including the summit of Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral County) and Cuchara (Huerfano County).
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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.
Another quick moving system produced over 8 inches of snow to the higher terrain of the southern mountains...including the summit of Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral County) and Cuchara (Huerfano 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 Feb 9, 5:09 AM MST, 6 hours 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 509 AM MST MON FEB 9 2009 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) CURRENTLY...UPPER LOW LIFTING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING...WITH DRY SLOT KICKING MAIN PRECIP BAND EAST INTO KS/NERN COLORADO AS OF 10Z. STRONG WEST WINDS BEGINNING TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE WEST OF I-25 (KAFF GUSTING TO 47 KNOTS AT 10Z)...THOUGH LIGHTER WESTERLY FLOW FARTHER EAST HAS BEEN ENOUGH TO SCOUR OUT MOST LOW CLOUDS AND FOG THE PAST FEW HOURS. FARTHER WEST...SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...WITH GUSTY WINDS AT PASS LEVEL AND ABOVE PRODUCING AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW. TODAY...BREEZY TO WINDY OVER THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS WITH STRONG WESTERLY FLOW DEVELOPING. THIS SHOULD SUPPRESS PRECIP MOST EASTERN AREAS...THOUGH A FEW SPILL OVER -SHSN MAY BE POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGHER PEAKS OF THE SANGRES/WETS/TELLER COUNTY THROUGH THE DAY WITH FAIRLY UNSTABLE AIR MASS ROTATING ACROSS THE AREA. MUCH WARMER MOST LOWER ELEVATIONS...WITH 50S WIDESPREAD ON THE PLAINS. NEXT UPPER SYSTEM ALREADY DIGGING INTO THE WESTERN U.S. EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH INCREASING SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW AT 700 MB AFTER 18Z OVER THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS. WENT AHEAD AND HOISTED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY OF THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE EASTERN SAN JUANS...AS MODEL QPFS SUPPORT A PERIOD OF HEAVY SNOW LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. WILL SEE ACCUMULATING SNOW FARTHER NORTH OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...BUT DYNAMICS/OROGRAPHICS NOT QUITE STRONG ENOUGH FOR AN ADVISORY HERE. TONIGHT...BEST UPWARD MOTION CONTINUES OVER THE SAN JUANS THROUGH ABOUT 06Z...THEN SHIFTS SOUTH AS UPPER LOW DROPS INTO ARIZONA. KEPT THE ADVISORY GOING THROUGH 12Z TO MATCH UP WITH NEIGHBORS...THOUGH WITH 700 MB FLOW BECOMING WEAK SOUTHEASTERLY BY EARLY MORNING...SUSPECT HEAVIEST SNOW WILL BE DONE BY MIDNIGHT. FARTHER EAST...JUST SOME LIGHT -SHSN OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN...STILL DRY AND BREEZY/MILD OVER THE PLAINS. .LONG TERM... (TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ACTIVE PATTERN TO CONTINUE DURING THE LONG TERM WITH AT LEAST THREE DISTINCT STORM SYSTEMS PROJECTED TO IMPACT REGION FROM TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. PRIMARY METEOROLOGICAL ISSUES DURING THE LONG TERM ARE POPS...WINDS AND TEMPERATURES. 1ST SYSTEM THREATENS CWFA FROM TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT... ALTHOUGH LATEST COMPUTER PROJECTIONS SUGGEST THAT BRUNT OF SYSTEM SHOULD EFFECT OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE SOUTH. AT THIS TIME... THE HIGHEST PRECIPITATION POTENTIAL FROM TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT SHOULD BE NOTED IN THE VICINITY OF HIGHER TERRAIN ALONG THE COLORADO/NEW MEXICO BORDER AS WELL AS OVER SECTIONS OF THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO ANTICIPATED AT TIMES WITH THE 1ST SYSTEM...ESPECIALLY OVER THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS DURING TUESDAY NIGHT. AS 1ST SYSTEM PULLS AWAY FROM THE REGION TUESDAY NIGHT...STILL ANTICIPATE THAT BRIEF UPPER RIDGING TO ZONAL UPPER FLOW PATTERN RETURNS TO THE REGION FROM WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THEREFORE...LOW GRADE TO NIL POPS SHOULD BE NOTED DURING THIS TIME-FRAME IN COMBINATION WITH MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES RUNNING NEAR MID-FEBRUARY CLIMATOLOGICAL AVERAGES. ON THURSDAY UPPER FLOW BECOMES MORE SOUTHWESTERLY IN ADVANCE OF RELATIVELY QUICK MOVING SYSTEM 2 WHICH IMPACTS CWFA FROM LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY MORNING. IT STILL APPEARS THAT PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL OF RECEIVING SIGNIFICANT SNOW...ALTHOUGH ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN EXTENDS FROM EASTERN EL PASO SOUTHEASTWARD INTO KIOWA AND PROWERS COUNTIES...WFO PUEBLO WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. ONCE AGAIN...GUSTY WINDS MAY BECOME A CONCERN...ESPECIALLY FROM THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING AS SURFACE LOW DEEPENS OVER THE TEXAS PANHANDLE/OKLAHOMA REGION. FROM LATER FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT...ZONAL TO SOUTHWESTERLY UPPER FLOW RETURNS TO THE CWFA IN ADVANCE OF 3RD STORM SYSTEM THAT IS PROJECTED TO IMPACT CWFA THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND WITH UNSETTLED METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN COMBINATION WITH GUSTY WINDS AT TIMES. OVERALL...MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES DURING THE LONG TERM(OUTSIDE OF WEDNESDAY) ARE EXPECTED TO RUN BELOW MID-FEBRUARY CLIMATOLOGICAL AVERAGES WHILE MINIMUM TEMPERATURES ARE PROJECTED TO HOVER WITHIN A CATEGORY OR SO OF MID-FEBRUARY AVERAGES. && .AVIATION... WESTERLY FLOW HAS DEVELOPED ALONG I-25 EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH LOW CIGS AND FOG SCOURING OUT MOST AREAS. COULD STILL SEE SOME VERY PATCHY FOG/LOW CIGS THROUGH 12Z...ESPECIALLY NEAR AND JUST EAST OF KCOS...BEFORE FOG AND STRATUS ARE GONE FOR GOOD SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE. FOR THIS AFTERNOON...GUSTY WEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE I-25 CORRIDOR AND PORTIONS OF THE SERN PLAINS...AND ALSO OVER THE SAN LUIS VALLEY. COULD SEE SOME GUSTS IN THE 30-35 KT RANGE. WILL SEE SOME -SHSN OVER THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS...WITH POOREST VISIBILITY AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION COMMON FARTHER WEST ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 AM MST TUESDAY FOR COZ068. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 1111 AM MST MON FEB 9 2009 COZ058>089-093>099-101815- 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- 1111 AM MST MON FEB 9 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS...WITH TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 4 TO 10 INCHES LIKELY BY EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. WINDS GUSTING BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...WITH REDUCED VISIBILITY OVER HIGHER EXPOSED TERRAIN. OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...SNOWFALL WILL BE LIGHTER...WITH 1 TO 4 INCHES LIKELY. THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS...SAN LUIS VALLEY...AND UPPER ARKANSAS VALLEY WILL SEE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS...WITH LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS GENERALLY LESS THAN 2 INCHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THREE STORM SYSTEMS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT SOUTHERN COLORADO DURING THE TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY TIME FRAME. THE INITIAL STORM SYSTEM IS PROJECTED TO IMPACT THE REGION FROM TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT...BRINGING THE POTENTIAL OF ACCUMULATING SNOW TO THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS. GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO ANTICIPATED AT TIMES WITH THIS SYSTEM...ESPECIALLY OVER SECTIONS OF THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS TUESDAY NIGHT. A RELATIVELY QUICK MOVING SYSTEM IS THEN PROJECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY MORNING. AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THAT PORTIONS OF THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS WILL AGAIN HAVE A HIGH POTENTIAL OF RECEIVING SIGNIFICANT SNOW. IN ADDITION...SIGNIFICANT SNOW WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE FROM EASTERN EL PASO COUNTY INTO KIOWA AND PROWERS COUNTY DURING THIS TIME FRAME. GUSTY WINDS WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS SYSTEM. FINALLY...ANOTHER ROUND OF UNSETTLED WEATHER IN THE FORM OF SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS IS ANTICIPATED AT TIMES THIS WEEKEND AS THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN AND ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS AS NEEDED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
930 AM MST MON FEB 09 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0724 AM SNOW 2 E MONARCH PASS 38.50N 106.29W
02/09/2009 M9.0 INCH CHAFFEE CO PUBLIC
MONARCH PASS SKI AREA REPORTS 9 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE
PAST 24 HOURS.
0813 AM SNOW 10 W WESTCLIFFE 38.13N 105.65W
02/09/2009 E4.0 INCH CUSTER CO PUBLIC
4 INCHES OF SNOW OVERNIGHT REPORTED BY PUBLIC ON RAINBOW
TRAIL WEST OF WESTCLIFFE AT APPROXIMATELY 9000 FEET.
0815 AM SNOW 1 WNW LEADVILLE 39.25N 106.31W
02/09/2009 M1.4 INCH LAKE CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER.
0815 AM SNOW 2 NE MAYSVILLE 38.56N 106.19W
02/09/2009 M2.1 INCH CHAFFEE CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER.
0815 AM SNOW 6 S LEADVILLE 39.16N 106.29W
02/09/2009 M1.0 INCH LAKE CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER.
0815 AM SNOW 4 WNW BUENA VISTA 38.87N 106.20W
02/09/2009 M2.5 INCH CHAFFEE CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER
0815 AM SNOW 6 SE TEXAS CREEK 38.34N 105.50W
02/09/2009 M1.5 INCH FREMONT CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER.
0815 AM SNOW 4 SW SOUTH FORK 37.63N 106.67W
02/09/2009 M2.0 INCH RIO GRANDE CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER.
0818 AM SNOW WOLF CREEK PASS 37.48N 106.80W
02/09/2009 M14.0 INCH MINERAL CO PUBLIC
WOLF CREEK SKI AREA REPORTS 14 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE PAST
24 HOURS.
&&
LWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1034 AM MST MON FEB 09 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0724 AM SNOW 2 E MONARCH PASS 38.50N 106.29W
02/09/2009 M9.0 INCH CHAFFEE CO PUBLIC
MONARCH PASS SKI AREA REPORTS 9 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE
PAST 24 HOURS.
0813 AM SNOW 10 W WESTCLIFFE 38.13N 105.65W
02/09/2009 E4.0 INCH CUSTER CO PUBLIC
4 INCHES OF SNOW OVERNIGHT REPORTED BY PUBLIC ON RAINBOW
TRAIL WEST OF WESTCLIFFE AT APPROXIMATELY 9000 FEET.
0815 AM SNOW 1 WNW LEADVILLE 39.25N 106.31W
02/09/2009 M1.4 INCH LAKE CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER.
0815 AM SNOW 2 NE MAYSVILLE 38.56N 106.19W
02/09/2009 M2.1 INCH CHAFFEE CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER.
0815 AM SNOW 6 S LEADVILLE 39.16N 106.29W
02/09/2009 M1.0 INCH LAKE CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER.
0815 AM SNOW 6 SE TEXAS CREEK 38.34N 105.50W
02/09/2009 M1.5 INCH FREMONT CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER.
0815 AM SNOW 4 SW SOUTH FORK 37.63N 106.67W
02/09/2009 M2.0 INCH RIO GRANDE CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER.
0815 AM SNOW 4 WNW BUENA VISTA 38.87N 106.20W
02/09/2009 M2.5 INCH CHAFFEE CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS OBSERVER
0818 AM SNOW WOLF CREEK PASS 37.48N 106.80W
02/09/2009 M14.0 INCH MINERAL CO PUBLIC
WOLF CREEK SKI AREA REPORTS 14 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE PAST
24 HOURS.
&&
THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET
CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE
FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.
SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT
INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
14.00 WOLF CREEK PASS CO MINERAL 0818 AM
WOLF CREEK SKI AREA REPORTS 14 INCHES OF SNOW
IN THE PAST 24 HOURS.
9.00 2 E MONARCH PASS CO CHAFFEE 0724 AM
MONARCH PASS SKI AREA REPORTS 9 INCHES OF
SNOW IN THE PAST 24 HOURS.
4.00 10 W WESTCLIFFE CO CUSTER 0813 AM
4 INCHES OF SNOW OVERNIGHT REPORTED BY PUBLIC
ON RAINBOW TRAIL WEST OF WESTCLIFFE AT
APPROXIMATELY 9000 FEET.
2.50 4 WNW BUENA VISTA CO CHAFFEE 0815 AM
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS
OBSERVER
2.10 2 NE MAYSVILLE CO CHAFFEE 0815 AM
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS
OBSERVER.
2.00 4 SW SOUTH FORK CO RIO GRANDE 0815 AM
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS
OBSERVER.
1.50 6 SE TEXAS CREEK CO FREMONT 0815 AM
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS
OBSERVER.
1.40 1 WNW LEADVILLE CO LAKE 0815 AM
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS
OBSERVER.
1.00 6 S LEADVILLE CO LAKE 0815 AM
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED BY COCORAHS
OBSERVER.
LWThe 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, February 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: 155158, 156793, 156794, 156792.