A Winter storm produced over 8 inches of snow in the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Maysville (Chaffee County) and Rye (Pueblo County) while 6 inches was measured near Monte Vista (Rio Grande County).
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 over 8 inches of snow in the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Some of the higher reported snow totals not in the southern mountains included 5 inches near La Veta (Huerfano County)...Maysville (Chaffee County) and Rye (Pueblo County) while 6 inches was measured near Monte Vista (Rio Grande County). In addition...an isolated 9 inches was noted 5 miles northwest of Capulin (Conejos County).
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 Apr 30, 2:14 PM MST, 10 hours 46 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 314 PM MDT SAT APR 30 2011 .SHORT TERM... (TONIGHT AND SUNDAY) ...MAIN CONCERNS IS SNOW ACROSS THE S MTNS FOLLOWED BY FREEZING TEMPS ON THE PLAINS... CURRENTLY...ANOTHER COLD FRONT WAS SURGING DOWN THE PLAINS AT THIS TIME (2 PM). FRONT EXTENDED FROM THE PUEBLO/EL PASO BORDER SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH OF LAMAR. SKIES WERE GENERALLY CLEAR SOUTH OF THE FRONT WHILE NORTH OF THE FRONT SKIES WERE BEGINNING TO CLOUD UP. UP IN THE C MTNS...SNOW WAS OCCURRING AS PER RADAR AND KLXV OBS. TONIGHT... SNOW WILL FALL OVER THE S MTNS. LATEST GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO PAINT THE HEAVIER SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OVER THE WET MTNS AND THE S SANGRE DE CRISTO MTNS....WITH LIGHTER AMOUNTS ACROSS THE N SANGRES. SIMULATIONS HAVE BACKED OFF SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ACROSS TELLER COUNTY...AND FOR THIS REASON HAVE CANCELLED THE SNOW ADVISORY FOR MOST OF TELLER COUNTY (I DID KEEP THE ADVISORY FOR THE TOP OF PIKES PEAK). I AM CONCERNED THAT NOT MUCH SNOW WILL FALL ALONG AND EAST OF THE I-25 CORRIDOR...AND HAVE BACKED OFF POPS CONSIDERABLY THIS REGION. THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THIS WILL BE DOWN NEAR KTAD WHERE SNOW WILL FALL OVER THE RATON MESA AND THEN BACK OVER THE S SANGRES. THE NAM WAS MOST PESSIMISTIC WITH PRECIP WHILE THE GFS STILL HAD SOME LIGHT QPF. HOWEVER...ALL SIMULATIONS ARE BACKING OFF OF THE PRECIP OVER THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. I SHOULD ADD THE 18Z NAM JUST CAME IN...AND IT HAS NO PRECIP FALLING OVER COLORADO SPRINGS OR PUEBLO. THIS SYSTEM HAS FAIRLY DEEP EASTERLIES WITH IT AND THESE EASTERLIES WILL WORK THEIR WAY INTO THE SAN LUIS VALLEY. LIKEWISE...WE SHOULD SEE A GOOD CHANCE OF SNOW OVER THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SAN JUANS LATER THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT. SOME OF THIS SNOW WILL FALL ON THE VALLEY FLOOR AND HAVE INTRODUCED A SNOW ADVISORY FOR ALL OF THE SAN LUIS VALLEY. AS MENTIONED ABOVE...MOST OF THE HEAVIER SNOW WILL FALL ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY NEAR THE SAN JUANS AND LAGARITAS. TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL FALL BELOW FREEZING ACROSS ALL OF THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...AND THE FREEZE WARNING CONTINUES IN AFFECT FOR TONIGHT. AS A REMINDER...FREEZE WARNINGS ARE ISSUED IF TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO GO BELOW FREEZING ON OR AFTER 01 MAY OVER THE SE COLORADO REGION. SUNDAY... SNOW WILL LIKELY BE ONGOING ACROSS THE S EXTENT OF THE CWA EARLY TOMORROW MORNING...THIS INCLUDES THE RATON MESA...S SANGRES...S SAN LUIS VALLEY AND THE E SLOPES OF THE SAN JUANS. OVERALL SNOW AMOUNTS IN THE FAVORABLE AREAS OF THE WETS AND S SANGRES SHOULD SEE UP TO A FOOT OF SNOW WITH THIS EVENT. 4-8" SHOULD FALL OVER THE REST OF THE MTNS EXCEPT THE TOP OF PIKES PEAK WHICH SHOULD SEE 3-6". TEMPERATURES WILL BE QUITE COOL WITH HIGHS ONLY EXPECTED IN THE 40S ACROSS MOST OF THE PLAINS...WITH COOLER TEMPERATURES UP IN EL PASO COUNTY (30S). \/HODANISH .LONG TERM... (SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT SATURDAY) PRIMARY LONGER TERM METEOROLOGICAL CONCERNS INCLUDE AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION OVER PORTIONS OF CWFA FROM SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY...TEMPERATURES(INITIALLY UNSEASONABLY COOL AND THEN MODERATING TEMPERATURE TREND) AND POTENTIAL STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THREAT OVER PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN CWFA ON FRIDAY. PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BE ONGOING AT THE BEGINNING OF MY LONGER TERM CYCLE(ESPECIALLY OVER THE WESTERN 2/3RDS OF THE CWFA) AS UPPER LOW CENTERED OVER SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO AT 00Z MONDAY SLOWLY SHIFTS INTO THE WESTERN KANSAS/FAR EAST-CENTRAL REGION BY 18Z MONDAY AND THEN WELL EAST OF THE CWFA BY 06Z TUESDAY. AS THIS MOVES NEAR THE REGION...HAVE PAINTED ADDITIONAL SNOW AMOUNTS FROM A TRACE OR LESS TO LOCALIZED 4 INCH AMOUNTS(BASICALLY OVER SECTIONS OF ZONES 74 AND 75) OVER PORTIONS OF THE CWFA FROM SUNDAY NIGHT INTO LATE MONDAY. IN ADDITION TO THE GENERALLY LIGHT SNOW...HAVE ISSUED A FREEZE WATCH OVER ZONES 83>89 AND 93>99 FROM 08Z TO 15Z MONDAY AS MINIMUM TEMPERATURES ARE PROJECTED TO DROP BELOW 32F OVER THE MAJORITY OF THIS AREA BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING. WARMER AND MORE TRANQUIL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ARE THEN EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE CWFA FROM LATER TUESDAY INTO NEXT SATURDAY AS GENERALLY DRY NORTHWESTERLY TO ZONAL FLOW COVERS THE REGION. SOME GUSTY WINDS ARE ANTICIPATED FROM LATER TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT WHILE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE SEASONAL MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE NOTED FROM LATER TUESDAY INTO FRIDAY WITH WELL ABOVE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES ANTICIPATED BY NEXT SATURDAY. AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THAT THE WARMEST MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES OF THE LONGER TERM SHOULD BE NOTED FRIDAY AND ESPECIALLY SATURDAY. IN ADDITION TO THE WARMER TEMPERATURES...SOMEWHAT UNSTABLE EARLY MAY CONDITIONS MAY MATERIALIZE OVER EASTERN SECTIONS BY FRIDAY AS ADVECTING DEEPER ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE ALLOWS LOCALIZED LIS TO DROP TO -4C...LOCALIZED CAPES NEAR 1000 J/KG IN COMBINATION WITH 0 TO 6 KM BULK SHEARS OF AROUND 50 KNOTS. AT THIS TIME...HAVE ADDED ISOLATED THUNDER INTO EASTERN GRIDS OF FRIDAY TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS POTENTIAL STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THREAT. WFO PUEBLO WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR CLOSELY. FINALLY...LONGER TERM MINIMUM TEMPERATURES SHOULD HOVER WITHIN A CATEGORY OR TWO OF CLIMATOLOGICAL AVERAGES MOST AREAS FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING INTO SATURDAY MORNING. && .AVIATION... HAVE BACKED OFF PRECIP CHANCES AND ASSOCIATED LOWER CIGS ACROSS KCOS AND KPUB FOR TONIGHT AND INTO TOMORROW. BRUNT OF PRECIP SHOULD FALL TO THE WEST OF THE TWO TAF SITES...WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF BETWEEN 04Z AND 10Z. WITH NORTHERLY FLOW...FLOW WILL BE DOWNSLOPE ACROSS THE TAF SITES AND CIGS SHOULD NOT GET INTO THE IFR CATEGORY. I SHOULD STATE THAT THE GFS MODEL IS A BIT MORE PESSIMISTIC AND INFERS LOWER CIGS AND LONGER PDS OF PRECIP LATER TONIGHT...BUT HAVE DISCOUNTED THIS SIMULATION AS TRENDS IN THE GUIDANCE OVER THE LAST FEW RUNS HAVE BEEN DRYER CONDITIONS. KALS WILL BE THE PROBLEM CHILD THIS FCST PD. DEEP EASTERLY UPSLOPE IS ANTICIPATED AND THE EASTERLIES WILL GET INTO THE SAN LUIS VALLEY. LIKEWISE...WE SHOULD SEE SOME UPSLOPE CONDITIONS FORMING ON THE E SLOPES OF THE SAN JUAN MTNS AND SOME OF THE PRECIP SHOULD MOVE OVER KALS. MAY NEED TO PLAY UP THE SNOW A BIT MORE IN THE KALS TAF...BUT WILL WAIT TIL THE 18Z NAM TO COME IN TO MAKE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE TAF. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL FALL IN ALAMOSA...WITH 2-3" POSSIBLE. IF IT SNOWS IT WILL BE TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR COZ083>089-093>099. FREEZE WARNING FROM 2 AM TO 9 AM MDT SUNDAY FOR COZ083>089- 093>099. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 PM MDT SUNDAY FOR COZ058-060>063-065>073-076>078-082-087-088. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 PM MDT SUNDAY FOR COZ074-075-079-080. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 658 PM MDT SAT APR 30 2011 COZ058>089-093>099-020100- 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- 658 PM MDT SAT APR 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MOIST UPSLOPE FLOW WILL BRING SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT LOWER ELEVATIONS...WITH SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS EXPECTED. THE SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO AND WET MOUNTAINS WILL SEE THE GREATEST ACCUMULATIONS WITH 10 TO 17 INCHES OF SNOW POSSIBLE BY MID AFTERNOON SUNDAY. THE REMAINING MOUNTAIN AREAS COULD SEE 4 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW. LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE LOWER ELEVATION AREAS ADJACENT TO THE MOUNTAINS. THE OTHER CONCERN IS THE COLD AIR SETTLING IN OVER THE REGION. LOW TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS TONIGHT ARE EXPECTED TO FALL INTO THE UPPER 20S FOR SEVERAL HOURS. SINCE THE GROWING SEASON HAS ALREADY STARTED ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...A FREEZE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE PLAINS FOR LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY. GROWERS ARE ADVISED TO PROTECT SENSITIVE PLANTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY A WINTRY STORM SYSTEM WILL TRACK ACROSS COLORADO THROUGH LATE MONDAY...PRODUCING A PROLONGED PERIOD OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT PLAINS. SOME ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS THROUGH MONDAY EVENING. ANOTHER PERIOD OF BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES IS LIKELY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS MONDAY MORNING. GROWERS ARE AGAIN ADVISED TO PROTECT SENSITIVE PLAINTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY OVER THE MOUNTAINS...HIGH VALLEYS AND ADJACENT LOWER ELEVATION AREAS TONIGHT. 50/50
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1225 AM MDT SUN MAY 01 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1200 AM SNOW BEULAH 38.08N 104.98W
05/01/2011 M1.2 INCH PUEBLO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
STARTED AROUND 7 PM.
1220 AM SNOW 2 WSW ROSITA 38.09N 105.36W
05/01/2011 M2.0 INCH CUSTER CO TRAINED SPOTTER
STARTED AROUND 9 PM
&&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, May 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: 316699, 316700.