A storm system brought heavy snow to areas in and near the Front Range Mountains and Foothills, with blizzard conditions over parts of the northeast plains of Colorado. 5 inches near Conifer, 9 inches, near Bailey and 9 miles east-northeast of Nederland, Joe Wright and Strontia Springs.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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 BOU wrote it up.
A storm system brought heavy snow to areas in and near the Front Range Mountains and Foothills, with blizzard conditions over parts of the northeast plains of Colorado. In the mountains and foothills, storm totals included: 13 inches at Berthoud Pass SNOTEL, 12 inches at Arapahoe Ridge and Long Draw Reservoir; 11 inches, 5 miles southwest of Golden; 10.5 inches near Kittridge; 10 inches at Lake Eldora and Pine Junction; 9.5 inches near Conifer, 9 inches, near Bailey and 9 miles east-northeast of Nederland, Joe Wright and Strontia Springs.
Along the Urban Corridor, some storm totals included: 8.5 inches at Highlands Ranch and near Morrison; 8 inches in Arvada; 7 inches, 5 miles northeast of Westminster; 6.5 inches at Centenniel, Lone Tree and Wheat Ridge; 6 inches in West Denver, Hygiene, Lyons and Thornton, 5.5 inches in Broomfield; with 5 inches in Aurora and Denver Stapleton.
Across the Palmer Divide and northeast plains of Colorado, storm totals ranged anywhere from 2 to 10 inches. The combination of snow and strong wind produced blizzard conditions and forced the closure of Interstate 70 east of Denver. Sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph produced near zero visibilities at times and snowpacked roads. Snowdrifts from 2 to 4 feet deep were reported. As a result, many of the roadways became impassable.
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 Denver/Boulder, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 8, 3:32 PM MST, 4 hours 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO 332 PM MST FRI MAR 8 2013 .SHORT TERM...EVERYTHING ON TRACK FOR A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM FOR THE FORECAST AREA BEGINNING LATER TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. LATEST MODEL RUNS FROM THE ECMWF...GFS...NAM...AND CANADIAN SHOWED REASONABLE AGREEMENT. HOWEVER...THERE ARE AND WILL LIKELY BE CONSIDERABLE DETAILS IN THE MESOSCALE WHICH COULD HAVE LARGE IMPACT ON SNOW AMOUNTS. THATS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS THERE IS SUCH A LARGE DISCREPANCY IN THE SREF SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. WE HAVE SEEN EVERYTHING FROM 2 INCHES TO AS MUCH AS 30 INCHES IN SOME OF THE SREF/MESOSCALE MODEL GUIDANCE. AS STATED ABOVE...THERE IS REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE TRACK OF THE UPPER LOW ACROSS ARIZONA TONIGHT...TOWARD THE FOUR CORNERS BY/SHORTLY BEFORE DAYBREAK SATURDAY...AND THEN ACROSS THE NEW MEXICO/CO BORDER SATURDAY BEFORE PUSHING INTO WESTERN KANSAS BY SATURDAY EVENING. THE ECMWF WAS THE SLOWEST...AND GENERALLY PREFERRED GIVEN THE CURRENT LOCATION OF THE UPPER TROUGH. ALSO...WE WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THE UPPER LOW EJECTS A BIT FARTHER SOUTH THAN CURRENT MODEL GUIDANCE BASED ON THE LATEST WATER VAPOR IMAGERY ALTHOUGH THERE HAS CERTAINLY BEEN A MORE EASTWARD TRACK AND BETTER HEIGHT FALLS DUE EAST OF THE UPPER LOW THE LAST COUPLE HOURS. OVERALL...EVEN WITH A SLIGHTLY SOUTHWARD ADJUSTMENT WE ARE LOOKING AT A HIGH PROBABILITY OF HEAVY SNOW OVER ALMOST THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA...WITH THE HEAVIEST FROM THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS INTO THE PALMER DIVIDE AREA. IF THE STORM TRACKS TOO FAR SOUTH...IT COULD LEAD TO A MORE NORTHERLY WIND COMPONENT AND LESS SNOWFALL IN THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE...BUT AT THE SAME TIME HEAVIER SNOW FROM THE PALMER DIVIDE EASTWARD INTO THE LIMON TO AKRON AREA. TO HELP ACCOUNT FOR THIS...WE HAVE NUDGED DOWN AMOUNTS A BIT TO THE NORTH WHILE INCREASING THEM TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF DENVER. RIGHT NOW...DENVER METRO APPEARS TO HAVE A HIGH PROBABILITY OF AN 8 TO 12 INCH SNOWFALL. CHANGEOVER FROM RAIN TO SNOW IS EXPECTED TO SHIFT QUITE EFFICIENTLY FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE PLAINS AS PRECIPITATION INTENSITY INCREASES AND COLD AIR DRIVES IN FROM THE NORTH...BUT STILL SOME MELTING IS POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY IN LOCAL DOWNSLOPE AREAS...E.G. LYONS...WELLINGTON... SOUTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY...LOWER SOUTH PLATTE RIVER VALLEY TOWARD NEBRASKA WHERE TEMPS ARE MARGINAL. FAVORABLE FACTORS FOR HEAVY SNOW INCLUDE...LARGE SCALE Q-G LIFT...NORTH/NORTHEAST WINDS AT 700 MB INCREASING TO 35-55 KTS...AND GOOD MICROPHYSICS WITH STRONG OMEGA THROUGH A DEEP AND DENDRITIC GROWTH LAYER SHOULD RESULT IN A VERY EFFICIENT SNOW PRODUCER BY SATURDAY MORNING WITH SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCH PER HOUR. THE SNOW INTENSITY IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DECREASING FROM THE NORTH AND ALSO OFF THE NEARBY FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS DURING THE AFTERNOON AS NORTH TO SLIGHTLY NORTH/NORTHWEST FLOW STRENGTHENS. CONCERNING WINDS...NORTH WINDS WILL REALLY INCREASE SATURDAY MORNING WITH 20-35 MPH WINDS AND GUSTS NEAR 50 MPH OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS...SO WILL HAVE THE BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT THERE. FOR THE FRONT RANGE URBAN CORRIDOR...WINDS SHOULD BE IN THE 15-25 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS AROUND 35 MPH. GIVEN THE INTENSITY OF SNOWFALL AND POSSIBLE BARRIER JET DEVELOPMENT FOR A BRIEF TIME SATURDAY MORNING...THERE IS POSSIBILITY FOR AN UPGRADE TO A BLIZZARD WARNING FOR DENVER AREA...BUT CONFIDENCE IS MUCH LOWER SO WILL KEEP WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR. MOUNTAIN AND FOOTHILL WARNINGS GO INTO EFFECT THIS EVENING. CONVECTIVE SNOW SHOWERS WILL HAVE TO DO MOST OF THE WORK EARLY ON IN THE PERIOD BEFORE STRONGER UPSLOPE DEVELOPS LATE TONIGHT/SATURDAY MORNING. SUMMIT COUNTY COULD VERY WELL GET SHELTERED AGAIN IN THIS FRONT RANGE STORM...BUT AT LEAST ITS UNSTABLE. .LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...AT 00Z SUNDAY... VERTICALLY STACKED STORM WILL BE OVER WESTERN KANSAS. EXPECT SNOW TO COME TO AN END SATURDAY EVENING FOR MOST OF EASTERN COLORADO. THE ECMWF IS A LITTLE SLOWER. SO IF THE ECMWF IS CORRECT...SNOW WILL LINGER UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT OVER EASTERN COLORADO. BY SUNDAY MORNING...ALL MODELS SHOW THE SNOW WILL HAVE ENDED. ON SUNDAY...FLOW ALOFT AND AT THE SURFACE WILL BE NORTHERLY. THIS COMBINED WITH SNOW ON THE GROUND WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES COOL. UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN STATES WILL PRODUCE A NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL BRING DRY AND MILD TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION. THERE WILL BE SOME MID LEVEL MOISTURE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. WILL INCREASE CLOUDS AND HAVE LOW POPS OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS FOR THIS. THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL SHIFT EAST OVER THE ROCKIES IN THE MIDDLE PART OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL BRING WARMER TEMPERATURES AND CONTINUED DRY CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. && .AVIATION...MAJOR IMPACTS EXPECTED AT THE FRONT RANGE AIRPORTS BEGINNING LATE TONIGHT AND ESPECIALLY SATURDAY. FOR THIS EVENING...LOOK FOR A GRADUAL REDUCTION IN CEILINGS WITH ILS LANDING CONDITIONS LIKELY DEVELOPING 06Z-09Z WITH A FEW LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS. THEN SHOULD SEE PRECIPITATION BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND HEAVIER AND CHANGE QUICKLY TO SNOW. HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BETWEEN 11Z AND 14Z WITH SNOWFALL RATES OF 1-2 INCHES PER HOUR POSSIBLE TIL AROUND 21Z...ALTHOUGH STILL A COUPLE HOURS OF TIMING UNCERTAINTY GIVEN LATEST SATELLITE PICS. LOOK FOR VLIFR CONDITIONS WITH HEAVY SNOW...COMBINING WITH BLOWING SNOW BY LATE SATURDAY MORNING AS WIND GUSTS TO 30-35 KTS THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AND LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE VSBY POSSIBLE AT TIMES. SHOULD SEE GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT 22Z-03Z SATURDAY EVENING WITH RAPID IMPROVEMENT BETWEEN 03Z AND 07Z SUNDAY AS SNOW ENDS. TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS 8-12 INCHES MOST LIKELY FOR THE FRONT RANGE AIRPORTS. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 8 AM TO 11 PM MST SATURDAY FOR COZ046- 048>051. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR COZ033>036. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR COZ030>032-037. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 2 AM TO 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR COZ038>040. BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 5 AM TO 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR COZ042>044. BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 5 AM TO 11 PM MST SATURDAY FOR COZ041-045. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 11 PM MST SATURDAY FOR COZ047. && SHORT TERM...BARJENBRUCH LONG TERM....MEIER AVIATION...BARJENBRUCH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO 1111 AM MST FRI MAR 8 2013 COZ030>051-091815- JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET- WEST JACKSON AND WEST GRAND COUNTIES ABOVE 9000 FEET- GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET- SOUTH AND EAST JACKSON/LARIMER/NORTH AND NORTHEAST GRAND/ NORTHWEST BOULDER COUNTIES ABOVE 9000 FEET- SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST GRAND/WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST BOULDER/ GILPIN/CLEAR CREEK/SUMMIT/NORTH AND WEST PARK COUNTIES ABOVE 9000 FEET-LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET- JEFFERSON AND WEST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET/GILPIN/CLEAR CREEK/NORTHEAST PARK COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET- CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PARK COUNTY- LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY- BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD COUNTY- NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY- ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET- NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY- CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES- NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN COUNTY- SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY- LOGAN COUNTY-WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY- 1111 AM MST FRI MAR 8 2013 ...SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM WILL HIT LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT DRY CONDITIONS ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST COLORADO THIS MORNING WILL GIVE WAY TO INCREASING MOISTURE OVER THE MOUNTAINS WITH SNOW DEVELOPING OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY DURING THE AFTERNOON. SNOW IS THEN EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY OVER THE MOUNTAINS OVERNIGHT WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW POSSIBLY FALLING IN THE MOUNTAIN AREAS OF LARIMER COUNTY. FOUR TO EIGHT INCHES OF NEW SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE BY SATURDAY MORNING. ON THE PLAINS...SOME RAIN SHOWERS OR A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING. OVERNIGHT... RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE TO SNOW AND BEGIN ACCUMULATING ALONG THE FRONT RANGE URBAN CORRIDOR WHERE ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE BY SATURDAY MORNING. A POTENT STORM SYSTEM WILL BE MOVING ACROSS ARIZONA TONIGHT AND WILL BE CROSSING OVER SOUTHERN COLORADO BY SATURDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL FALL OVER NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST COLORADO SATURDAY. NORTH WINDS 25 TO 35 WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH WILL PRODUCE BILZZARD CONDITIONS FOR AREAS MAINLY EAST ON INTERSTATE 25 SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. SNOW WILL COME TO AN END SATURDAY EVENING. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE 12 TO 24 INCHES FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS EAST OF THE DIVIDE...5 TO 10 INCHES OVER THE REST OF THE MOUNTAINS AND HIGH VALLEYS...AND 6 TO 14 INCHES OVER THE PLAINS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 winter storm, 4 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, March 2013
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: 440864, 440865, 440868, 440869, 440871, 440872, 440873, 440878, 440879, 440880, 440881.