Colorado, 2010

Winter 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.

Where it happened

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

The toll

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.

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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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 winter weather, 3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

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.

What these are

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.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 270769, 270764, 270766, 270770, 270765, 270771.