A quick moving upper disturbance generated snow accumulations in excess of 8 inches across the higher terrain of the Mosquito Range, eastern Sawatch Range, and the La Garita and eastern San Juan Mountains.
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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.
A quick moving upper disturbance generated snow accumulations in excess of 8 inches across the higher terrain of the Mosquito Range, eastern Sawatch Range, and the La Garita and eastern San Juan Mountains.
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 Nov 4, 4:49 AM MST, 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 449 AM MST TUE NOV 4 2008 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) ...WINTER STORM STILL ON TRACK FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE... 00Z MODELS REVEAL NO MAJOR SURPRISES WITH EJECTING WESTERN U.S. UPPER TROUGH...WITH ONLY A SLIGHT NORTHWARD SHIFT OF THE CLOSED LOW VERSUS THE 12Z RUN. STILL APPEARS OROGRAPHIC PRECIP WILL DEVELOP BY LATE MORNING ALONG THE DIVIDE...AS RADAR MOSAIC SUGGESTS A FEW SHOWERS ARE ALREADY ENTERING NORTHWEST COLORADO AS OF 10Z. EASTERN SAN JUANS/LA GARITAS INITIALLY FAVORED AS MID LEVEL FLOW HAS A SOUTHWESTERLY COMPONENT THROUGH 00Z...THOUGH SNOW LEVEL WILL START OUT FAIRLY HIGH AS 700 MB TEMPS REMAIN ABOVE 0C UNTIL EVENING. CURRENT FORECAST AND HIGHLIGHTS FOR TODAY LOOK FINE AND WILL LEAVE THEM UNCHANGED THIS FORECAST CYCLE. WARM AND INCREASINGLY WINDY DAY STILL IN STORE FOR MUCH OF THE EASTERN PLAINS...WITH MAX TEMPS AGAIN PUSHING 80F OVER THE FAR EAST WHERE DEEP MIXING WILL BOOST READINGS. MODELS RUNNING SEVERAL DEGREES TOO HIGH WITH SURFACE DEWPOINTS EARLY THIS MORNING...WHICH RAISES SOME CONCERN ABOUT FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS OVER THE PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON. STILL...EVEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT A 10F HIGH BIAS IN THE MODELS...SURFACE RH ONLY DROPS TOWARD 20 PERCENT OVER MUCH OF THE AREA...WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER 20S NEEDED BEFORE RH WOULD FALL BELOW 15 PERCENT. AS A RESULT...WILL REFRAIN FROM A FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHT AT THIS POINT. AS UPPER TROUGH MOVES INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES OVERNIGHT...INCREASING JET DYNAMICS SHOULD REALLY CRANK UP THE SNOWFALL OVER THE DIVIDE...WITH FOCUS SHIFTING TOWARD THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AS MID-LEVEL FLOW BECOMES MORE WESTERLY. SIGNIFICANT ACCUMS (OVER 1 FOOT) LOOK PROBABLE OVER THE HIGHER PEAKS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS BY EARLY WED...LITTLE LESS OVER THE SAN JUANS AS FLOW MAY BE TOO WESTERLY. FARTHER EAST...FEW SPILLOVER SHOWERS WILL REACH THE SANGRES AND TELLER COUNTY BY MIDNIGHT...THOUGH SNOWFALL AMOUNTS LOOK VERY LIGHT. COULD SEE A SHOWER OR TWO NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY BY 12Z AS FRONT DROPS SOUTH OF THE PALMER DIVIDE...BUT PRECIP WILL BE VERY LIGHT HERE AS WELL. BREEZY SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL KEEP OVERNIGHT MINS FAIRLY MILD ON THE PLAINS...WITH CURRENT TEMP GRIDS IN FINE SHAPE. .LONG TERM... (WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY) TROUGH AXIS SWINGS ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...ACCORDING TO THE NAM12 AND GFS40. THEREFORE AM EXPECTING HEAVIEST SNOW ACCUMULATION DURING THAT PART OF THE DAY...WITH SEVERAL MORE INCHES POSSIBLE IN THE HIGHEST ZONES. ALSO EXPECT AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW IN ZONES 58...60...66...AND 68 WITH THE MODERATE SNOWFALL. THEREAFTER...FLOW BECOMES LESS CONDUCIVE FOR OROGRAPHICS IN THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS...BUT BETTER FOR CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. EVEN THOUGH TROUGH AXIS HAS PASSED...LAPSE RATES WITH COLD TROUGH ABOVE 7C/KM...SO CONVECTIVE SNOWS LIKELY...ESPECIALLY CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. MEANTIME...EASTERN MOUNTAINS PROGGED TO RECEIVE LITTLE OR NO SNOW. BEST SHOT MAY BE IN THE PIKES PEAK REGION...WHERE AND INCH OR SO MAY ACCUMULATE IN TELLER COUNTY AND ON PIKES PEAK. IN ADDITION...MONUMENT RIDGE HAS A SHOT AT SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATION OF SNOW (PROBABLY LESS THAN AN INCH) IN THE MORNING...WHEN SYNOPTIC LIFT IS MAXIMIZED. IT APPEARS IT WILL BE A LITTLE TOO WARM FOR ANY SNOW THROUGH THE REST OF THE PLAINS...AS A FEW BANDS OF SHOWERS WILL MOVE THROUGH IN THE AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES ON WEDNESDAY WILL BE IN THE 40S TO UPPER 50S IN THE PLAINS...40S HIGH VALLEYS...AND 20S AND 30S MOUNTAINS. WEDNESDAY NIGHT...SNOW MACHINE WILL WIND DOWN ACROSS THE HIGHER REACHES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AROUND LEADVILLE...WITH LITTLE FURTHER ACCUMULATIONS. ON THURSDAY...COLD NORTH NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT...BUT MORE SUN...WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES IN THE AFTERNOON TO BE QUITE SIMILAR TO WEDNESDAYS READINGS. THERE WILL BE THE CHILLING FACTOR OF NORTHWEST WINDS THOUGH. ON FRIDAY...MODELS SHOWING NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT...FAIRLY DRY AIR...AND MID LEVEL TEMPERATURES ELEVATING TO AROUND 0 CELSIUS. THIS WOULD TRANSLATE TO HIGHS A CATEGORY OR TWO ABOVE THURSDAYS READINGS. SATURDAY WILL BE AN EVEN MILDER DAY WITH MID LEVEL TEMPERATURES 2 TO 4 CELSIUS HIGHER...WHICH WOULD GIVE HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TO MID 60S ACROSS THE PLAINS...50S HIGH VALLEYS...AND 30S AND 40S MOUNTAINS. NEXT TROUGH EXPECTED TO DIP INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES ON SUNDAY AND INTO MONDAY...BRINGING CHANCES FOR RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS...BUT TOO EARLY FOR DETAILS. GFS40 MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN EUROPEAN AT THIS TIME. -TLM- && .AVIATION... STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP AT ALL TAF SITES BY LATE MORNING...WITH A FEW GUSTS OVER 30 KNOTS IN THE 19Z-23Z TIME FRAME. PRECIPITATION AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION WILL BE LIMITED TO AREAS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE DURING THE DAY...WITH AN INCREASE IN SNOWFALL AND MORE WIDESPREAD CLOUD COVER OVER THE MOUNTAINS TONIGHT. A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS WILL SPREAD EASTWARD OVER THE SANGRES AND TELLER COUNTY OVERNIGHT...BUT CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AT TAF SITES LOOK TOO LOW TO MENTION AT THIS POINT. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 11 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ058-060-066-068. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 11 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ059-061. && 10/13
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 944 PM MST MON NOV 3 2008 COZ058>089-093>099-041300- 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- 944 PM MST MON NOV 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY A WEATHER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE CENTRAL ROCKY MOUNTAINS TUESDAY LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SNOW IS FORECAST TO SPREAD ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...GENERALLY ABOVE 10000 FEET ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS AND ABOVE 11000 FEET ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL BE 8 TO 18 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE ALONG WEST FACING SLOPES ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CREATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FEET ACROSS CHAFFEE AND LAKE COUNTIES...6 TO 14 INCHES WILL BE LIKELY. TRAVEL ACROSS HIGH MOUNTAIN PASSES ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...SUCH AS WOLF CREEK...MONARCH...INDEPENDENCE...NORTH AND TENNESSEE...WILL BECOME DANGEROUS LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE ABOVE 9000 FEET ACROSS PIKES PEAK AND THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER POTENTIAL WEATHER SYSTEM COULD BRING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO PORTIONS OF COLORADO SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THERE IS MUCH UNCERTAINTY WITH THE STRENGTH...TIMING...AND MOISTURE QUALITY WITH THIS WEATHER SYSTEM. ANY CHANGE COULD SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER THE FORECAST AND SNOWFALL AMOUNTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS WILL NOT BE NEEDED TONIGHT. 17/17
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 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, November 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: 142536, 141730, 142533, 142534.