including 9 inches at the summit of Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral County).
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.
An upper level disturbance and abundant moisture brought over 8 inches of snow to the higher elevations of the southwest mountains...including 9 inches at the summit of Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral 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 Mar 6, 3:54 AM MST, 5 hours 6 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 354 AM MST FRI MAR 6 2009 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) ...HIGH FIRE DANGER OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS AND FOOTHILLS... ...INCREASING SNOW OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS... ACTIVE WEATHER TODAY WITH HIGH FIRE DANGER CONTINUING OVER MUCH OF THE SOUTHEASTERN PLAINS AND EASTERN FOOTHILLS...WHILE A LATE WINTER STORM TAKES AIM AT THE CENTRAL MTS TODAY AND SAT. IN COORDINATION WITH SURROUNDING OFFICES...HAVE UPGRADED OUR FIRE WX WATCH TO A WARNING FOR THIS AFTERNOON. WITH H7 WINDS AT 30 TO 40 KTS...WILL SEE GUSTY WEST WINDS REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AS MIXING OCCURS. BOTH NAM AND GFS STATISTICAL GUIDANCE INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON OVER MOST OF SOUTHEASTERN CO. MODELS ACTUALLY INDICATE AN INCREASE IN LLVL MOISTURE AS MOISTURE IS ADVECTED AHEAD OF THE UPSTREAM TROUGH...HOWEVER THIS SHOULD BE MITIGATED TO SOME EXTENT BY DOWNSLOPING OVER THE PLAINS. EVEN WITH TEMPS ABOUT 5 DEGREES LOWER THAN ON THU...DEWPOINTS SHOULD FALL TO RED FLAG CRITERIA THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS AND EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS JUSTIFY THE WARNING REGARDLESS OF MARGINAL RH EXPECTATIONS. FURTHER WEST...MAIN STORY WILL BE THE APPROACHING UPSTREAM TROUGH THAT IS NOW TAKING SHAPE OFF OF THE CA COAST. IN COORDINATION WITH KGJT...HAVE HOISTED A SNBS ADVISORY FOR THE SAN JUANS BEGINNING THIS MORNING AND RUNNING STRAIGHT THROUGH SAT AFTERNOON. THE HEAVIER SNOW AMTS FROM THIS SYSTEM LIKELY WILL NOT COME UNTIL LATER TONIGHT AND SAT...BUT OROGRAPHICS FAVOR AT LEAST LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW OVER THE SWRN MTS TODAY. HAVE ADDED THE HIGHER ELEVS OF THE SAWATCH FROM 00Z TONIGHT THRU SAT. LOCAL OROGRAPHIC SNOW MODEL...AND THE NAM12...BOTH INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY OROGRAPHIC SNOW OVR THE EASTERN SAN JUANS...POSSIBLY AS MUCH AS 20 INCHES LOCALLY BY LATE SAT. MOISTURE IS FAIRLY DEEP AND LAPSE RATES FAIRLY STEEP. HOWEVER...DUE TO THE FAIRLY QUICK MOVEMENT OF THE STORM...AND SOMEWHAT UNFAVORABLE JET DYNAMICS...8 TO 16 INCHES LOOKS REASONABLE FOR THE 24 H PERIOD FOR THE ERN SAN JUANS...AND 6 TO 12 INCHES FOR THE SWRN SLOPES OF THE SAWATCH. WILL HAVE TO WATCH THINGS CLOSELY FOR THE SW MTS HOWEVER...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME LOCAL WARNING CRITERIA SNOWS ESPECIALLY LATE TONIGHT INTO SAT. ROSE .LONG TERM... (SAT-THU) MAIN CONCERN THIS FCST PD IS...SNOW IN THE MTNS ALONG THE CONTDVD AND FIRE WX THREAT...FOR SAT. RATHER STRONG ALBEIT SMALL SHORT WAVE WILL EFFECT THE WX SAT. THIS SYSTEM WILL LIKELY BRING SOME LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW TO THE MTNS ALONG THE CONTDVD (ESPECIALLY THE SW MTNS) ALONG WITH DRY WINDY CONDITIONS FOR THE PLAINS. BY 12Z SATURDAY...A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL LIKELY LIE ACROSS THE REGION IN THE VICINITY OF THE NORTHERN RATON MESA REGION. THE AXIS OF THE 500 MB LOW WILL LIKELY BE LOCATED OVER UTAH WITH A 100 KNT SW JET OVER THE REGION. AS THE MORNING PROGRESSES...THIS FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL MIX OUT AND BE RELOCATED OVER THE PALMER DIVIDE...WHERE IT WILL LIKELY REMAIN UNTIL THE TROUGH AXIS PASSES THE REGION. AS THE SFC BOUNDARY LIFTS N...WINDS WILL QUICKLY SHIFT TO THE SW AND INCREASE IN SPEED. BY NOONISH...MANY AREAS OF THE PLAINS WILL LIKELY HAVE SW WINDS IN THE 20-30 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH POSSIBLE. ADDITIONALLY...AS THE STRONG TROUGH PASSES DURING THE AFTERNOON...WE COULD HAVE LOTS OF VIRGA OVER THE PLAINS WHICH WILL ENHANCE THE SFC WINDS. I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT THE 06 NAM WAS EVEN HINTING AT A LITTLE TSRA OVER THE PLAINS. THIS COULD REALLY CAUSE PROBLEMS IN THAT IF WE GET A LIGHTNING STRIKE IN THE WRONG AREA ALONG WITH THE STRONG SFC WINDS...THEN WE COULD GET A SIGNIFICANT GRASS FIRE GOING. FOR NOW...I BELIEVE THE TSRA THREAT IS TOO LOW TO MENTION IN THE GRIDDED DATABASE...BUT WILL LET THE ONCOMING SHIFT KNOW OF THE POSSIBLE THREAT. NEEDLESS TO SAY...WENT AHEAD AND ISSUED ANOTHER FIRE WX WATCH FOR SAT. I AM PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT MOST OF THE PLAINS WILL SEE RED FLAG CONDITIONS...BUT SOME AREAS IN THE WATCH...ESPECIALLY THE MTNS AND N EL PASO COUNTY...MAY NOT SEE LOW ENOUGH RH VALUES TO JUSTIFY RED FLAG CONDITIONS. IN THE MTNS...THE SNOWS WILL RETURN ESPECIALY FOR THE MTNS ALONG THE CONTDVD. DURING THE SATURDAY DAY PERIOD...EXPECT AN ADDITIONAL 4-8 OF SNOW TO FALL...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SW MTNS. ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE SAT EVENING AS WINDS TRANSITION TO MORE NW ACROSS THE C MTN REGION. AS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FCST...REALLY DID NOT MAKE ANY SIGNIF CHANGES. THE NEXT FIRE WX CONCERN WILL BE MONDAY AFTERNOON AS ANOTHER BROAD TROUGH MOVES JUST TO OUR N. THIS TROUGH WILL LIKELY BRING A CHANCE OF SOME NEEDED SNOW TO THE C MTNS...BUT DRY AND WINDY CONDITONS TO THE PLAINS. FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...MODEST W FLOW WILL OVER THE REGION ALOFT...SO DO NOT EXPECT MUCH IN THE WAY OF STRONG SFC WINDS IN THE CWA. MONDAYS TROUGH WILL USHER COOLER WX INTO THE REGION...SO EXPECT TEMPS NEXT WEEK TO BE MORE SEASONABLE THEN THE TEMPS WE HAD THE LAST FEW DAYS. AS HARD AS I TRY...I REALLY DONT SEE ANY CHANCE OF SIGNIF PRECIP FOR THE PLAINS IN THE EXTENDED COMPUTER SIMULATIONS. /HODANISH && .AVIATION... GUSTY WEST WINDS CONTINUE TO BE THE MAIN AVN CONCERN ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON. GUSTS OF 30 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE AFTERNOON OVR ALL THREE TAF SITES. OVR THE CENTRAL MTS...THERE WILL BE REDUCED VIS DUE TO INCREASING SNOWFALL...ESPECIALLY LATER TONIGHT OVER THE CONT DVD. ROSE && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR COZ221-222-225>237. FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING FOR COZ221-222-225>237. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR COZ068. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR COZ060. && 44/34
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 701 AM MST FRI MAR 6 2009 COZ058>089-093>099-071415- 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- 701 AM MST FRI MAR 6 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...AND PERSISTENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS...THE I-25 CORRIDOR...AND ALL OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING. THESE CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME AND ERRATIC FIRE BEHAVIOR. OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...AN APPROACHING STORM WILL BRING ROUNDS OF MODERATE SNOWFALL TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL WILL OCCUR LATER TONIGHT OVER THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FEET ELEVATION. BY SATURDAY MORNING...4 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED. SNOWFALL ALONG WITH GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL RESULT IN REDUCED VISIBILITY AND HAZARDOUS TRAVEL OVER THE PASSES ESPECIALLY LATER TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SNOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...AND WILL DECREASE BY LATE IN THE DAY. TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE BETWEEN 8 AND 16 INCHES ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS AND 8 TO 12 INCHES ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. STRONG DRY SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE PLAINS AND ADJACENT MOUNTAINS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THESE STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES AND PERSISTENT DRY CONDITIONS WILL PROVIDE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS MEETING REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT OVER THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS. 44/34
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 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, March 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: 160661.