A late winter season storm brought heavy snow to areas in and near the Front Range. The foothills of Boulder and Jefferson Counties were the hardest hit.
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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 BOU wrote it up.
A late winter season storm brought heavy snow to areas in and near the Front Range. The foothills of Boulder and Jefferson Counties were the hardest hit. A trained spotter in Coal Creek Canyon received top honors with 26 inches, while the runner-up received 25.5 inches, 4 miles southeast of Conifer. Boulder and the western suburbs of Denver received 8 to 14 inches of snowfall. Storm totals ranged from 5 to 10.5 inches, from Denver south to the Palmer Ridge; with 4 to 7 inches in and around Fort Collins.
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 Denver/Boulder, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 18, 2:30 PM MST, 8 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 330 PM MDT THU MAR 18 2010 .SHORT TERM...ALL THE HOISTING IS DONE AND NOW WE WAIT FOR THINGS TO COME TOGETHER. THE COLD FRONT BLASTED THROUGH AHEAD OF SCHEDULE ALREADY HELPED BY A SURFACE LOW COMING TOGETHER FIRST NEAR LIMON AND NOW DROPPING SOUTH. THE MAIN PRECIPITATION BAND IS CONSIDERABLY FARTHER NORTH AND STRETCHES FROM CENTRAL NEVADA ALL THE WAY TO THE DAKOTAS ALL ALIGNED WITH THE UPPER LEVEL JET AND UPPER LEVEL STRONG FRONT. THE MODELS HAVE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT IN MOVING THIS FORCING SOUTHWARD AND ACROSS BOTH THE MOUNTAINS AND THE PLAINS BEGINNING LATER TONIGHT NEAR THE WY BORDER AND THEN TOWARDS 12Z AROUND DENVER. THIS SHOULD MARK THE BEST PERIOD OF SNOW BEFORE THE STORM TRANSITIONS TO MORE OF AN UPSLOPE DOMINATED EVENT BY LATER ON FRIDAY WITH SNOW REALLY DECREASING ON THE PLAINS. WITH THIS IN MIND THERE SHOULD BE A GOOD PERIOD OF SNOW FARTHER EAST ON THE PLAINS BUT NOT PERSISTING AS LONG AS NEAR THE FOOTHILLS...SO HOISTED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WHERE WE HAD THE WATCH AND ADDED THE ZONES NEAR THE NEBRASKA AND WYOMING BORDER. IN THE MOUNTAINS ALWAYS TRICKY FOR SNOW AND THE EASTERLY MOUNTAIN TOP FLOW FAVORS NEAR AND EAST OF THE DIVIDE AND CERTAINLY THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS BUT CLEARLY NOT SO MUCH THE REST OF THE HIGH COUNTRY. BUT WITH THE ADDITION OF THE UPPER LEVEL JET BAND SHOULD SEE ENOUGH SNOW TO GET INTO THE WARNING CRITERIA FOR MANY OF THE MOUNTAIN AREAS. STILL...THIS COULD BE A REALLY HEFTY STORM FOR THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS UP TO THE FAR EASTERN PORTIONS OF ZONES 33 AND 34 AS THERE IS A LENGTHY PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANT NORTHEAST FLOW THAT PERSISTS LONG AFTER THE GOOD UPPER LEVEL FORCING IS GONE. COUPLE THIS WITH AN INCREASING SNOW TO LIQUID RATIO AS TEMPERATURES COOL ALOFT AND WOULD NOT BE SURPISED TO SEE AT LEAST TWO FEET OF SNOW IN A NUMBER OF THE FOOTHILL AREAS AND EVEN WELL OVER A FOOT NEAR THE FOOTHILLS FROM BOULDER THROUGH JEFFERSON COUNTIES. THE FINAL 6 TO 12 HOURS OF THE STORM AFTER 18Z FRIDAY SHOULD BE CONCENTRATED MORE IN AN NEAR THE FOOTHILLS AND RAPIDLY DROP OFF AS ONE HEADS ONTO THE PLAINS...WHEREAS BEFORE 18Z WE WOULD HAVE THE BANDING WITH THE UPPER LEVEL JET EXTENDING THINGS WELL EASTWARD. RUSH HOUR BOTH MORNING AND AFTERNOON DO NOT LOOK VERY GOOD FOR THE URBAN CORRIDOR. .LONG TERM...SNOW WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AS TROUGH AXIS AND Q-G LIFT PASS BY. HOWEVER...THERE IS STILL A HEALTHY NORTHEAST OROGRAPHIC COMPONENT WELL INTO THE EVENING HOURS SO EXPECT ANOTHER 2-4 INCHES IN/NEAR THE SOUTHERN FOOTHILLS AND PALMER DIVIDE AREA. ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL WILL TAPER OFF RATHER QUICKLY TO THE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE DENVER METRO AREA AND NORTHEAST PLAINS AS DRIER AIR ARRIVES. RIGHT NOW...WE ARE RUNNING THE CURRENT HIGHLIGHTS TIL MIDNIGHT TOMORROW NIGHT FOR THE FRONT RANGE...URBAN CORRIDOR...AND AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-70...AND ENDING THEM BY 6 PM FARTHER NORTHEAST WHERE THE DRIER AIR MAY EVEN ARRIVE A BIT EARLIER THAN THAT. SUNSHINE WILL RETURN BY SATURDAY...BUT WARMUP WILL BE DELAYED BY SNOW COVER AND A COLD AIRMASS STILL IN PLACE. ON SUNDAY...WE HAVE POTENTIAL FOR MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES BUT AGAIN STILL EXPECT PLENTY OF SNOW ON THE GROUND TO HOLD THE WARMING BACK...SO HIGHS SHOULD BE LIMITED CLOSER TO 50F ACROSS MOST OF THE PLAINS. BY MONDAY...SHOULD BE ABLE TO REACH THE LOWER 60S WITH STRONG WARM ADVECTION ALOFT AND DOWNSLOPE WARMING AHEAD OF THE NEXT SYSTEM. THIS NEXT SYSTEM IS THEN ADVERTISED TO DROP SOUTHEAST INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES BY TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER CHANCE OF SNOW TO THE FORECAST AREA ALONG WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES. ACTIVE PATTERN IS IN PLACE. .AVIATION...COLD FRONT PUSHED SOUTH THROUGH THE AREA ALREADY BUT A SECOND SURGE IS LIKELY AFTER 00Z BRINGING IN COLDER AIR. EXPECT SHOWERS OF RAIN AND/OR SNOW TO BEGIN TO DEVELOP NEAR THE FOOTHILLS BY 00Z AND SPREAD EASTWARD...THEN MORE STEADY PRECIPITATION OVER TO ALL SNOW BY 04 TO 06Z. BEST PERIOD OF SNOW LIKELY TO BE 11 TO 17Z AT DIA THEN MAINLY S- BUT MORE STEADY SNOW ALL DAY BJC AND LIKELY ALSO AT APA. WINDS COULD PRODUCE SOME BLOWING SNOW MAINLY AT DIA. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...WINTER STORM WARNING MIDNIGHT TONIGHT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT FOR THE FRONT RANGE MOUNTAINS...FOOTHILLS...AND ADJACENT PLAINS INCLUDING THE FRONT RANGE URBAN CORRIDOR AND PALMER DIVIDE...ZONES 33>36..38>41. ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHEASTERN PLAINS OF COLORADO...ZONES 42>44..AND 48>51. ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE EASTERN PLAINS OF COLORADO...ZONES 45..46...SOUTH PARK...AND PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...ZONES 31..37. SZOKE/BARJENBRUCH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 1113 AM MDT THU MAR 18 2010 COZ030>051-191200- JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET-WEST JACKSON AND WEST GRAND COUNTIES ABOVE 9000 FEET-GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-SOUTH AND EAST JACKSON/LARIMER/NORTH AND NORTHEAST GRAND/ NORTHWEST BOULDER COUNTIES ABOVE 9000 FEET-SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST GRAND/WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST BOULDER/GILPIN/CLEAR CREEK/ SUMMIT/NORTH AND WEST PARK COUNTIES ABOVE 9000 FEET-LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET-JEFFERSON AND WEST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET/GILPIN/CLEAR CREEK/NORTHEAST PARK COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PARK COUNTY-LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY-BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/ EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES- NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN COUNTY-SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-LOGAN COUNTY-WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY- 1113 AM MDT THU MAR 18 2010 ...VARIOUS WINTER WEATHER WARNINGS AND WATCHES FOR LATER TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN COLORADO... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM IS MOVING TOWARDS COLORADO FROM THE NORTHWEST AND WILL BRING A BIG CHANGE TO THE WEATHER BY TONIGHT. THE COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY MOVING THROUGH SOUTHERN WYOMING AND WILL PUSH INTO NORTHEASTERN COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON. SNOW WILL BEGIN NEAR THE WYOMING BORDER IN THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS BEFORE SUNSET AND THEN GRADUALLY WORK SOUTHWARD ALONG THE FOOTHILLS THIS EVENING. AT LOWER ELEVATIONS SHOWERS OF RAIN OR SNOW WILL BEGIN EARLY THIS EVENING IN LARIMER COUNTY AND WORK SOUTHWARD DURING THE EVENING...WITH PRECIPITATION BECOMING ALL SNOW BY 10 PM IN MOST AREAS. SNOWFALL WILL INCREASE OVERNIGHT ESPECIALLY IN AND NEAR THE FOOTHILLS BUT ALSO THROUGH THE URBAN CORRIDOR AFTER 2 AM. IT LOOKS LIKE THE RUSH HOUR ON FRIDAY WILL BE A TOUGH ONE WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW POSSIBLE AND AS MUCH AS 4 TO 8 INCHES ALREADY IN THE FOOTHILLS FROM BOULDER COUNTY NORTH TO THE WYOMING BORDER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY HEAVY SNOW WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE MOUNTAINS...FOOTHILLS... AND I-25 URBAN CORRIDOR FRIDAY MORNING. PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW WILL THEN CONTINUE OVER THE FRONT RANGE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS...WHILE A SLIGHT DECREASE SHOULD OCCUR ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE METRO AREAS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY DECREASE ACROSS ALL OF NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. THE HEAVIEST SNOW ACCUMULATIONS FROM THIS STORM ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 10 TO 18 INCHES IN THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS...WITH LOCALLY UP TO 2 FEET POSSIBLE. ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE URBAN CORRIDOR INCLUDING FORT COLLINS...BOULDER...AND DENVER...TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES CAN BE ANTICIPATED. OVER THE NORTHEAST PLAINS OF COLORADO...MOST SNOW AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE BETWEEN 3 AND 8 INCHES...WITH THE LIGHTEST AMOUNTS OVER THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE STATE. A BLAST OF MUCH COLDER AIR WILL DROP TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE MID AND UPPER 20S ON FRIDAY. A STRONG COLD FRONT AND A STRENGTHENING UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING THE HEAVY SNOWFALL. PERSONS PLANNING TRAVEL OR ANY OTHER OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR HARSH WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SLOW TRAVEL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT. SZOKE/BARJENBRUCH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 winter storm, 3 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
The SNOTEL at Zirkel received 16 inches of snow, with 5 inches at Columbine.
Storm totals included: 17 inches at Echo Mountain Ski Area, 15 inches at Rough and Tumble, 12 inches at Summit Ranch and 10 inches at Elliot Ridge SNOTEL.
Storm totals included: 23.5 inches, 6 miles east of Nederland; 22 inches, 4 miles east-northeast of Nederland; 20.5 inches, 3 miles west of Jamestown; 16.5 inches, 2 miles west-northwest of Stove Praire; 15 inches, 2 miles northeast of Riverside and 12 inches at Estes Park.
Storm totals included: 26 inches at Coal Creek Canyon, 25.5 inches, 4 miles southeast of Conifer; 25 inches at Genesee, 24.5 inches near Kittredge, 22.5 inches, 5 miles east-southeast of Aspen Park and 4.7 miles south-southeast Idaho Springs; and 18 inches near Ralston Buttes.
Storm totals included: 13 inches at Deadman Hill, 10 inches at Arapahoe Ridge and 6 inches at Rawah SNOTEL.
Storm totals included: 7 inches, 6 miles east-southeast of Ft. Collins and 5 miles southwest of Loveland, 6.5 inches and 3.5 miles north of Ft. Collins. Storm totals elsewhere ranged from 3 to 6 inches.
Storm totals included: 15 inches in Golden; 12.5 inches in Boulder, 10 inches, 3 miles west-southwest of Wheat Ridge; 9 inches, 4 miles west of Arvada, 2 miles south-southwest of Broomfield and Westminster, 8.5 inches near Littleton, 7.5 inches in Louisville, and 7 inches in Lakewood and Niwot.
Storm totals included: 11.5 inches at Lone Tree; 10 inches, 2 miles south-southeast of Englewood and 2 miles southeast of Highlands Ranch; 9 inches in Centenniel and 2 miles northeast of Commerce City; 8.5 inches, 2 miles east-southeast of Denver; 7.5 inches, 2 miles south-southeast of Thornton; 7 inches, 4 miles south of Aurora; 6.5 inches, 4 miles northwest of Denver and Northglenn; and 6 inches in Brighton.
Storm totals included: 11 inches, 6.5 miles southwest of Castle Rock; 10.5 inches, 2 miles north-northeast of Castle Pines; 9 inches, 2 miles east of Elizabeth; 6.5 inches, 4 miles north-northwest of Castle Rock and 6 inches, 5 miles south-southeast of Sedalia.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, March 2010
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: 211598, 211601, 211602, 211603, 218772, 211615, 211612, 211606, 211608.