Light snow fell in the eastern mountains, with isolated moderate amounts, such as the 6 inches near Rosita.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
Light snow fell in the eastern mountains, with isolated moderate amounts, such as the 6 inches near Rosita.
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 May 14, 3:12 AM MST, 5 hours 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 412 AM MDT WED MAY 14 2008 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) CURRENTLY...THE UPPER LOW WAS MOVING INTO SW NEW MEXICO EARLY WED MORNING...WITH PERSISTENT CONVECTION REMAINING SOUTH OF THE CO/NM BORDER. SATELLITE FOG IMAGERY INDICATE SOME PATCHES OF CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE E PLAINS...BUT FOR THE MOST PART SKIES HAVE CLEARED OUT FOR MUCH OF THE CWA. TODAY...NAM AND GFS MODELS STILL INDICATE THAT THE UPPER LOW WILL MOVE EAST-NORTHEAST ACROSS NEW MEXICO TODAY UP INTO THE TX PANHANDLE BY LATE THIS AFTN. THIS WOULD SPREAD PCPN BACK INTO THE CWA...ESPECIALLY THE SE CORNER...BY THIS AFTN. OVERALL...PCPN CHANCES DO NOT LOOK ALL THAT IMPRESSIVE AT LEAST FOR THE DAY. THEREFORE...TAPERED DAYTIME POPS BACK A BIT ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE MORNING...BUT KEPT SCATTERED POPS ALONG THE MTS AND ADJACENT TERRAIN. ALSO KEPT SOME ISOLATED POPS ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER THIS AM DUE TO THE VICINITY OF THE LTG IN NM. THE BREAK IN PCPN AND CLOUD COVER SHOULD HELP BOOST MAX TEMPS INTO THE LOWER TO MID 60S THIS AFTN...AND LATEST NUMERICAL GUIDANCE SUPPORTS THIS. FINALLY...PAINTED WX GRIDS TO MENTION THUNDER POTENTIAL ALL DAY DUE TO BREAKS IN CLOUD COVER AND LTG TO THE SOUTH THIS AM. TONIGHT...THE UPPER LOW MERGES WITH THE LONGWAVE TROUGH OVER THE MID-SECTION OF THE COUNTRY...AS THE UPPER JET DIVES SOUTH THIS EVENING. MODELS SUGGEST THE SFC COLD FRONT CROSSES THE PALMER DVD PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT...THEN GETS HUNG UP FOR A BIT BEFORE RUSHING SOUTHWARD BETWEEN 09Z-12Z. WIDESPREAD LIGHT PCPN IS EXPECTED UNDER CLOUDY SKIES...MORE SO UP AGAINST THE E MTS AND OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. NOT MUCH CHANGE TO THE ONGOING FORECAST GRIDS. MOORE .LONG TERM... (THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ...A GOOD CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS THURSDAY OVER MUCH OF SOUTHERN COLORADO... ...WARMING OVER THE WEEKEND WITH HIGH ELEVATION SNOWMELT KICKING INTO GEAR... STRONG NORTHERLY JETSTREAM FORECAST TO DIVE SOUTH ACROSS COLORADO THURSDAY...WITH SOUTHERN COLORADO UNDER LEFT FRONT EXIT REGION MOST OF THE DAY. THE LIFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE JET...COMBINED WITH POST FRONTAL UPSLOPE...MOISTURE...AND INSTABILITY...SHOULD MEAN SHOWERS OVER MUCH OF THE AREA THURSDAY. HOWEVER...BELIEVE THAT MODEL QPFS ARE GENERALLY WAY OVERDONE. COULD BE SOME ISOLATED POCKETS OF HEAVY (CONVECTIVE) RAINFALL...BUT MOST AREAS WILL PROBABLY JUST SEE LIGHT AMOUNTS (A FEW HUNDREDTHS TO A FEW TENTHS OF AN INCH). WITH H7 TEMPERATURES OF -3 TO -4C ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY MORNING...COULD SEE SOME WET SNOW DOWN TO ABOUT 6000 FEET. ANY ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD GENERALLY BE LIGHT AND CONFINED TO GRASSY AREAS ABOVE 6500 FEET. EASTERN MOUNTAIN AREAS COULD SEE SEVERAL INCHES OF WET SNOW IN A FEW LOCATIONS. THURSDAY NIGHT...THE STORM SYSTEM DROPS INTO MEXICO AND LINGERS THERE THROUGH SATURDAY...GRADUALLY WEAKENING OVER TIME. THERE MAY BE JUST ENOUGH MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE STORM TO BRING AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE MOUNTAIN AREAS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. HOWEVER...BY SUNDAY...IT LOOKS LIKE THINGS WILL DRY OUT OVER COLORADO...AS HIGH UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST. THE PATTERN LOOKS GENERALLY WARM AND DRY...THEN...THROUGH TUESDAY. HOWEVER...WEAK COOL FRONTS WILL THREATEN THE EASTERN PLAINS MONDAY AND TUESDAY...AS THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE MAY NOT BE QUITE FAR ENOUGH EAST TO KEEP THEM OUT OF THE AREA. THIS COULD BRING SOMEWHAT COOLER TEMPERATURES TO THE EAST THAN WOULD OTHERWISE BE EXPECTED. ALSO...IT COULD BRING SOME ISOLATED AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS TO THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT PLAINS. COLORADO WILL GENERALLY BE GOING INTO A WARMING TREND AFTER THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES OVER THE PLAINS WILL CLIMB CONSISTENTLY INTO THE 80S BEGINNING SATURDAY AND CONTINUING INTO NEXT WEEK. SOME ARKANSAS VALLEY LOCATIONS WILL LIKELY END UP AROUND THE 90 DEGREE MARK SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. EVEN HIGH VALLEY LOCATIONS (ALAMOSA/SALIDA) WILL LIKELY BE UP AROUND 80 DEGREES DURING THIS PERIOD. SO...THE HIGH ELEVATION SNOWMELT SHOULD REALLY KICK INTO GEAR OVER THE WEEKEND. TIME TO START KEEPING AN EYE ON THE RIVERS. THE TYPICAL PEAK RUNOFF PERIOD IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER...GENERALLY OCCURRING BETWEEN NOW AND THE MIDDLE OF JUNE. STAY TUNED. WALROD && .AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR THE TAF SITES THROUGH MIDDAY...THEN MVFR AS SHOWERS DEVELOP. SFC WINDS EXPECTED TO TURN NORTH AND GUSTY FOR KCOS BETWEEN 03Z AND 06Z TONIGHT...THEN AT KPUB BY 12Z. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 27/50
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 649 AM MDT WED MAY 14 2008 COZ058>089-093>099-151300- 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- 649 AM MDT WED MAY 14 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM AND A COLD FRONT ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL COLORADO TODAY...PRODUCING A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO BORDER THIS MORNING...AND ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE MAIN THREAT FROM ANY STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL UP TO 1/2 INCH IN DIAMETER. WIDESPREAD LIGHT SHOWER ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY PRODUCE 4 TO 9 INCHES OF NEW SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN...MAINLY ABOVE 8000 FEET IN ELEVATION. THE SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ARE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS OF SNOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE IN THE MOUNTAINS ON THURSDAY. THE EASTERN MOUNTAIN RANGES WILL LIKELY SEE THE MOST SNOW...WITH UP TO 4 INCHES OF NEW SNOW POSSIBLE. WESTERN MOUNTAIN AREAS COULD SEE UP TO 2 INCHES OF NEW SNOW. ISOLATED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT PLAINS THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM ANY STORMS THAT FORM WILL BE LIGHTNING...HAIL UP TO 1/2 INCH IN DIAMETER...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS TODAY BEGINNING AT NOON.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
721 AM MDT WED MAY 14 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0720 AM SNOW 3 SW ROSITA 38.07N 105.36W
05/14/2008 M2.3 INCH CUSTER CO TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JCERUThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 winter weather. 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, May 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: 102272.