Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, April 28 to 30, 2010

Name: Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, April 28 to 30, 2010
Start: 2010-04-28T14:00
End: 2010-04-30T23:59
Location: Colorado

April 28 to 30, 2010 · NWS GJT · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 13

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.

A strong, late season storm system spread heavy snowfall over the Colorado mountains as well as some of the higher valleys. A few of the lower valleys in western Colorado also received significant late season snowfall accumulations. This event continued into May, so please see the May 2010 Storm Data Publication for additional information.

What forecasters said that day

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 Apr 28, 1:38 PM MST, 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 28, 1:38 PM MST, 22 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 28, 4:45 AM MST, 9 hours 15 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
545 AM MDT WED APR 28 2010

COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-291145-
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 MDT WED APR 28 2010

...VERY WINDY CONDITIONS TODAY WITH RAIN AND SNOW DEVELOPING THIS
EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN
COLORADO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING...BECOMING VERY STRONG BY
MIDDAY. AS A RESULT A HIGH WIND WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PORTIONS
OF WESTERN COLORADO AND EASTERN UTAH. IN ADDITION...DRY VEGETATION
AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE WITH THE WINDS TO SUPPORT
RAPID FIRE SPREAD. THEREFORE A RED FLAG WARNING WILL ALSO BE IN
EFFECT FROM 9 AM UNTIL 9 PM.

THE CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW WILL ARRIVE THIS EVENING AND BECOME
WIDESPREAD AS A MAJOR STORM MOVES OVER THE REGION.  SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS FOR THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO
REACH 6 TO 10 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS. THEREFORE A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM 6 PM WEDNESDAY THROUGH 6 PM
THURSDAY.

PLEASE SEE THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION WEB SITE AT
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/GJT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

SNOW WILL CONTINUE...MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS THROUGH
THURSDAY...WITH THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL COLORADO FAVORED. COLDER AIR
WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION ON THURSDAY WITH LOW TEMPERATURES FALLING
BELOW FREEZING ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT. BELOW
NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND THE CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW WILL CONTINUE
INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

TGJT

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 28, 12:58 PM MST, 1 hour 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
158 PM MDT WED APR 28 2010

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1103 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST MEEKER                  40.05N 107.89W
04/28/2010  M58 MPH          RIO BLANCO         CO   ASOS

&&

EVENT NUMBER GJT1000485

DLC

Local storm report, Apr 28, 1:00 PM MST, 1 hour before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
200 PM MDT WED APR 28 2010

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1257 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST GRAND JUNCTION          39.09N 108.55W
04/28/2010  M54 MPH          MESA               CO   ASOS

&&

EVENT NUMBER GJT1000486

DLC

Local storm report, Apr 28, 1:09 PM MST, 51 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
209 PM MDT WED APR 28 2010

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1036 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST RIFLE                   39.54N 107.78W
04/28/2010  M52 MPH          GARFIELD           CO   ASOS

&&

EVENT NUMBER GJT1000487

DLC

Local storm report, Apr 28, 1:11 PM MST, 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
211 PM MDT WED APR 28 2010

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1159 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST MONTROSE                38.48N 107.87W
04/28/2010  M49 MPH          MONTROSE           CO   ASOS

&&

EVENT NUMBER GJT1000488

DLC

Local storm report, Apr 28, 1:28 PM MST, 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
228 PM MDT WED APR 28 2010

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0122 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST ASPEN                   39.19N 106.83W
04/28/2010  M46 MPH          PITKIN             CO   ASOS

&&

EVENT NUMBER GJT1000489

DLC

Local storm report, Apr 28, 2:00 PM MST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
300 PM MDT WED APR 28 2010

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1126 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 NW MACK               39.27N 108.94W
04/28/2010  M61 MPH          MESA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

EVENT NUMBER GJT1000490

DLC

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 winter weather, 6 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Elkhead and Park Mountains

When: April 28, 2:00 PM MST to April 30, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Elkhead and Park Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snowfall resulted in accumulations ranging from 12 to 24 inches. Locally higher amounts of up to 30 inches were reported at the Tower SNOTEL site. Gusty winds up to 35 mph produced some areas of blowing and drifting snow. This event continues into May, so please see the May 2010 Storm Data Publication for further details.

Winter Storm, Flattop Mountains

When: April 28, 3:00 PM MST to April 30, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Flattop Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 40.062, -107.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snowfall spread 10 to 21 inches of new snow across the area. Wind gusts up to 40 mph generated areas of blowing snow. This event continues into May, so please see the May 2010 Storm Data Publication for further details.

Winter Weather, Central Yampa River Basin

When: April 28, 5:00 PM MST to April 30, 2:00 PM MST
Where: Central Yampa River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.361, -107.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts across the area ranged from 3 to 6 inches. A few locally higher amounts of up to 7 inches were reported in both Hayden and a location 33 miles north of Craig.

Winter Weather, Upper Yampa River Basin

When: April 28, 5:00 PM MST to April 30, 2:00 PM MST
Where: Upper Yampa River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.485, -106.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall accumulations across the area ranged from 4 to 9 inches. The adverse weather lead to multiple vehicle accidents, which prompted the closure of Highway 40 west of Steamboat Springs.

Winter Weather, Lower Yampa River Basin

When: April 28, 10:00 PM MST to April 29, 9:00 AM MST
Where: Lower Yampa River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.066, -108.109 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall of 3 to 4 inches occurred across most of the area.

Winter Storm, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys

When: April 28, 11:00 PM MST to April 30, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snowfall resulted in accumulations ranging from 12 to 24 inches. Winds gusted up to 50 mph producing some areas of blowing and drifting snow. The adverse weather conditions caused several vehicle accidents near the town of Aspen. This event continues into May, so please see the May 2010 Storm Data Publication for further details.

Winter Storm, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When: April 28, 11:00 PM MST to April 30, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snowfall spread 12 to 26 inches of new snow across the area. Wind gusts up to 40 mph generated some areas of blowing snow. This event continues into May, so please see the May 2010 Storm Data Publication for further details.

Winter Storm, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains

When: April 28, 11:00 PM MST to April 30, 11:59 PM MST
Where: West Elk and Sawatch Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snowfall spread 10 to 24 inches of new snow across the area. Wind gusts ranging from 30 to 60 mph generated areas of blowing and drifting snow. The adverse weather conditions lead to the closure of Highway 50 over Monarch Pass. This event continues into May, so please see the May 2010 Storm Data Publication for further details.

Winter Storm, Central Colorado River Basin

When: April 29, 12:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: Central Colorado River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snowfall resulted in accumulations ranging from 6 to 15 inches. Wind gusts up to 30 mph produced areas of blowing snow. The adverse weather conditions resulted in multiple vehicle accidents and road closures along Interstate 70 between Edwards and Wolcott.

Winter Weather, Debeque to Silt Corridor

When: April 29, 1:00 AM MST to April 30, 6:00 AM MST
Where: Debeque to Silt Corridor forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.308, -108.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall accumulations ranged from 3 to 7 inches across most of the area.

Winter Weather, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When: April 29, 3:00 AM MST to April 30, 9:00 PM MST
Where: Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall of 4 to 10 inches occurred across most of the area. Wind gusts ranged from 30 to 60 mph which generated some areas of blowing and drifting snow.

Winter Weather, Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide

When: April 29, 3:00 AM MST to April 30, 9:00 PM MST
Where: Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 10 inches across most of the area. Locally higher amounts of up to 15 inches were reported over Columbine Pass. Winds gusted up to 40 mph producing some areas of blowing and drifting snow.

Winter Weather, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When: April 29, 5:00 AM MST to April 30, 10:00 PM MST
Where: Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall of 6 to 12 inches occurred across most of the area with some locally higher amounts, including 17 inches in Ouray. Wind gusts ranged from 30 to 60 mph which generated some areas of blowing and drifting snow.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Colorado in 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history Warnings in Colorado, April 2010

Sources

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: 226583, 226588, 226555, 226567, 226546, 226581, 226586, 226587, 226589, 226578, 226551, 226562, 226548.