Favorable orographic flow in combination with an upper disturbance generated snowfall in excess of 8 inches across the higher elevations of the Mosquito Range and eastern Sawatch Range in Lake and Chaffee Counties.
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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 PUB wrote it up.
Favorable orographic flow in combination with an upper disturbance generated snowfall in excess of 8 inches across the higher elevations of the Mosquito Range and eastern Sawatch Range in Lake and Chaffee Counties.
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 Jan 16, 3:09 PM MST, 2 hours 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 309 PM MST SUN JAN 16 2011 .SHORT TERM... (TONIGHT AND MONDAY) ..SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW FOR CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...WITH GUSTY WINDS ACROSS THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS/PLAINS TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY... NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE AREA TONIGHT WITH EMBEDDED MOISTURE WILL KEEP SNOW GOING ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TONIGHT...WITH HEAVIEST FALLING ACROSS THE SAWATCH AND MOSQUITO RANGES. SHORTWAVE ENERGY/EMBEDDED JET CORE OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TONIGHT WILL DROP SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH MON MORNING AS NEXT SPEED MAX NOSES TOWARDS THE CENTRAL MTS BY MORNING. LAPSE RATES STEEPEN BY MORNING...AND WITH STRONG 140KT NORTHWESTERLY UPPER JET POSITIONED ACROSS THE AREA...SNOW SHOULD FALL HEAVIEST ACROSS THIS REGION DURING THE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. LATEST MODELS HAVE BACKED OFF ON TOTAL SNOW AMOUNTS ACROSS THE WARNING AREAS BY A COUPLE INCHES...WITH MAXES APPROACHING A FOOT INSTEAD OF THE 14 INCHES EARLIER ADVERTISED. HOWEVER WITH THE FAVORABLE NORTHWEST OROGRAPHICS...ITS CERTAINLY CONCEIVABLE THAT PORTIONS OF LAKE COUNTY COULD SEE IN EXCESS OF 1 FOOT. HAVE REVISED THE SNOW GRIDS A BIT...BUT WILL MAINTAIN THE GENERALLY 6-14 INCHES ACROSS THE WARNING AREA. OF ADDED CONCERN WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY STRONG WINDS...ESP MONDAY AS THE JET MOVES IN ALOFT. WINDS AROUND MTN TOP LEVEL (H6) HIT 50-55 KTS ON MONDAY...WHICH WILL RESULT IN CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. THIS COULD RESULT IN HIGH IMPACT TO TRAVEL WITH ROAD CLOSURES POSSIBLE...PARTICULARLY OVER FREMONT AND POSSIBLY TENNESSEE PASSES ON MONDAY. THE SAWATCH RANGE OF CHAFFEE COUNTY SEEMS TO GET HIT WITH LESS SNOW THAN FARTHER NORTH...BUT STILL A RESPECTABLE 8 INCHES OR SO. FARTHER SOUTH...THE EASTERN SAN JUAN AND LA GARITAS SHOULD SEE THEIR BEST SHOT FOR SNOW ON MONDAY...WITH AROUND 1-4 INCHES POSSIBLE WITH HIGHEST AMOUNTS ACROSS THE LA GARITAS. AS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA...LEE TROF DEEPENS LATER TONIGHT WITH WESTERLY WINDS ALONG THE LEE OF THE MOUNTAINS HELPING TO KEEP MIN TEMPS WARMER THAN PAST FEW NIGHTS. SOME LIGHT WESTERLY WINDS ACROSS THE PLAINS SHOULD PREVENT A REPEAT PERFORMANCE OF FOG FORMATION AS WELL. THERE IS ALSO AN ELEVATED CONCERN FOR STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE PIKES PEAK REGION LATER TONIGHT...HOWEVER MODEL CROSS-SECTIONS OFF LOCAL 4KM WRF DONT LOOK AS FAVORABLE AS FARTHER NORTH. APPEARS WIND COMPONENT MAY BE A BIT TOO NORTHERLY AND THERE IS TOO MUCH FORWARD SHEAR FOR GOOD MTN WAVE SET UP. EVEN SO...WITH MIXING ON MONDAY...SHOULD STILL SEE WINDY CONDITIONS SPREAD DOWN THE LOWER EASTERN SLOPES WITH GUSTS IN THE 40-50 MPH RANGE IN AND NEAR THE MTS. COULD SEE GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SAWATCH AND MOSQUITO RANGES MONDAY AFTERNOON. FRONT DROPS THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS MONDAY AFTERNOON...WITH MODELS STILL INDICATING POSSIBILITY OF SOME LIGHT SHOWERS MON AFTERNOON ACROSS THE PIKES PEAK REGION AND SOUTHEAST PLAINS. LATEST RUNS LOOK DRIER THAN RUNS I SAW YESTERDAY...AND WILL ALL DEPEND ON HOW MUCH MOISTURE GETS RUNG OUT OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND HOW MUCH RESIDUAL MOISTURE WILL MAKE IT OUT ACROSS THE PLAINS. MODEL SOUNDINGS STILL SHOW STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES WITH THE LAYER BRIEFLY SATURATING DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON. WILL MAINTAIN THE 10 POPS ACROSS THE EASTERN AREAS. MAY BE TOUGHER TO GET SHOWERS ALONG THE I-25 CORRIDOR WHERE STRONG DOWNSLOPE DRYING WILL LIKELY WIN OUT. WITH THE STRONGER WINDS...MAX TEMPS ACROSS THE PLAINS SHOULD TOP OUT NEAR 60 WITH ONLY MINOR COOLING BEHIND THE FRONT DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON. -KT .LONG TERM... (MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) LONGER TERM CHALLENGES INCLUDE SNOW AMOUNTS(ESPECIALLY FROM LATER WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY MORNING) GUSTY WINDS AT TIMES AND TEMPERATURES. RECENT LONGER TERM COMPUTER SIMULATIONS SUGGEST THAT SNOW WILL BE TAPERING OFF OVER ZONES 58>60 MONDAY NIGHT...HOWEVER WILL CONTINUE WITH INHERITED WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR ZONES 58>60 THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY AS AN ADDITIONAL 1 OR 2 OF SNOW AS WELL AS BLOWING SNOW STILL ANTICIPATED. IF SYSTEM MOVES OUT QUICKER THAN CURRENTLY EXPECTED...THEN EARLIER ENDING OF WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS MAY OCCUR. IN ADDITION...GUSTY WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE MONDAY NIGHT(ESPECIALLY EASTERN SECTIONS). RELATIVELY TRANQUIL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS THEN PROJECTED FROM TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT AS GENERALLY DRY NORTHWEST TO ZONAL UPPER PATTERN COVERS AREA. ABOVE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE NOTED DURING THIS TIME-FRAME. UNSETTLED CONDITIONS THEN RETURN TO THE CWFA FROM LATER WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY MORNING AS CLOSED UPPER LOW DEVELOPS OVER SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO BY 06Z THURSDAY AND THEN MOVES INTO THE 4-CORNERS REGION BY 12Z THURSDAY BEFORE MOVING ACROSS NEW MEXICO BY LATER THURSDAY. ALSO...HEALTHY NORTHERLY SURGE SHOULD MOVE ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWFA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. GUSTY WINDS SHOULD ONCE AGAIN BE NOTED AT TIMES FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WFO PUEBLO WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS SYSTEM CLOSELY AS THE POTENTIAL EXISTS THAT SEVERAL INCHES OF ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF THE CWFA WITH THIS SYSTEM(ESPECIALLY DURING WEDNESDAY NIGHT). BELOW SEASONAL TEMPERATURES ANTICIPATED WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. IMPROVING METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS RETURNS TO THE REGION FROM LATER THURSDAY INTO THE WEEKEND AS NORTHWESTERLY UPPER FLOW IS NOTED OVER SOUTHERN COLORADO. BY LATER SUNDAY...ANOTHER UPPER DISTURBANCE WILL BEGIN IMPACTING AT LEAST WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE CWFA WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF UNSETTLED METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD NOT STRAY MUCH FROM MID TO LATE JANUARY CLIMATOLOGICAL AVERAGES DURING THE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO NEXT SUNDAY TIME-FRAME. && .AVIATION... MTN OBSCURATIONS WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS TONIGHT AS SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW INCREASES WITH INCOMING SYSTEM. EXPECT MTN OBSCURATIONS TO PERSIST ACROSS THIS REGION THROUGH MONDAY. FOR THE TAF SITES...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH MONDAY...THOUGH NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA BY LATE MONDAY MORNING THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. COULD SEE SOME LOCAL LLWS AT THE KCOS AIRPORT EARLY MONDAY MORNING DURING A NARROW WINDOW FROM ROUGHLY 11-14Z. KPUB MAINTAINS A STRONGER LOW LVL INVERSION WITH ANY WIND SHEAR LIKELY TO STAY ABOVE 2000 FEET AGL LEVEL. WINDS SHOULD KICK IN AT KPUB BY MID MORNING. THERE WILL BE THE ISOLATED THREAT OF A PASSING SHOWER...PARTICULARLY FOR KCOS MONDAY AFTN...THOUGH AT THIS POINT...CIGS WITH SHOWERS SHOULD REMAIN VFR...AND TOO ISOLATED AND/OR BRIEF TO WARRANT MENTION IN TAF AT THIS POINT. -KT && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM MST TUESDAY FOR COZ059. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 AM MST TUESDAY FOR COZ058-060. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 334 PM MST SUN JAN 16 2011 COZ058>089-093>099-172245- 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- 334 PM MST SUN JAN 16 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A STRONG JET STREAM WILL BRING SNOW AND BLOWING TO THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE BY MONDAY MORNING. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 40 MPH...GUSTING TO 50 MPH AT TIMES...WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF HAZARDOUS TRAVEL DUE TO SNOW...BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE SAWATCH AND MOSQUITO RANGES MONDAY THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 10 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE BY TUESDAY MORNING ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...WITH THE HEAVIEST ACCUMULATIONS OCCURRING NORTH OF COTTONWOOD PASS. IN ADDITION...GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW OVER THE HIGHER PASSES. TRAVEL CONDITIONS MAY BECOME DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE ON MONDAY DUE TO THE BLOWING SNOW. THIS SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE MORE WIND THAN PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS. WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN AREAS BY MONDAY MORNING...WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH POSSIBLE ALONG THE MORE WIND PRONE AREAS OF THE INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR. A BRIEF SHOT OF RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. HOWEVER ANY ACCUMULATIONS WILL REMAIN SPOTTY AND LIGHT. ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL SNOW TO THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...ALONG WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES AND A BETTER SHOT OF SNOW TO PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. 31/77
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, January 2011
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: 276239, 276240.