A vigorous Pacific trough was accompanied by very strong winds that resulted in blizzard conditions for some areas in western Colorado during one of the busiest travel times of the year.
Every event with a place to put it; 9 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 GJT wrote it up.
A vigorous Pacific trough was accompanied by very strong winds that resulted in blizzard conditions for some areas in western Colorado during one of the busiest travel times of the year.
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 Nov 23, 4:29 AM MST, 31 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
429 AM MST TUE NOV 23 2010
.SHORT TERM DISCUSSION...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...
...ARCTIC AIR BLASTS THE REGION TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...
AN EXCEPTIONAL WINTER STORM IS IN STORE FOR ALL THE INTERMOUNTAIN
WEST. AT 4 AM THE -42C COLD CORE OF THIS STORM WAS DIGGING INTO
NORTHERN OREGON. SNOW WAS FINALLY ENDING OVER SEATTLE BUT SPREADING
INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND INTO NORTHERN UTAH. THE UPPER LOW
PROGRESSES TO YELLOWSTONE BY TONIGHT AND INTO THE DAKOTAS ON
WEDNESDAY.
90KT JET STREAM OVER OUR AREA THIS MORNING INTENSIFIES TO 150KTS BY
THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHWEST WINDS RUSH TO TRY TO FILL THE DEEPENING
SURFACE LOW AS IT DIGS INTO WYOMING TODAY. SURFACE WINDS WILL
QUICKLY INCREASE TODAY TO SCREAMING LEVELS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. THE SURFACE LOW DIGS THROUGH NORTHERN COLORADO TONIGHT
USHERING IN ARCTIC AIR. THE FASTER GFS/SREF TIMING ACCEPTED WITH
FRONTAL PASSAGE AT VERNAL BEFORE MIDNIGHT...STRETCHED FROM STEAMBOAT-
GRAND JUNCTION-CANYONLANDS NEAR SUNRISE...AND TO PAGOSA SPRINGS
BEFORE NOON. FRONTAL SNOW BURST WILL BE IMPRESSIVE...OR SCARY
DEPENDING ON YOUR SITUATION. DENDRITIC GROWTH REGION IS IN PLACE IN
PRE-FRONTAL ENVIRONMENT REPLACED BY AIR SOME 15C COLDER. THIS WILL
EFFICIENTLY WRING OUT ANY MOISTURE...FIRST AS BIG FAT FLYING FLAKES
QUICKLY CHANGING OVER TO SMALLER PLATES AND ICY COLUMNS. LARGE SCALE
ASCENT WILL BE AIDED BY THE FRONTAL WEDGE FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR
VERY STRONG WINDS. WHITEOUT CONDITIONS WILL ENSUE...THOUGH LIKELY
WILL NOT BE LONG-LIVED. THERE IS LESS MOISTURE AVAILABLE ACROSS THE
SOUTH.
WITH ALL INGREDIENTS IN PLACE AND WITH POTENTIAL HIGH IMPACT ON
THANKSGIVING EVE...WE ERRED ON THE SIDE OF BLIZZARD WARNINGS FOR
ALL MOUNTAIN AND NORTHERN VALLEY ZONES. ACROSS THE SOUTH IN THE
DRIER ENVIRONMENT...HIGH WIND WARNINGS ARE IN PLACE. THE GUNNISON
BASIN IS THE ONLY BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY IN THE FORECAST AREA WITH
LITTLE SNOWFALL EXPECTED IN THE BASIN...BUT WITH BLOWING
ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED ON THE SLOPES OF CERRO SUMMIT AND MONARCH PASS
AND NORTH TOWARDS CRESTED BUTTE.
SNOWFALL AND WINDS WILL DIMINISH QUICKLY BEHIND THE FRONT. FRIGID
WIND CHILLS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS THE ARCTIC AIR
CONTINUES TO POUR OVER THE REGION.
VERY COLD TEMPERATURES ARE IN STORE FOR THANKSGIVING. MAKE EVERYONE
WHO CARES FOR YOU GRATEFUL BY TAKING EXTRA PRECAUTIONS FOR THIS
STORM. CHOOSE NOT TO DRIVE LATE TUESDAY NIGHT OR WEDNESDAY MORNING.
IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...CARRY FOOD WATER SLEEPING BAG AND A FULL TANK OF
GAS.
.LONG TERM...THANKSGIVING DAY THROUGH TUESDAY...
COLD NORTHERLY FLOW PERSISTS THROUGH THANKSGIVING WITH A FEW LIGHT
SNOW SHOWERS LINGERING NEAR THE DIVIDE AND OVER FAVORED NORTH
FACING VALLEYS. OTHERWISE...DRY AND VERY COLD CONDITIONS WILL BE IN
PLACE...WITH MAX TEMPS STRUGGLING TO CLIMB INTO THE TEENS AND 20S.
FLAT HIGH PRESSURE WILL START TO BUILD IN FROM THE WEST BY THURSDAY
NIGHT...WITH WAA KICKING IN. THIS WILL BRING SOME MODERATION OF MIN
TEMPS FOR FRIDAY MORNING...BUT STILL VERY WINTER-LIKE WITH READINGS
AOB ZERO FOR THE MTNS AND HIGH VALLEYS. OUTSIDE OF A FEW SHOWERS
NEAR THE DIVIDE OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN
DRY OVER THE REGION THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT.
RIDGE TRANSITIONS EAST OVER THE WEEKEND WITH SOUTHWEST FLOW
RESUMING. THIS WILL BRING AN INCREASE IN MID AND HIGH LEVEL
MOISTURE ALONG WITH A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS OVER THE HIGHER EASTERN
UINTA MOUNTAINS IN NORTHEAST UTAH. IN ADDITION...EXPECT A
SIGNIFICANT WARM UP WITH STRONG WAA KICKING IN...WITH MOUNTAIN
LOCALES BENEFITING FIRST AS STRONG VALLEY INVERSIONS WILL BE SLOW
TO BREAK. NEXT TROUGH ARRIVES ON SUNDAY...WHICH WILL SCOUR OUT THE
COLD AIR IN THE VALLEYS...BUT ALSO BRING ANOTHER SHOT OF SNOW TO
THE REGION. LATEST GFS ADVERTISING A FAIRLY WET SYSTEM WITH OPEN
LONG WAVE TROUGH PASSING THROUGH. THIS TYPICALLY FAVORS OUR
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...SO EXPECT AN IMPACT ON TRAVEL AS
WE CLOSE OUT THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. THE ECMWF APPEARS TO BE SPEEDING
THINGS UP AS IT TRIES TO CATCH THE FASTER GFS TIMING...WHICH HAS
REMAINED CONSISTENT OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS. AS A RESULT...WILL
CONTINUE TO SIDE WITH THE FASTER GFS AND WILL BE TRENDING POPS
UPWARD OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
&&
.AVIATION...
VFR CONDITIONS START OFF THE DAY ACROSS EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN
COLORADO. HOWEVER...ANOTHER APPROACHING STORM WILL BRING INCREASING
WINDS AND A GRADUAL LOWERING OF CIGS THROUGHOUT THE REGION
BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS GUSTING TO OVER 50 MPH WILL BE
COMMON TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY WITH SNOW DEVELOPING OVER
THE MOUNTAINS AND NORTHERN VALLEYS. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR
WITH WIDESPREAD LIFR CONDS EXPECTED FROM 07Z TONIGHT THROUGH 19Z
WEDNESDAY. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE FROM WEST TO EAST BEGINNING
WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
&&
.GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CO...BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO MIDNIGHT MST
WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR ZONES 003-004-009-010-012-013.
BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON MST WEDNESDAY
FOR ZONES 001-002-005-017>019.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON MST WEDNESDAY
FOR ZONES 006-011-020>023.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON MST
WEDNESDAY FOR ZONE 014.
BLIZZARD WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM MST WEDNESDAY
FOR ZONES 007-008.
UT...BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO MIDNIGHT MST
WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR ZONES 023-025.
BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON MST WEDNESDAY
FOR ZONES 024-028.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON MST WEDNESDAY
FOR ZONES 022-027-029.
&&
SHORT TERM...JOE
LONG TERM....JDC
AVIATION.....JDCThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 winter storm, 3 blizzard, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall up to 4 inches was measured across much of the zone area. Locally higher amounts included 7 inches at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.
This was a high impact event since it impeded travel just before the Thanksgiving holiday. Snowfall of 5 to 8 inches was measured, as well as wind gusts of 20 to 35 mph that produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.
This was a high impact event since it impeded travel just before the Thanksgiving holiday. Snowfall of 5 to 12 inches was measured, as well as wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph that produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.
Widespread blizzard conditions were reported above the 8000 foot level where winds gusted 30 to 50 mph. Snowfall measurements were problematic due to the strong winds.
Blizzard conditions occurred due to wind gusts of 30 to 60 mph that produced 2 to 3 foot deep snow drifts. Locally stronger winds included 76 mph at the top of Telluride Ski Area. Measurements of new snowfall were problematic due to the strong winds, but were estimated at 4 to 8 inches.
Blizzard conditions occurred due to wind gusts of 35 to 75 mph that produced 3 to 5 foot deep snow drifts. Locally stronger winds included 90 mph at the top of Eagle Mountain. Measurements of new snowfall were problematic due to the strong winds, but were estimated at 5 to 12 inches.
This was a high impact event since it impeded travel just before the Thanksgiving holiday. Snowfall of 3 to 9 inches was measured, as well as wind gusts in excess of 40 mph that produced local blizzard conditions.
This was a high impact event since it impeded travel just before the Thanksgiving holiday. Snowfall of 4 to 12 inches was measured, as well as wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph that produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.
Snowfall of 6 to 8 inches was measured across much of the area.
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, November 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: 269364, 269355, 269356, 269351, 269361, 269362, 269353, 269358, 269363.