A storm system generated over 8 inches of snow across the higher elevations of the central and southwest mountains. The summit of Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral County) saw around a foot of new snow.
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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 storm system generated over 8 inches of snow across the higher elevations of the central and southwest mountains. The summit of Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral County) saw around a foot of new snow.
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 Apr 3, 2:53 PM MST, 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 353 PM MDT FRI APR 3 2009 .SHORT TERM... (TONIGHT AND SATURDAY) SNOW AMOUNTS AND WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS ARE THE MAIN CONCERNS. THE UPR LOW WL MOVE INTO UT THIS EVENING AND THEN BECOME CENTERED OVR WRN CO LATER TONIGHT...AND THEN LIFT EAST-NORTHEASTWARD INTO EXTREME NWRN KS BY SAT AFTERNOON AND INTO SOUTH CENTRAL NE BY SAT EVENING. WINTER WEATHER WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES FOR THE CENTRAL AND SW MTS STILL LOOK GOOD WITH RESPECT TO CONDITIONS AND TIMING...AS THERE WL BE GOOD MSTR AND FAVORABLE OROGRAPHICS AT LEAST INTO SAT MORNING. SHOULD SEE SOME LIGHT PCPN CONTINUE IN THE AFTERNOON...BUT AS THE LOW MOVES EAST IN THE AFTERNOON...THE PCPN WL BECOME LESS SIGNIFICANT. THIS EVENING SHOULD SEE SOME PCPN OVR THE SERN MTS AND SPOTTY PCPN ON THE PLAINS...ASSOCIATED WITH SOME WARM AIR ADVECTION AND GOOD UPR LIFT AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING LOW. THE TRACK OF THE LOW WL BE SUCH THAT TELLER COUNTY AND THE PALMER DVD WL BE FAVORED FOR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...WHILE THE REST OF THE SE PLAINS WL SEE LITTLE PCPN. SNOW AMOUNTS LOOK LIKE THEY WILL BE IN THE ADVISORY RANGE IN THESE AREAS. BY AFTERNOON THE WINDS SHOULD BE QUITE STRONG 25-35 MPH WITH STRONGER GUSTS WHICH WILL PROBABLY CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING...BUT AM NOT SURE IS VSBYS WL BE BELOW 1/4 MILE TO MEET BLIZZARD CRITERIA. THE HEAVIEST SNOW SHOULD OCCUR EARLY...WHILE THE STRONG WINDS SHOULD OCCUR AFTER THAT. THE 18Z RUN OF THE NAM CAME IN WITH HYR SNOW AMOUNTS FOR ZONE 62 SO WL GO AHEAD AND ISSUE AN ADVISORY...BUT WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF SALIDA DID NOT REACH THE SNOW CRITERIA...BUT BUENA VISTA SHOULD. THE 18Z RUN OF THE NAM ALSO CAME IN WITH A BIT OF LOW LEVEL EAST TO NORTHEAST FLOW OVR SW PUEBLO COUNTY AND ERN FREMONT COUNTY...AND AS A RESULT GIVES SOME MORE ACCUMULATIONS THAN THE 12Z RUN. AT THIS POINT IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE SNOW AMOUNTS WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT...BUT WL NEED TO KEEP AND EYE ON THIS. .LONG TERM... (SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) LONG TERM CONCERNS REMAIN THE LOCATION AND EFFECTS OF THE SPRING STORM SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE STATE TOMORROW. THE BIGGEST CONCERNS FOR SATURDAY NIGHT IS THE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW THAT SEEM TO BE MATERIALIZING ALONG THE PALMER DIVIDE. THE NAM12 700 MB WINDS ARE UPWARDS OF 55 MPH. IF ANY OF THESE WINDS FILTER DOWN TO THE SURFACE WHAT SNOW THAT HAS FALLEN WILL BE BLOWING AROUND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING VISIBILITIES. THE WINDS SHOULD MOVE OFF TO THE EAST AROUND MIDNIGHT. THIS SYSTEM THOUGH VERTICALLY STACKED IS A LITTLE TO FAR NORTH TO GIVE ANY MAJOR PRECIPITATION TO AREAS IN SOUTHERN COLORADO...BELOW ELEVATION. WINDS WILL REMAIN FOR THIS PERIOD OUT OF THE NORTH AND MAY BRING A FEW INCHES TO THE WET MOUNTAINS AND THE SANGRES. THE PALMER DIVIDE WILL NOT RECEIVE TO MUCH SNOW...THOUGH LIKE PREVIOUSLY STATED...WHAT DOES FALL WILL BE BLOWING SO PATCHY AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW WILL BE A THREAT. THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE OFF SUNDAY WITH AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDING INTO THE AREA. THE NAM12 AND THE ECMWF HAVE A LEE TROUGH MATERIALIZING SUNDAY EVENING. THIS LEE TROUGH HAS A POSSIBILITY TO BRING THE NORTHERN SANGRES AND THE WET MOUNTAINS WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. THE GFS DOES NOT RESOLVE THIS WEAK TROF SO HAVE LEFT ONLY CHANCE POPS IN THE GRIDS. THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE SHOULD REMAIN OVER THE AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK...BRING WARM AND MILD WEATHER INTO WEDNESDAY. THE EUROPEAN AND THE GFS DIFFER ON THE TIMING OF THE NEXT MAJOR STORM SYSTEM. THE GFS BRINGS THIS SYSTEM THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY. THE EUROPEAN DISSOLVES THE UPPER LOW AND BRINGS A WEAKENED VERSION THROUGH THURSDAY AND THEN A LARGE UPPER LEVEL LOW NEXT SATURDAY. WENT WITH THE GFS AS THE ECMWF HAS TO MANY INCONSISTENCIES. LEFT POPS WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY BEFORE THE SYSTEM IS BETTER RESOLVED && .AVIATION... EXPECT IFR CONDITIONS IN THE MTS TONIGHT...WITH IFR DEVELOPING OVR THE PALMER DVD AS WELL. KPUB AND KCOS WILL LIKELY SEE VFR CONDITIONS MOST OF THE TIME...BUT COULD SEE SOME MVFR CONDITIONS IN SHOWERS. ALL THROUGH TAF SITES WILL SEE VERY STRONG WESTERLY WINDS THIS EVENING. KCOS AND KPUB WILL SEE VERY STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ081-082-084. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ064-065- 067. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL NOON MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ066-068. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ059-061- 063. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ058-060. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ062-076. && 28/14
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 357 PM MDT FRI APR 3 2009 COZ058>089-093>099-041315- 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- 357 PM MDT FRI APR 3 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A STRONG SPRING STORM WILL BRING SNOW TO PARTS OF THE REGION. TONIGHT...SNOWFALL WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD AND HEAVY AT TIMES OVER THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS...LA GARITA MOUNTAINS...AND THE MOUNTAINS OF LAKE AND CHAFFEE COUNTIES. WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS AT 15 TO 30 MPH WILL RESULT IN AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...THE THREAT FOR SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS WILL EXPAND EASTWARD TO TELLER AND EL PASO COUNTIES...ESPECIALLY THE NORTHERN PORTION OF EL PASO COUNTY. SNOW...ACCOMPANIED BY NORTH WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH...WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...WITH NEAR WHITEOUT CONDITIONS POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF BETWEEN 6 AND 14 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF EASTERN SAN JUAN AND LA GARITA MOUNTAINS. THE MOUNTAINS OF LAKE AND CHAFFEE COUNTIES WILL GENERALLY RECEIVE 6 TO 12 INCHES...WITH 4 TO 8 INCHES EXPECTED ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. SNOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE PIKES PEAK AND PALMER DIVIDE REGIONS...WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF GENERALLY 3 TO 7 INCHES BY SATURDAY EVENING . IN ADDITION...BLUSTERY NORTH WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH...WILL RESULT IN AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...WITH NEAR WHITEOUT CONDITIONS POSSIBLE. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST MOUNTAINS AND THE REST OF THE EASTERN PLAINS WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CHANCE OF SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AS ANOTHER SPRING STORM SYSTEM TAKES AIM ON THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY TONIGHT ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS...AND POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT OVER EL PASO...TELLER AND PORTIONS OF FREMONT COUNTY. 28/14
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 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 2009
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: 165466, 165467, 165464, 165465.