A stable airmass combined with clearing skies to produce dense fog.
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 GJT wrote it up.
A stable airmass combined with clearing skies to produce dense fog.
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 Grand Junction, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 13, 1:49 PM MST, 6 hours 11 minutes earlier.
COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-132153- AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 149 PM MST SUN DEC 13 2009 SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY... CURRENT NEXRAD MOSAIC AND WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOW TROUGH JUST TO OUR WEST MOVING FAIRLY QUICKLY TO THE E-NE. NEXRAD SHOWING RETURNS ACROSS MUCH OF NRN/CEN/ERN MTNS AND EXTREME NERN UT WHILE REMAINING AREAS APPEAR TO BE PRECIP FREE. MANY AREAS WERE ABOVE FREEZING BY DAYBREAK AND QUITE BREEZY AS WARM AIR ALOFT MANAGED TO MIX TO THE SFC CAUSING TEMPS TO REACH THE MID-40S IN SOME LOCALES. CURRENT TEMPS FOR ALMOST ALL VALLEYS ARE ABOVE FREEZING WITH EITHER RAIN OR RAIN/SNOW MIX BEING REPORTED. IN RESPONSE...CANCELLED MANY WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES AS TEMPS WERE JUST TOO WARM TO SUSTAIN ANY TYPE OF SNOWFALL. ON THE OTHER HAND....CO MTNS CONTINUE TO REPORT SNOW AND THIS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING AS W TO NWLY FLOW WILL KEEP FAVORABLE OROGRAPHICS PRODUCING SNOWFALL. REMAINING AREAS WILL SEE TIMES OF RAIN AND SNOW THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS ATMOSPHERE SLOWLY BECOMES MORE STABLE. ANY PRECIP THAT FALLS TONIGHT WILL BE SNOW BUT ASIDE FROM MTNS...NO APPRECIABLE ACCUMULATION EXPECTED... MAYBE AN INCH OR TWO. NUMEROUS ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS ARE STILL ACTIVE...PLEASE VISIT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GJT FOR LATEST INFORMATION. BY MIDDAY MONDAY...ALL SNOW SHOULD HAVE ENDED FOR ENTIRE CWA AS A WEAK TRANSITORY RIDGE MOVES INTO THE AREA. EXPECT MORE CLOUDS THAN SUN MONDAY WITH CLEARING CONDITIONS MOVING IN FROM WEST TO EAST. TEMPS WILL REMAIN CLOSE TO SEASONAL NORMS...ALBEIT A FEW DEGREES COOLER FOR REMAINDER OF SHORT-TERM. LONG TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY... A FLAT DIRTY RIDGE WILL BE OVER THE SWRN STATES TUE NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS CONSIDERABLE STORM ENERGY MOVES THROUGH THE GRT BASIN AND NRN ROCKIES. OUR CWA SHOULD REMAIN MOSTLY DRY BUT CLOUD COVER WILL BE SUBSTANTIAL. A WEAK SHORT WAVE PASSING THROUGH NRN UT WED NIGHT WILL MOVE INTO OUR REGION EARLY THUR MORNING. THIS WILL BRING THE BEST CHANCE OF PCPN DURING THIS EXTENDED PERIOD...ALBEIT LIGHT AND CONFINED MAINLY TO THE MTNS NORTH OF I-70. OVERALL FORCING LIMITED SO EXPECT SCATTERED SHOWERS AT BEST. GFS SHOWS TROF PASSAGE AROUND NOON...WHILE EC SOME 6-12 HRS SLOWER. STILL FELT POPS NEED TO BE RAISED A BIT THURSDAY. A NORTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL BE OVER THE REGION FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AS AN AMPLIFIED RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE WRN GRT BASIN AND DIVERTS STORM ENERGY NORTHWARD. HOWEVER THERE WILL BE ENOUGH MOISTURE TOO PRODUCE MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES ACROSS THE NORTH...GRADING TO PARTLY CLOUDY SOUTH. LITTLE OR NO FORCING SEEN SO EXPECT LITTLE IN THE WAY OF ANY PCPN. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN A LITTLE BELOW SEASONAL READINGS. AVIATION... OCCASIONAL SNOW WILL CONTINUE OVER THE REGION THIS EVENING... WITH RAIN OR MIXED RAIN AND SNOW IN THE LOWER WESTERN VALLEYS. SNOW WILL CAUSE AREAS OF IFR AND OCCASIONAL LIFR CIGS AND VSBY AT THE AIRFIELDS ABOVE 7000 FEET MSL. STORM INTENSITY WILL DECREASE LATER TONIGHT...HOWEVER WIDESPREAD FOG IS LIKELY TO FORM IN MANY VALLEYS RESULTING IN IFR AND LIFR CONDITIONS. SNOW WILL DIMINISH FROM THE WEST OVERNIGHT WHILE CONTINUING ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR COZ003. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR COZ001- 014. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM MST MONDAY FOR COZ005-010. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR COZ002. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 9 AM MST MONDAY FOR COZ004-009-012- 013-017>019. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR COZ007-008. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 AM MST MONDAY FOR COZ022-023. && UPDATE.......TGR SHORT TERM...AS LONG TERM....MC AVIATION.....MC
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 545 AM MST SUN DEC 13 2009 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-141300- ANIMAS RIVER BASIN-ARCHES/GRAND FLAT-CANYONLANDS/NATURAL BRIDGES- CENTRAL COLORADO RIVER BASIN- CENTRAL GUNNISON AND UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER BASIN- CENTRAL YAMPA RIVER BASIN-DEBEQUE TO SILT CORRIDOR- EASTERN UINTA BASIN-EASTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS- ELKHEAD AND PARK MOUNTAINS-FLAT TOPS- FOUR CORNERS/UPPER DOLORES RIVER- GORE AND ELK MOUNTAINS/CENTRAL MOUNTAINS-GRAND AND BATTLEMENT MESAS- GRAND VALLEY-LA SAL AND ABAJO MOUNTAINS-LOWER YAMPA RIVER BASIN- NORTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-PARADOX VALLEY/LOWER DOLORES RIVER- ROAN AND TAVAPUTS PLATEAUS-SAN JUAN RIVER BASIN-SOUTHEAST UTAH- SOUTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-TAVAPUTS PLATEAU- UNCOMPAHGRE PLATEAU AND DALLAS DIVIDE-UPPER GUNNISON RIVER VALLEY- UPPER YAMPA RIVER BASIN-WEST ELK AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS- 545 AM MST SUN DEC 13 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WIDESPREAD SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION TODAY AS A STRONG PACIFIC STORM SWEEPS OVER THE AREA. SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT PROMPTING THE ISSUANCE OF NUMEROUS WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES. PLEASE VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/GJT FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THIS WINTER STORM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY SNOW WILL LINGER...MAINLY ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...MONDAY BEFORE DIMINISHING ENTIRELY LATE MONDAY NIGHT. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR SNOW ARRIVES THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUES INTO SATURDAY MORNING ...THOUGH MAINLY FOR THE MOUNTAINS NORTH OF THE I-70 CORRIDOR.. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TODAY OR TONIGHT...THOUGH SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS. TGJT
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
555 PM MST SUN DEC 13 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0545 PM SNOW 5 W PAGOSA SPRINGS 37.27N 107.10W
12/13/2009 E8.0 INCH ARCHULETA CO TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT0900202
MALEKSAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
634 PM MST SUN DEC 13 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0315 PM SNOW 7 SSW REDSTONE 39.09N 107.28W
12/13/2009 M5.0 INCH GUNNISON CO AVALANCHE FCSTR
NEW SNOW FALL SINCE 7 AM. STORM TOTAL OF 14 INCHES SO
FAR.
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT0900203
MALEKSAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
635 PM MST SUN DEC 13 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0315 PM SNOW 7 SSW REDSTONE 39.09N 107.28W
12/13/2009 M5.0 INCH GUNNISON CO AVALANCHE FCSTR
NEW SNOW FALL SINCE 7 AM FOR MCCLURE PASS. STORM TOTAL
OF 14 INCHES SO FAR.
&&
CORRECTED REMARKS
EVENT NUMBER GJT0900203
MALEKSAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
640 PM MST SUN DEC 13 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM SNOW 2 WNW TROUT LAKE 37.81N 107.90W
12/13/2009 M6.0 INCH SAN MIGUEL CO AVALANCHE FCSTR
LIZARD HEAD PASS. 24 HOUR SNOWFALL AMT AS OF 8 AM SUN
MORNING. SWE OF 0.4 INCHES
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT0900204
MALEKSAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
642 PM MST SUN DEC 13 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM SNOW 3 SSE RICO 37.65N 108.01W
12/13/2009 M8.0 INCH DOLORES CO AVALANCHE FCSTR
SCOTCH CREEK. 24 HOUR SNOWFALL AMOUNT AS OF 8 AM SUN
MORNING. SWE OF .5 INCHES
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT0900205
MALEKSAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
723 PM MST SUN DEC 13 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1000 AM HEAVY SNOW HAHNS PEAK 40.80N 106.93W
12/13/2009 E10.0 INCH ROUTT CO PARK SERVICE
24 HOUR SNOWFALL AMOUNT...ESTIMATED 8-10 INCHES ALONG
WITH WINDY CONDITIONS
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT0900206
MALEKSAThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.
Dense fog frequently reduced visibilities to near one quarter mile, especially along I-70 between the Colorado border and Green River, Utah, and areas along 191 between Crescent Junction and Moab.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Utah in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Utah, December 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: 203112.