A storm system centered over northern Colorado produced snow and very strong winds across the higher terrain of Lake and Chaffee Counties.
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.
A storm system centered over northern Colorado produced snow and very strong winds across the higher terrain of 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 Nov 12, 10:51 AM MST, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 1051 AM MST SAT NOV 12 2011 .UPDATE... ERRATIC WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT KCOS THROUGH THE EARLY PART OF THE AFTERNOON WITH HIGH RESOLUTION FORECAST MODELS INDICATING PERIODIC STRONG AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS UP TO 35-40 KTS AT TIMES DUE TO BREAKING MTN WAVES...INTERSPERSED WITH OCCASIONAL SOUTHEAST TO EAST WINDS AT 10 KTS WITH POSSIBILITY OF LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR. BY LATE AFTN AS UPPER TROF APPROACHES THINK THAT WINDS WILL BECOME MORE CONSISTENT FROM THE WEST TO SOUTHWEST...THOUGH MTN WAVE PARAMETERS WILL INCREASE AGAIN LATER THIS EVENING WITH POSSIBILITY FOR LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR RETURNING FOR KCOS AFTER 04Z. KPUB SHOULD SEE GUSTY WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTN...WITH POSSIBILITY FOR LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR AT TIMES AFTER 05Z. KALS WILL SEE WINDS INCREASE FROM THE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 KTS AT TIMES DURING THE LATE AFTN. WINDS WILL DECREASE BUT REMAIN UNCHARACTERISTICALLY BREEZY THROUGH THE NIGHT. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR TAF SITES. MTN OBSCURATIONS WITH IFR TO LIFR CIGS/VIS DUE TO SN/BLSN WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE MTNS OF THE CONTDVD THIS AFTN AND CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT...PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE CENTRAL MTS. -KT && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 309 AM MST SAT NOV 12 2011/ SHORT TERM... ..IMPRESSIVE SHORT WAVE MOVING TOWARDS THE REGION WILL BRING STRONG WINDS TO PARTS OF THE REGION AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS TO THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS... CURRENTLY... IMPRESSIVE SHORT WAVE OVER THE PACIFIC NW WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST TOWARDS THE REGION. VERY IMPRESSIVE DIFFLUENCE WAS NOTED IN THE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY WITH THIS SYSTEM. WINDS WERE PICKING UP OVER AND TO THE EAST OF THE MTNS...AS AIR FORCE ACADEMY SENSORS WERE GUSTING TO 40 TO 50 KNOTS. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY OVER COLORADO IS ALREADY SHOWING VERY ENHANCED DRYING IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE MTN RANGES...A CLASSIC MTN WAVE SIGNATURE. NOT SURPRISINGLY...TEMPS ACROSS THE REGION...ESPECIALLY JUST EAST OF THE MTNS AND EASTWARD OVER THE PLAINS WERE QUITE WARM...WITH READINGS IN THE U40 TO AROUND 50 OVER QUITE A FEW AREAS AT 3 AM. TODAY... VERY DYNAMIC STORM SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE PAC NW TOWARDS THE REGION WILL BRING STRONG...POTENTIALLY DAMAGING...WINDS TO PARTS OF THE REGION TODAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL ALSO BRING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS TO THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...ESPECIALLY TONIGHT. MOST FAVORABLE MTN WAVE SIGNATURE WILL OCCUR FROM ROUGHLY 5 AM THROUGH 11 AM THIS MORNING FOR THE EAST FACING SLOPES OF THE MTNS. AFTER THIS TIME WINDS IN THE LOWER LVLS OF THE ATMOSPHERE TAKE ON MORE OF A BRUTE FORCE SIGNATURE WITH WINDS OF 70 TO 100 MPH BETWEEN 500 MB AND 700 MB. THE BEST CHANCE FOR DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS THE PIKES PEAK REGION WILL BE THIS MORNING...ALTHOUGH I CANNOT RULE OUT STRONG WIND GUST THROUGH THE NEXT ~18 HOURS. AS FOR THE PLAINS...BEST WIND SIGNATURES FROM THE SHORT RANGE SIMULATIONS SHOW 4 AREAS OF ENHANCED WINDS. THE FIRST EXTENDS WEST TO EAST ACROSS N EL PASO COUNTY. THE SECOND AREA EXTENDS WEST TO EAST FROM CANON CITY EAST TO PUEBLO AND INTO CROWLEY COUNTY. THE THIRD EXTENDS FROM HUERFANO INTO N LAS ANIMAS...AND THE FOURTH ACROSS THE S LAS ANIMAS COUNTY. POCKETS OF RELATIVELY CALM WINDS WERE NOTED DUE EAST OF THE WETS AND PARTS OF LAS ANIMAS COUNTY. NOT CLEAR HOW ACCURATE A PORTRAYAL OF THIS WIND FLOW IS...BUT NUMEROUS SHORTER RANGE GUIDANCE PRODUCTS SHOWED THIS SAME TYPE OF SIGNATURE OVER THE REGION...AND LIKEWISE DREW UP THE WIND GRIDDS TO MATCH THIS PATTERN. THE WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A BLIZZARD WARNING FOR THE C MTNS. SEE THE TONIGHT SECTION FOR MORE DETAILS. A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY WAS ALSO ADDED TO THE LEADVILLE REGION. TONIGHT... THE 06Z NAM SHOWED VERY STRONG WINDS OVER THE MTNS..ESPECIALLY FOR TONIGHT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 50 TO 60 MPH WERE NOTED OVER MOST RANGES WITH GUSTS WELL OVER 80 MPH. FOR THIS REASON...UPGRADED THE WINTER STORM WARNING OVER THE CENTRAL MTNS TO A BLIZZARD WARNING. ADDITIONALLY...EXTENDED THE HIGH WIND WARNING TO 09Z. I SHOULD NOTE THAT THE LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL LIKELY SEE THE WINDS DECREASE SOONER...MORE LIKELY AFTER 03Z...BUT GIVEN THE INTENSITY OF THIS SYSTEM I THOUGHT BEST TO KEEP THE LOWER ELEVATIONS IN THE WARNING UNTIL 09Z. LATER SHIFTS CAN ADJUST WARNING TIMES AS NECESSARY. \/34 LONG TERM... ..SNOW AND WIND CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY... SHOULD SEE WINDS GRADUALLY RELAX FOR THE LOWER ELEVATIONS SUN MORNING. STILL COULD SEE SOME GUSTS IN THE 40 MPH RANGE CLOSE TO THE MTNS EARLY SUN MORNING. WINDS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE CENTRAL MTNS...HOWEVER...WITH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS CONTINUING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS N OF KMYP. GUSTS IN THE 60-70 MPH RANGE WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR THE PASSES AND ABOVE. LATEST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS A LITTLE BETTER PHASING OF THE NRN AND SRN SYSTEMS THAT PASS THROUGH THE ROCKIES ON SUN...AND THIS SHOULD PERMIT AN INCREASE IN SNOW FOR THE SW MTNS...WHERE 4-8 INCHES OF WIND-DRIVEN SNOW COULD FALL BY SUN EVE. SNOW SHOULD WIND DOWN SUN EVE AS THE SYSTEM MOVES EWD. LIGHT INTERMITTENT SHSN SHOULD PERSIST OVER THE HIGHER ELEVS OF LAKE AND CHAFFEE COUNTY TRHU AT LEAST WED MORNING...AS NW FLOW CONTINUES BEHIND THE DEPARTING TROUGH. OTHERWISE...IT LOOKS PRETTY DRY FOR THE AREA THRU THE BALANCE OF NEXT WEEK. COULD SEE SOME TEMPS IN THE 60S FOR THE PLAINS DURING THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK...AS FLOW ALOFT GRADUALLY SHIFTS FROM W TO SW IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT TROUGH. SOME TIMING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MODELS FOR THE ONSET OF THE NEXT SYSTEM TAKING SHAPE OVER THE PACNW NEXT WEEKEND. AT THIS POINT...IT LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THE IMPACT FROM THIS SYSTEM WILL BE FOR THE C MTNS AGAIN...WITH MORE WIND FOR THE PLAINS...BUT CONFIDENCE IS LOW IN ANY SPECIFICS. 44 AVIATION... ..WINDS WILL CAUSE ISSUES AT TAF SITES NEXT 24 HOURS... VFR CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR AT KCOS...KPUB AND KALS THE NEXT 24H. HOWEVER...WINDS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE QUITE VARIABLE...ESPECIALLY AT KCOS. VERY STRONG LOWER LEVEL WINDS IN THE ATMOSPHERE ALONG WITH THE BLOCKING INFLUENCE OF PIKES PEAK WILL CAUSE GUSTY WINDS TO OCCUR AT TIMES. AT OTHER TIMES ROTORS WILL OCCUR AND SFC WINDS MAY ACTUALLY GO EASTERLY AT TIMES AT KCOS. AT KPUB...GENERALLY STRONG WESTERLY WINDS WILL OCCUR TODAY AND SHOULD DECREASE LATER TONIGHT. KALS SHOULD HAVE RELATIVELY LIGHT SW WINDS TODAY. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MST SUNDAY FOR COZ059. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 2 AM MST SUNDAY FOR COZ072>075-078>088. BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MST SUNDAY FOR COZ058-060-061. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MST SUNDAY FOR COZ066-068. && 31/23
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 652 AM MST SAT NOV 12 2011 COZ058>089-093>099-131400- 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- 652 AM MST SAT NOV 12 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VERY STRONG WINDS ARE LIKELY TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS THE REGION. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL OCCUR OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND THE EASTERN PLAINS ADJACENT TO THE MOUNTAINS. IN THE MOUNTAINS...WIND GUSTS TO 80 MPH ARE LIKELY...WHILE OVER THE PLAINS WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS THROUGH SUNDAY. THE STRONGEST WINDS...GUSTING TO 80 MPH...WILL OCCUR LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. INTENSE SNOWFALL COMBINED WITH THE WINDS WILL CAUSE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. A TOTAL OF 6 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOW IS LIKELY THROUGH TONIGHT. SNOWFALL WILL ALSO OCCUR OVER THE SAN JAUN MOUNTAINS. WHILE ACCUMULATIONS TODAY AND TONIGHT ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE HEAVY...THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND STRONG WINDS COULD RESULT IN POOR VISIBILITY AND HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS AT TIMES THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY HEAVY WIND-DRIVEN SNOWS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ON SUNDAY. NORTH OF MONARCH PASS...A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT AS WINDS GUST IN THE 55-75 MPH RANGE...RESULTING IN WHITE OUT CONDITIONS. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL ALSO RESULT IN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS OVER THE LA GARITAS AND SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS. AN ADDITIONAL 4 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE BY SUNDAY EVENING. OVER THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS...ONLY SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED ON SUNDAY...BUT STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS...GENERALLY ABOVE 10000 FEET. GUSTS OVER THE RIDGES AND EXPOSED AREAS COULD EXCEED 75 MPH AT TIMES. A FEW GUSTS IN THE 50 TO 60 MPH RANGE MAY ALSO OCCUR ALONG THE SOUTHERN INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR. SNOW AND WIND SHOULD DIMINISH SUNDAY EVENING. LIGHT SNOW MAY CONTINUE OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF LAKE AND CHAFFEE COUNTIES THROUGH WEDNESDAY...BUT ANY ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE SPOTTY AND LIGHT...GENERALLY LESS THAN TWO INCHES. THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM IS NOT EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS UNTIL FRIDAY AT THE EARLIEST. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS THE REGION. 34/44
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1039 AM MST SAT NOV 12 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0550 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 11 W COLORADO SPRINGS 38.83N 105.03W
11/12/2011 M81.00 MPH EL PASO CO AWOS
WIND SENSOR ON TOP OF PIKES PEAK
0614 AM NON-TSTM WND GST PIKES PEAK 38.84N 105.04W
11/12/2011 M85.00 MPH EL PASO CO MESONET
0647 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SW AIR FORCE ACADEMY 38.96N 104.89W
11/12/2011 M60.00 MPH EL PASO CO MESONET
WIND SENSOR AT US AIR FORCE COMMUNITY CENTER
0659 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 NW AIR FORCE ACADEMY 39.00N 104.89W
11/12/2011 M63.00 MPH EL PASO CO MESONET
WIND MEASURED IN CADET AREA AT US AIR FORCE ACADEMY
0704 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 E PEYTON 39.03N 104.39W
11/12/2011 M61.00 MPH EL PASO CO MESONET
MEASURED AT STATION D5050
0843 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 E AIR FORCE ACADEMY 38.98N 104.82W
11/12/2011 M58.00 MPH EL PASO CO AWOS
AFF SENSOR
0854 AM NON-TSTM WND GST AIR FORCE ACADEMY 38.98N 104.86W
11/12/2011 M68.00 MPH EL PASO CO ASOS
SUSTAINED WIND 50 MPH GUSTING TO 68 MPH
0856 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 NW AIR FORCE ACADEMY 39.01N 104.90W
11/12/2011 M70.00 MPH EL PASO CO MESONET
&&
MNPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1109 AM MST SAT NOV 12 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1102 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 W AIR FORCE ACADEMY 38.98N 104.93W
11/12/2011 M78 MPH EL PASO CO MESONET
RAMPART SENSOR.
&&
KTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1129 AM MST SAT NOV 12 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0704 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 E FALCON 38.93N 104.51W
11/12/2011 M61.00 MPH EL PASO CO MESONET
MEASURED AT STATION D5050
&&
KTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1139 AM MST SAT NOV 12 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0924 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 SSW AIR FORCE ACADEMY 38.94N 104.88W
11/12/2011 M73.00 MPH EL PASO CO MESONET
MESONET STATION CW5171
0940 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 S AIR FORCE ACADEMY 38.94N 104.86W
11/12/2011 M60.00 MPH EL PASO CO MESONET
MESONET STATION D3529
&&
KTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
100 PM MST SAT NOV 12 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1254 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SW AIR FORCE ACADEMY 38.96N 104.89W
11/12/2011 M77.00 MPH EL PASO CO MESONET
WIND SENSOR AT THE US AIR FORCE COMMUNITY CENTER.
&&
KTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
232 PM MST SAT NOV 12 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1116 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 SSW AIR FORCE ACADEMY 38.94N 104.88W
11/12/2011 M86 MPH EL PASO CO MESONET
MESONET STATION CW5171
&&
KTThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 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, November 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: 353369, 353370, 353371.