An intense upper level jet stream moving across the region generated high winds across the crests of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains and Wet Mountains.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
An intense upper level jet stream moving across the region generated high winds across the crests of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains and Wet Mountains.
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 Nov 24, 4:52 AM MST, 1 hour 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 452 AM MST WED NOV 24 2010 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC UPPER AIR ANALYSIS INDICATING A LARGE COLD UPPER LOW (-40C AT H5) AND TROUGH LIFTING OUT ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES WITH ASSOCIATED ARCTIC FRONT MOVING ACROSS NORTHWESTERN COLORADO ATTM. STRONG SW FLOW ALOFT CONTINUES ACROSS SOUTHERN COLORADO AS AN ASSOCIATED 140KT JET CORE TRANSLATES ACROSS DESERT SW AND ACROSS THE COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO BORDER ATTM. HAVE SEEN OCCASIONAL SNOWFALL ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SW MTS WITH WOLF CREEK PASS REPORTING GUSTS BETWEEN 55 AND 65 MPH OVER THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS. TODAY...UPPER LOW AND TROUGH CONTINUES TO LIFT OUT INTO THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON WITH ARCTIC FRONT CONTINUING TO SLIDE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND THE SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO PLAINS THROUGH BY 00Z THU. WILL CONTINUE TO SEE SNOW DEVELOPING ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SW MTS THROUGH THE MORNING WITH STRONG AND GUSTY SW WINDS BECOMING MORE WEST TO NORTHWEST BEHIND PASSING FRONT. WILL KEEP CURRENT BLIZZARD WARNINGS IN TACT THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING... HOWEVER LATEST MODELS ARE QUICKER IN SHUTTING DOWN THE SNOWFALL AND DECREASING WINDS BEHIND FRONT...THOUGH WILL LET THE DAY SHIFT DECIDE IF THE WARNINGS NEED TO END EARLIER. PREVIOUS SHIFT HOISTED A HIGH WIND WARNING ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST MTS AND WILL KEEP IN TACT AS WELL THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON AS JET CORE CONTINUES TO LIFT OUT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS. OBSERVATIONS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN MTS AND SOUTHERN I-25 CORRIDOR INDICATING GUSTS HAVE BEEN IN THE 50 MPH WHICH SHOULD CONTINUE AS WELL THROUGH THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. THE GUSTY WINDS HAVE CREATED CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN I-25 CORRIDOR EARLY THIS MORNING...AND HAVE ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR LAS ANIMAS AND BACA COUNTIES THROUGH 4 PM AS THIS AREAS WILL SEE THE EFFECTS OF THE COLD FRONT LAST. AS FOR THE REST OF THE EASTERN MTS AND PLAINS GUSTY WEST TO SOUTHWEST EXPECTED THROUGH THE MORNING WITH COOLING ALOFT THROUGH THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON WILL KEEP RHS HIGH ENOUGH TO FIRE WX HIGHLIGHTS. WILL LIKELY SEE HIGHS REACHED BY NOON WITH COOLING THEREAFTER AS WINDS TURN NORTHERLY BEHIND FRONT. LATEST MODELS ARE PRINTING OUT SOME QPF ACROSS THE PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ASSOCIATED WITH H7 FRONTOGENESIS AND LOW ATMOSPHERE QUICKLY SATURATING BEHIND FRONT...AND HAVE ADDED SLIGHT POPS MAINLY ACROSS THE PALMER DVD THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. HAVE ALSO BEEFED UP POPS ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO AND WET MTS. TONIGHT...UPPER TROUGH CONTINUES TO LIFT OUT ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS WITH A MUCH COOLER ATMOSPHERE IN ITS WAKE WITH H7 TEMPS OF -10C TO -18C PROGGED ACROSS THE STATE. SHOULD SEE OVERNIGHT LOWS OF 0 TO -15F ACROSS MUCH OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN WITH MAINLY SINGLE DIGIT LOWS ACROSS THE PLAINS AS WINDS DECOUPLE AND SKIES CLEAR THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING. -MW .LONG TERM... (THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) THANKSGIVING...AS THE THE UPPER LOW SYSTEM CONTINUES TO THE EAST...AND THE UPPER TROUGH AXIS SWINGS ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH THE MORNING...COLD BUT DRY NW FLOW ALOFT SETTLES IN ACROSS CO. COLD AIR THAT ARRIVED WITH THE COLD FRONT WED EVE WILL KEEP TEMPS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA VERY CHILLY...AS SINGLE DIDGIT TEMPS EARLY THU MORNING ONLY WARM INTO THE 20S TO LOWER 30S BY THE AFTN. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...BROAD RIDGE BUILDS IN ACROSS THE REGION FOR FRI AND SAT...KEEPING DRY CONDITIONS IN PLACE AS WELL AS ALLOWING MAX TEMPS TO REBOUND SOMEWHAT. LOOK FOR TEMPS TO WARM BACK UP INTO THE 40S AND 50S BY SAT. SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...LONG RANGE MODELS INDICATE THAT THE NEXT UPPER STORM SYSTEM THAT WILL AFFECT THE STATE WILL DROP DOWN OUT OF THE PAC NW ON SUN. W-SW FLOW ALOFT WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE 4 CORNERS...PAINTING A DRY AND WARM DAY FOR THE MOST PART FOR THE E...BUT USHERING IN INCREASING CLOUDS COVER AND PCPN CHANCES FOR THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL MTS. BY MIDDAY SUN. THE GFS AND ECMWF MODELS DISAGREE ON THE STRENGTH AND PATH OF THIS NEXT SYSTEM...WITH THE ECMWF DRIVING IT MUCH FURTHER SOUTH AND PRODUCING A GREATER POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW SUN NIGHT THROUGH MON. GFS KEEPS THIS SYSTEM UP ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES...STILL BRINGING SOME WINTRY PCPN TO COLORADO BUT JUST NOT AS MUCH. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY...BOOSTED CLOUD COVER A BIT BUT KEPT THE POP GRIDS AS IS. BOTH MODELS DO INDICATE RIDGING TO RETURN BY TUE...WITH DRY CONDITIONS ONCE AGAIN. MOORE && .AVIATION... VFR AT ALL TAF SITES EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT WITH GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20-40KT BECOMING NORTHERLY AND REMAINING GUSTY AS AN ARCTIC FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL DECREASE ACROSS THE PLAINS THROUGH THE EVENING. THIS SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS FOR THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WITH SNOW AND WINDS DIMINISHING THROUGH THE EVENING. -MW && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 4 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON FOR COZ230-233- 237. BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON FOR COZ066-068. BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 8 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR COZ058-060. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 2 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON FOR COZ073-075- 080. && 23/27
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 1020 PM MST TUE NOV 23 2010 COZ058>089-093>099-250530- 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- 1020 PM MST TUE NOV 23 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT ANOTHER POWERFUL STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN AND INTO NORTHERN COLORADO LATER TONIGHT...LEADING TO MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL AND STRONG WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS TONIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN AND LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FEET...AS WELL AS THE EASTERN SAWATCH AND WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGES ABOVE 11000 FEET THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE SNOWFALL...DRIVEN BY STRONG WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH AT TIMES...WILL LEAD TO BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN PASSES AND OVER EXPOSED RIDGES...WITH ROAD CLOSURES POSSIBLE AS VISIBILITIES DROP TO NEAR ZERO IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS WILL SEE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS TONIGHT AS WELL. SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 55 MPH WITH GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 75 MPH AT TIMES ARE ANTICIPATED...ESPECIALLY OVER THE WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FEET...AND OVER THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET. IN ADDITION...THE ADJACENT LOWER ELEVATIONS OF EASTERN FREMONT...WESTERN PUEBLO AND HUERFANO COUNTY...WILL ALSO EXPERIENCE STRONG WINDS OF 25 TO 45 MPH AT TIMES WITH WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH AT TIMES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH NEXT MONDAY BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL ARE PROJECTED TO PERSIST ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ON WEDNESDAY...WITH STRONG WINDS CONTINUING TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN TO IMPROVE WEDNESDAY EVENING...AS WINDS DIMINISH AND SNOWFALL ENDS. OVER THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS...STRONG WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE WEDNESDAY...WITH AREAS ALONG AND ADJACENT TO THE MOUNTAINS SEEING GUSTS TO OVER 60 MPH AT TIMES. THESE WINDS WILL DIMINISH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...BEHIND A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHING THROUGH THE REGION. VERY COLD TEMPERATURES WILL THE BE FOUND ACROSS THE AREA THANKSGIVING DAY...WITH EARLY MORNING LOWS WELL BELOW ZERO OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND HIGH VALLEYS...WITH SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO OVER THE PLAINS. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL ONLY TOP OUT IN THE 20S AND 30S ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...WITH SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS FOR THE MOUNTAINS. THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE ACCUMULATING SNOWS TO THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE REGION FROM LATER SUNDAY INTO NEXT MONDAY...WITH A CHANCE FOR AT LEAST LIGHT SNOW SPREADING TO THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS DURING THE DAY MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS MEETING REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY TONIGHT OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE EASTERN SAN JUAN AND LA GARITA MOUNTAINS...THE EASTERN SAWATCH AND WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGES...THE WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FEET AND THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. 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, 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: 268959, 268960, 269635.