Colorado, 2010Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, December 10 to 12, 2010
December 10 to 12, 2010 · NWS GJT · 6 events in 6 counties and zones
A moist northwest flow aloft produced significant snowfall in many mountain areas of western Colorado.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
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.
A moist northwest flow aloft produced significant snowfall in many mountain areas of western Colorado.
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 Dec 10, 3:13 AM MST, 47 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 10, 3:13 AM MST, 47 minutes before
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</html>Winter Weather, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains
- When
- December 10, 4:00 AM MST to December 11, 8:00 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)
Snowfall accumulations of 5-10 inches was measured across the area.
Winter Storm, Elkhead and Park Mountains
- When
- December 10, 7:00 AM MST to December 12, 6:00 AM 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)
Snowfall accumulations of 8 to 14 inches were measured across the zone. Wind gusts of 30 to 65 mph produced widespread blowing and drifting snow, along with local blizzard conditions.
Winter Storm, Flattop Mountains
- When
- December 10, 7:00 AM MST to December 12, 4:00 AM MST
- Where
- Flattop Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 40.062, -107.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall accumulations of 10-13 inches was measured across most of the area. Wind gusts of 20 to 40 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.
Winter Weather, Grand and Battlement Mesas
- When
- December 10, 8:00 AM MST to December 11, 10:00 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)
Snowfall accumulations of 4-8 inches was measured across the area. Wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph produced local areas of blowing and drifting snow.
Winter Storm, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys
- When
- December 10, 10:00 AM MST to December 12, 5:00 AM 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)
Snowfall accumulations of 8 to 13 inches were measured across the zone. Wind gusts of 30 to 45 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.
Winter Weather, Northwestern San Juan Mountains
- When
- December 10, 10:00 AM MST to December 11, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall accumulations of 4-8 inches was measured across the area. Wind gusts of 30 to 60 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow, along with localized blizzard conditions.
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Minnesota, December 10 to 11, 20103 deaths · $18 million · 37 events
- Winter Storm in Wisconsin, December 10 to 11, 20102 deaths · $1.2 million · 9 events
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Wisconsin, December 10 to 12, 20101 death · 19 events
- Blizzard in Iowa, December 10 to 12, 20101 injured · $37,000 · 8 events
- Wildfire in Colorado, December 10, 2010$40,000 · 1 event
- Blizzard and Winter Weather in South Dakota, December 10 to 11, 2010$5,000 · 24 events
- Heavy Snow in North Dakota, December 10 to 11, 201014 events
- High Wind in Wyoming, December 10, 201055 kt wind · 10 events
- Winter Storm in Montana, December 10, 20107 events
- Winter Storm in Colorado, December 10 to 11, 20103 events
- High Wind in Nebraska, December 10, 201052 kt wind · 2 events
- High Wind in Kansas, December 10, 201056 kt wind · 2 events
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 270769, 270764, 270766, 270770, 270765, 270771.