING TONIGHT...WITH UP TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW EXPECTED BY THURSDAY MORNING. THE REMAINING MOUNTAIN AREAS COULD SEE AN INCH OR 2 OF NEW SNOW BY THURSDAY MORNING. SOUTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 30 MPH...GUSTING TO 45 MPH...WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A POWERFUL WINTER STORM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE STATE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...BRINGING STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS MAINLY ALONG AND WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 FEET CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS...WITH 12 TO 18 INCHES OF SNOW EXPECTED ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THE REMAINING MOUNTAIN AREAS COULD SEE ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE EASTERN SAN JUAN...LA GARITA AND EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING...INCLUDING THE MOUNTAIN PASSES. STRONG WEST WINDS 20 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH WILL CAUSE WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN PASSES. THE AVALANCHE THREAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE QUITE HIGH AS MORE HEAVY SNOWFALL IMPACTS AN AREA THAT HAS SEEN CONSIDERABLE SNOWFALL OVER THE PAST WEEK. BACK-COUNTRY TRAVEL SHOULD BE AVOIDED...AND EVERYONE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE HEIGHTENED AVALANCHE THREAT. GENERALLY LIGHT SNOWFALL MAY ALSO SPREAD ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY TONIGHT. 50/50
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 winter storm, 3 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
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: 146057, 146055, 146056, 146054, 146976, 146979, 146981.