Colorado, 2008

Winter Storm in Colorado, November 29 to 30, 2008

November 29 to 30, 2008 · NWS BOU · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A very strong upper level jet stream brought heavy snow and intense winds to parts of the North-Central Mountains. The combination of snow and wind produced whiteout conditions which resulted in several accidents and greatly increased the avalanche danger in the high country.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS BOU wrote it up.

A very strong upper level jet stream brought heavy snow and intense winds to parts of the North-Central Mountains. The combination of snow and wind produced whiteout conditions which resulted in several accidents and greatly increased the avalanche danger in the high country. The dangerous road conditions forced the closure of Interstate 70, from the Eisenhower Tunnel to Silverthorne, until conditions improved. The Red Cross opened a temporary shelter in Silverthorne for more than two hundred travelers. Over a two-day period, Loveland ski area reported 43 inches of snow. In addition, U.S. Highway 285, from Kenosha Pass to Fairplay, was closed due to blowing snow and icy roads.

Additional storm totals included: 34.5 inches at Fremont Pass Snotel, 27 inches at Grizzly Peak Snotel and St. Mary's Glacier, 24 inches at Rough and Tumble Snotel, 21 inches at Berthoud Summit Snotel, 19.5 inches at Jackwacker Gulch, Never Summer Snotels; 18 inches at Rabbit Ears Snotel, 16.5 inches at Lake Irene, Lynx Pass and Tower Snotels. Peak wind reports included: 96 mph atop Berthoud Pass, 83 mph atop Niwot Ridge, and 68 mph atop Loveland Pass.

What forecasters said that day

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 Denver/Boulder, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 29, 4:05 AM MST, 8 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 29, 4:05 AM MST, 8 hours 55 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 29, 11:36 AM MST, 1 hour 24 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Nov 29, 7:28 AM MST, 5 hours 32 minutes before
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Local storm report, Nov 29, 8:24 AM MST, 4 hours 36 minutes before
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Local storm report, Nov 29, 8:37 AM MST, 4 hours 23 minutes before
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Local storm report, Nov 29, 9:03 AM MST, 3 hours 57 minutes before
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Local storm report, Nov 29, 10:45 AM MST, 2 hours 15 minutes before
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Local storm report, Nov 29, 11:39 AM MST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, West Jackson & West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet

When
November 29, 1:00 PM MST to November 30, 5:00 PM MST
Where
West Jackson & West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
40.385, -106.230 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet

When
November 29, 1:00 PM MST to November 30, 5:00 PM MST
Where
S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
40.382, -105.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet

When
November 29, 1:00 PM MST to November 30, 5:00 PM MST
Where
S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
39.726, -105.675 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, November 2008

Sources

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 139407, 139408, 139409.