Colorado, 2010

Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, January 19 to 20, 2010

January 19 to 20, 2010 · NWS GJT · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

The second in a series of moist Pacific storms spread snowfall across the region, favoring the areas of southwest Colorado.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
7

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.

The second in a series of moist Pacific storms spread snowfall across the region, favoring the areas of southwest 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 Jan 19, 1:04 PM MST, 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 19, 1:04 PM MST, 56 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 19, 5:14 AM MST, 8 hours 46 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
514 AM MST TUE JAN 19 2010

COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-201245-
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-
514 AM MST TUE JAN 19 2010

...STORMY WEATHER PATTERN TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEK...

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

TRAVEL WILL BE SLOW OR DELAYED ACROSS THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS AND
ADJACENT FOOTHILLS TODAY AS SNOW CONTINUES THERE...HEAVY AT TIMES.
SNOW WILL ALSO IMPEDE TRAVEL ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND
PORTIONS OF THE INTERSTATE 70 CORRIDOR. LIGHT SNOW WILL PERSIST IN
THE EASTERN UINTA BASIN AND SPREAD ACROSS NORTHWEST COLORADO TODAY.
A LULL IN THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TONIGHT.

WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO. GO TO WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GJT FOR
DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

SNOWFALL WILL INCREASE WEDNESDAY WITH A SERIES OF PACIFIC STORMS
CONTINUING TO BRING PERIODS OF PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
SNOW SHOULD FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS EACH DAY RESULTING FOR POOR TRAVEL
CONDITIONS OVER THE PASSES. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SHOULD OCCUR ACROSS
THE SOUTHERN COLORADO AND UTAH MOUNTAINS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING
IMPROVING CONDITIONS SUNDAY AND MONDAY.

THE VALLEYS WILL SEE PERIODS OF SNOW THROUGH THE WEEK. PRECIPITATION
WILL LESSEN DURING BRIEF PERIODS BETWEEN EACH SYSTEM...AND GRADUALLY
DIMINISH SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TODAY OR TONIGHT...BUT SPOTTERS
ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY NEW SNOWFALL TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION.

TGJT

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 19, 10:52 AM MST, 3 hours 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1052 AM MST TUE JAN 19 2010

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

0917 AM     HEAVY SNOW       LA SAL                  38.31N 109.24W
01/19/2010  M6.0 INCH        SAN JUAN           UT   AVALANCHE FCSTR

&&

EVENT NUMBER GJT1000022

BK
Local storm report, Jan 19, 11:24 AM MST, 2 hours 36 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jan 19, 11:27 AM MST, 2 hours 33 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1127 AM MST TUE JAN 19 2010

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

0917 AM     HEAVY SNOW       12 N LA SAL             38.49N 109.24W
01/19/2010  M6.0 INCH        SAN JUAN           UT   AVALANCHE FCSTR

            LA SAL SNOTEL

&&

CORRECTED LOCATION...REMARKS

EVENT NUMBER GJT1000022

BK
Local storm report, Jan 19, 12:31 PM MST, 1 hour 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1231 PM MST TUE JAN 19 2010

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

0800 AM     HEAVY SNOW       MESA VERDE NATL PARK    37.15N 108.48W
01/19/2010  M14.0 INCH       MONTEZUMA          CO   CO-OP OBSERVER

&&

EVENT NUMBER GJT1000024

BK
Local storm report, Jan 19, 12:34 PM MST, 1 hour 26 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1234 PM MST TUE JAN 19 2010

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

0800 AM     HEAVY SNOW       5 S DURANGO             37.21N 107.87W
01/19/2010  M8.0 INCH        LA PLATA           CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

EVENT NUMBER GJT1000025

BK
Local storm report, Jan 19, 12:45 PM MST, 1 hour 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1245 PM MST TUE JAN 19 2010

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

0800 AM     HEAVY SNOW       2 W PAGOSA SPRINGS      37.27N 107.05W
01/19/2010  M6.4 INCH        ARCHULETA          CO   CO-OP OBSERVER

&&

EVENT NUMBER GJT1000026

BK

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 winter weather, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus

When
January 19, 2:00 PM MST to January 20, 12:00 PM MST
Where
Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall of 4 to 8 inches occurred across the area. Winds gusted up to 30 mph producing some areas of blowing and drifting snow.

Winter Weather, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When
January 19, 2:00 PM MST to January 20, 5:00 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 of 5 to 11 inches occurred over the area. Wind gusts of 40 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.

Winter Weather, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When
January 19, 5:00 PM MST to January 20, 4:00 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 5 to 12 inches occurred. Winds gusted up to 45 mph generating blowing and drifting snow.

Winter Storm, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When
January 19, 6:00 PM MST to January 20, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snowfall of 8 to 18 inches occurred over the area. Wind gusts up to 45 mph produced blowing and drifting snow. The adverse weather caused a couple of short-lived road closures along Highway 550.

Winter Weather, Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin

When
January 19, 11:00 PM MST to January 20, 12:00 PM MST
Where
Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
37.698, -108.507 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall of 2 to 4 inches occurred over the area. Some locally higher amounts were reported, including 9 inches at a location 12 miles southwest of Dove Creek. Wind gusts up to 35 mph produced extensive blowing and drifting snow.

Winter Weather, Animas River Basin

When
January 20, 12:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where
Animas River Basin forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
37.287, -107.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall of 2 to 4 inches occurred over the area. Wind gusts up to 30 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.

Winter Weather, Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide

When
January 20, 2:00 AM MST to 5:00 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 of 5 to 7 inches occurred above the 8,000 foot level. Wind gusts up to 35 mph generated areas of blowing and drifting snow.

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, January 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: 209797, 209798, 209801, 209793, 209794, 209795, 209799.