Significant snow occurred with a long lasting system that impacted parts of the high country and southern I-25 corridor. and Maysville in Chaffee 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.
Significant snow occurred with a long lasting system that impacted parts of the high country and southern I-25 corridor. Some of the higher reported snow amounts include 8 to 11 inches in La Veta and Cuchara in Huerfano County...Beulah and Rye in Pueblo County...Rosita in Custer County...and Maysville in Chaffee County. Near Buena Vista in Chaffee County...14 inches of snow was recorded. Near Monarch Pass in Chaffee County...28 inches of snow fell...and 49 inches was measured near the summit of Wolf Creek Pass in Mineral 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 Jan 5, 4:46 AM MST, 4 hours 14 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 446 AM MST SAT JAN 5 2008 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) SHORT TERM CONCERNS REMAIN SNOW ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DVD ALONG WITH WIND AND TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS AND PLAINS. CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC UPPER AIR ANALYSIS INDICATING INCREASING SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT ACROSS THE STATE AS BROAD UPPER TROUGH CONTINUES TO DIG ACROSS THE WEST COAST WITH DEEP MOISTURE PLUME MOVING ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN AND INTO CENTRAL COLORADO ATTM. AT THE SFC...LEE TROUGH CONTINUES TO DEEPEN ACROSS THE I-25 CORRIDOR WITH REGIONAL RADARS INDICATING WIND SIGNATURES ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS ATTM. TODAY AND TONIGHT...NAM 00Z AND 06Z RUNS STILL INDICATING THE POSSIBILITY OF STRONG MT WAVE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE RAMPART RANGE WITH A MOUNTAIN TOP STABLE LAYER...GOOD TEMPERATURE PROFILE AND WEAK REVERSE WIND SHEAR. RUC13 X-SECTIONS ALSO INDICATING DECENT MT WAVE PROFILE AS WELL...AND WITH AF ACADEMY WIND SENSORS AND A SPOTTER INDICATING GUSTS BETWEEN 55-65 MPH WEST OF I-25...WILL GO AHEAD AND ISSUE A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE LOWER EAST SLOPES OF THE RAMPART RANGE THROUGH 18Z. HAVE NOT ISSUED FOR TELLER COUNTY OR THE REST OF THE SOUTHEAST MTS WITH HIGHER CRITERIA...THOUGH STILL EXPECTING WESTERLY WINDS OF 20-35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO BETWEEN 55 AND 65 MPH THROUGH THE DAY. SHOULD SEE GUSTY WINDS OF 15 TO 35 MPH CONTINUING TO MIX DOWN ACROSS THE REST OF THE EASTERN PLAINS OWNING TO ANOTHER DAY OF WELL ABOVE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES...THOUGH WILL BE TEMPERED BY INCREASING CLOUDS. COULD SEE A FEW SHOWERS ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS TONIGHT THOUGH WITH DOWNSLOPE FLOW NOT EXPECTING MUCH ACROSS THE REST OF THE PLAINS. HAVE NOT CHANGED MUCH WITH CURRENT WINTER STORM WARNINGS ACROSS THE SW AND CENTRAL MTS...AS MODELS REMAIN IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH DEEP AND MOIST WEST TO SOUTHWEST FLOW PERSISTING THROUGH THE PERIOD. SHOULD CONTINUE TO SNOW..HEAVY AT TIMES ACROSS THE SAN JUAN MTS INTO TONIGHT. ACROSS THE CENTRAL MTS...LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW LOOKS TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY...AND INCREASES TONIGHT AS FLOW BECOMES MORE WESTERLY ALONG WITH INCREASING LAPSE RATES. CURRENT SNOW GRIDS REMAIN ON TARGET WITH BETWEEN 10 AND 20 INCHES EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT...ALONG WITH WESTERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 45 MPH MAKING FOR VERY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL ACROSS THE MTS. -MW .LONG TERM... (SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ...SNOW MACHINE CONTINUES FOR CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THROUGH MONDAY... WEST TO SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL CONTINUE AS UPPER TROF APPROACHES FROM THE WEST WITH OCCASIONAL HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ALONG DIVIDE LIKELY THROUGH MONDAY. TROF AT 700MB OVERHEAD ON MONDAY THEN SHIFTING EAST TUESDAY. SHOULD SEE A LULL IN THE SNOW ACTIVITY BEHIND THE 700MB TROF. SURFACE LOW DEVELOPS OVER EASTERN COLO OR WRN KS WITH SURFACE COLD FRONT PUSHING ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS MONDAY. SOME LIGHT PRECIP OVER EASTERN PLAINS ASSOCIATED WITH BOUNDARY BUT LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY QUICK SHOT AS MID/UPPER LOW MOVE INTO CENTRAL PLAINS. NEXT SYSTEM RIPPLES ACROSS AT MIDWEEK FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER ONE AT THE END OF THE WEEK. BEST CHANCE FOR SNOW ALONG CONTINENTAL DIVIDE WITH NOT MUCH MOISTURE AVAILABLE WHEN SYSTEMS TRACK OVER EASTERN PLAINS. ECMWF IS A LITTLE MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH THE MID WEEK SYSTEM BUT SEEMS TO HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON THE QPF ESPECIALLY OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS. USED ECMWF TIMING AND AREAL COVERAGE FOR POPS MONDAY NIGHT-EARLY TUESDAY THEN KEPT WITH EARLIER FORECAST FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. LEFT TEMP AND DEW POINT FORECASTS ALONE. -FORTUNE- && .AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR TAF SITES TONIGHT...WITH SNOW SHOWERS ALONG AND WEST OF THE CONTDVD. LLWS WILL CONTINUE FOR THE COS AREA THROUGH THE LATE MORNING WHEN WESTERLY WINDS WILL MIX DOWN TO THE SFC. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 11 AM MST THIS MORNING FOR COZ084-085. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 PM MST MONDAY FOR COZ058-060-066- 068. && 23/21
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 715 AM MST SAT JAN 5 2008 COZ058>089-093>099-061415- 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- 715 AM MST SAT JAN 5 2008 ...HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER WILL CONTINUE OVER MOUNTAIN AREAS THROUGH MONDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TODAY. SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES...IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO EARLY MONDAY ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. THE SNOWFALL WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WESTERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 40 MPH AND OCCASIONALLY GUSTING TO NEAR 60 MPH...WHICH WILL PRODUCE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE HIGH MOUNTAIN PASSES. WEST WINDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO AROUND 60 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT PLAINS WEST OF INTERSTATE 25 THIS MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THROUGH MONDAY WITH PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL AND PERIODS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW THAT WILL CAUSE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. TRAVEL OVER MOUNTAINS PASSES ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE WILL BE DANGEROUS. THE THREE DAY STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE FROM 1 TO 4 FEET GENERALLY AT AND ABOVE 10000 FEET ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN... LA GARITA AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS AS WELL AS WEST SLOPE OF THE MOSQUITO MOUNTAIN RANGE IN LAKE COUNTY. A SECOND WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS COLORADO ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY FOLLOWED BY A THIRD SYSTEM ON SATURDAY. THESE NEXT SYSTEMS WILL NOT BE AS STRONG BUT MAY STILL PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AND HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS THROUGH TONIGHT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
644 AM MST SAT JAN 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0623 AM NON-TSTM WND GST MONUMENT 39.10N 104.88W
01/05/2008 M62 MPH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
AVERAGE SUSTAINED WIND OF 35 TO 55 MPH.
0623 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 SE MONUMENT 39.06N 104.83W
01/05/2008 M67 MPH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
0623 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 ESE MONUMENT 39.09N 104.86W
01/05/2008 M75 MPH EL PASO CO LAW ENFORCEMENT
SUSTAINED WIND OF 35 MPH.
&&
JCERUPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
731 AM MST SAT JAN 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0731 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 NNE ROSITA 38.16N 105.28W
01/05/2008 M73 MPH CUSTER CO TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JCERUPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
801 AM MST SAT JAN 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0745 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 NNE ROSITA 38.16N 105.28W
01/05/2008 M96 MPH CUSTER CO TRAINED SPOTTER
ALSO HAD A WIND GUST OF 85 MPH.
&&
JCERUPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
805 AM MST SAT JAN 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0801 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 WSW BLACK FOREST 39.00N 104.76W
01/05/2008 M58.00 MPH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JCERUPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
814 AM MST SAT JAN 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0813 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 ESE MONUMENT 39.09N 104.86W
01/05/2008 M79 MPH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JCERUPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
831 AM MST SAT JAN 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0815 AM NON-TSTM WND GST LA VETA 37.51N 105.01W
01/05/2008 M63.00 MPH HUERFANO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
0829 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 WSW BLACK FOREST 39.00N 104.76W
01/05/2008 M60.00 MPH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
KTThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 winter storm. 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, January 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: 76423, 76424, 76422, 76421, 76425, 76426, 76427.