A winter storm produced heavy snow over a large portion of southern Colorado. and Colorado City (Pueblo County).
Every event with a place to put it; 17 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 PUB wrote it up.
A winter storm produced heavy snow over a large portion of southern Colorado. Some of the higher reported snow totals include 6 to 9 inches in and around Leadville (Lake County)...Salida ...Monarch Pass and Buena Vista (Chaffee County)...South Fork (Mineral County)...Del Norte (Rio Grande County)...Monument and Black Forest (El Paso County)...Walsenburg (Huerfano County)...and Trinidad (Las Animas County).|Around a foot of snow fell near Florissant (Teller County)...Maysville (Chaffee County)...and Colorado City (Pueblo County). Finally...16 to 18 inches of snow was noted near the communities of Crestone (Saguache County)...and Beulah and Rye (Pueblo County). Across the higher terrain...in excess of 8 inches of snow fell.
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 Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 18, 8:27 PM MST, 7 hours 33 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 927 PM MDT THU MAR 18 2010 .UPDATE... HAVE UPDATED HEADLINES TO UPGRADE THE ADVISORY FOR THE SAN JUANS AND LA GARITAS TO A WARNING. 00Z NAM CONTINUES TO TREND FOR MORE QPF WITH NE WINDS AFFECTING THE ERN SLOPES THRU FRI NIGHT. SPOTS LIKE CREEDE...S FORK ETC COULD PICK UP SOME DECENT SNOW TOTALS WITH THIS SYSTEM...POSSIBLY A FOOT OR MORE...SO HAVE GONE AHEAD WITH THE UPGRADE. LATEST GUIDANCE NOT AS WET FOR NRN EL PASO BUT STILL THINK WARNING IS JUSTIFIED THERE....PARTICULARLY WITH STRONG WINDS EXPECTED. CURRENTLY SEEING GUSTS IN THE 40 MPH RANGE HERE AT KPUB...SO THIS FRONT OBVIOUSLY MEANS BUSINESS. HAVE ALSO ADJUSTED TIMING SLIGHTLY AS IT LOOKS LIKE THE BULK OF THE HEAVIER SNOW WILL ARRIVE A BIT LATER...PROBABLY MID MORNING TO MID AFTERNOON FOR NRN EL PASO. SHOULD BE A ROUGH DAY OF DRIVING ON I-25 BOTH N AND S. ROSE && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 439 PM MDT THU MAR 18 2010/ UPDATE... CURRENTLY WORKING ON AN UPDATED SET OF GRIDS AND HIGHLIGHTS. WILL ESSENTIALLY BE CONVERTING ALL WINTER STORM WATCHES TO ADVISORIES...AS IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO GET WARNING CRITERIA SNOWFALL (6 PLUS INCHES) OVER THE PLAINS AND SAN LUIS VALLEY. WILL ALSO ADJUST THE END TIMES OF ALL HIGHLIGHTS TO 12Z SAT. CURRENT SET OF WARNINGS OVER THE MOUNTAINS/HIGHER TERRAIN WILL BE LEFT UNCHANGED. ZONE BREAKOUT FOR THE NEW HIGHLIGHTS IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS AFD...WILL TRY TO GET NEW WSW PRODUCT OUT ASAP. 10/44 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 321 PM MDT THU MAR 18 2010/ SHORT TERM... (TONIGHT AND FRIDAY) WARM DRY WEATHER WILL GIVE AWAY TO COLD SNOWY WEATHER BY LATE TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES SOUTHEAST ACROSS COLORADO. STRONG GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS AS THE FRONT PASSES THE PALMER DIVIDE AFTER MIDNIGHT. SNOW WILL DEVELOP AND SPREAD ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...AND DOWN THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND INTO THE PLAINS AS WINDS SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST LATE TONIGHT. SHARPLY COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...WITH SNOW SPREADING ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...AND ACROSS THE EAST FACING SLOPES. SUBSTANTIAL MOISTURE ACCOMPANIES THIS STORM...WITH SOME AREAS OF THE HIGHER MOUNTAINS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE IN EXCESS OF A FOOT OF SNOW...AND 6 INCH OR GREATER AMOUNTS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE HIGH COUNTRY. STRONG GUSTY WINDS ACCOMPANYING THE SYSTEM WILL CAUSE LOCAL AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...REDUCING VISIBILITIES AT TIMES. SNOW ON THE WARM ROAD SURFACES TONIGHT WILL MELT...THEN REFREEZE...MAKING HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE AREA ARE EXPECTED TO DROP ABOUT 30 DEGREES FRIDAY. -JKH- LONG TERM... (FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY) .SIGNIFICANT SNOW EVENT POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF THE CWFA FROM FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... ACTIVE METEOROLOGICAL PATTERN CONTINUES DURING THE LONG TERM WITH UNSETTLED CONDITIONS CONTINUING FROM FRIDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING AND THEN AGAIN FROM LATER TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. LONGER TERM METEOROLOGICAL ISSUES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO SNOW AMOUNTS...WINDS AND TEMPERATURES. RECENT COMPUTER SIMULATIONS INDICATE THAT UPPER WAVE MOVING INTO CENTRAL COLORADO AT 00Z SATURDAY WILL PUSH INTO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE REGION BY 12Z SATURDAY BEFORE CLOSING OFF AND DEEPENING OVER FAR NORTH-CENTRAL TEXAS BY 00Z SUNDAY. HAVE ISSUED/CONTINUED NUMEROUS WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS OVER SOUTHERN COLORADO FROM FRIDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING WITH MANY LOCATIONS HAVING THE POTENTIAL OF EXPERIENCING SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW. HEAVIEST SNOW SHOULD BE NOTED(ESPECIALLY FROM FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT) OVER LARGE SECTIONS OF THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS...THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS...THE WET MOUNTAINS...THE PIKES PEAK/TELLER COUNTY REGION AND NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY. AT THIS JUNCTURE...LOCALIZED SNOW TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 20 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS EVENT...ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAINS AND SELECT FAVORED EASTERN/NORTHEASTERN TERRAIN AREAS. IN ADDITION TO THE SNOW...MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY SHOULD RUN SOME 20F TO 30F BELOW MID-MARCH CLIMATOLOGICAL AVERAGES(ESPECIALLY EASTERN SECTIONS) ALSO...MINIMUM TEMPERATURES FOR BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY MORNING SHOULD RUN SOME 5F TO 15F BELOW MID-MARCH CLIMATOLOGICAL AVERAGES MOST AREAS. IN ADDITION...GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS ARE ANTICIPATED(ESPECIALLY EASTERN SECTIONS) FROM FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. A BREAK IN THE PRECIPITATION ACTION OVER THE MAJORITY OF THE CWFA SHOULD THEN OCCUR FROM SATURDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING BEFORE NEXT SYSTEM GENERATES ANOTHER ROUND OF UNSETTLED WEATHER(IN THE FORM OF INCREASED PRECIPITATION CHANCES...INCREASED WINDS AND COOLER TEMPERATURES) FROM LATER TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. STILL A BIT EARLY...HOWEVER LOCALIZED HEAVY SNOW WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS SYSTEM. WFO PUEBLO WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR CLOSELY. FINALLY...COOLEST LONG TERM MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE NOTED SATURDAY...WHILE WARMEST MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES SHOULD OCCUR BY NEXT MONDAY AND TUESDAY. (77JK) AVIATION... EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS AT THE THREE TAF SITES THIS EVENING. AT KCOS AFTER 09Z TONIGHT...THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT WE WL SEE IFR CIGS WITH SOME SNOW SHOWERS IN THE VCNTY. AT KPUB CIGS WL LIKELY BECOME MVFR AFTER 13Z FRIDAY WITH SNOW SHOWERS. SHOULD CONTINUE TO SEE VFR CONDITIONS AT KALS THRU THE NIGHT...BECOMING IFR AFTER 16Z TO 18Z FRIDAY WITH SNOW SHOWERS. CONTINUING MVFR TO IFR THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY AT ALL SITES. -JKH- && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 3 AM FRIDAY TO 6 AM MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ058>061-063-081-082-084. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 6 AM FRIDAY TO 6 AM MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ062-066>068-072>080-083. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 9 AM FRIDAY TO 6 AM MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ064-065-069>071-085>088-093-094. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 2 PM FRIDAY TO 6 AM MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ099. && 44/44
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 701 AM MDT THU MAR 18 2010 COZ058>089-093>099-191315- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT- LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT- EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT- CENTRAL CHAFFEE COUNTY BELOW 9000 FT- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST CHAFFEE COUNTY ABOVE 9000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY/EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS BELOW 10000 FT- EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- DEL NORTE VICINITY/NORTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- ALAMOSA VICINITY/CENTRAL SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- SOUTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 8500 AND 11000 FT- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500 FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FEET- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000 FT- WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500 FT/PIKES PEAK BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT-PIKES PEAK ABOVE 11000 FT- CANON CITY VICINITY/EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY- NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/MONUMENT RIDGE/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT- COLORADO SPRINGS VICINITY/SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7400 FT-PUEBLO AND VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FT- WALSENBURG VICINITY/UPPER HUERFANO RIVER BASIN BELOW 7500 FT- TRINIDAD VICINITY/WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY BELOW 7500 FT- CROWLEY COUNTY-LA JUNTA VICINITY/OTERO COUNTY- EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY- EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY- 701 AM MDT THU MAR 18 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AS A STORM SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE STATE TONIGHT AND DROPS A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS...SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS MANY MOUNTAIN LOCATIONS AND THE HIGH VALLEYS OF LAKE AND CHAFFEE COUNTIES...AND NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY. A FEW INCHES OF SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS BY MORNING. SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS...GENERALLY UNDER TWO INCHES...WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE OVER PIKES PEAK AND TELLER COUNTY...AND POSSIBLY NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY...AND THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY HEAVY SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL OF THE MOUNTAINS AND I-25 CORRIDOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY AREAS ABOVE 6000 FEET. THE EAST FACING SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS ADJACENT TO THE PLAINS WILL RECEIVE THE HEAVIEST SNOW...WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF 10 TO 20 INCHES POSSIBLE. ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION BY MID WEEK AND WILL BRING A CHANCE OF RAIN AND SNOW TO THE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY TONIGHT OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...AND WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT OVER PIKES PEAK AND TELLER COUNTY...PORTIONS OF NORTHER EL PASO COUNTY AND THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS. 28/34
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
17 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
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: 219662, 219663, 219657, 219658, 219659, 219661, 219671, 219672, 219673, 219660, 219664, 219665, 219666, 219667, 219668, 219669, 219670.