A very moist southwest flow preceded a large upper low which moved into the southwest states on the 24th. Initially, precipitation was mostly in the form of rain at lower elevations, then changed to snow as colder air spread into the region.
Every event with a place to put it; 21 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 GJT wrote it up.
A very moist southwest flow preceded a large upper low which moved into the southwest states on the 24th. Initially, precipitation was mostly in the form of rain at lower elevations, then changed to snow as colder air spread into the region.
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 Grand Junction, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 19, 11:08 PM MST, 52 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 1108 PM MST TUE NOV 19 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 310 PM MST TUE NOV 19 2013 MOIST LOW AMPLITUDE SHORT WAVE RACES ACROSS NORTHWEST COLORADO TONIGHT. RADAR SHOWING LOW DBZ RETURNS AS THE MOISTURE INCREASES THIS AFTERNOON...SOME OF THIS PCPN IS REACHING THE GROUND AS KCAG MEASURED A TRACE AND SUNLIGHT MOUNTAIN AWOS REPORTS LIGHT SNOW. THE COMBINATION OF OROGRAPHICS AND WEAK DYNAMICAL FORCING WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD LIGHT PCPN OVERNIGHT ACROSS NW COLORADO...POSSIBLY EXTENDING AS FAR SOUTH AS THE ELK MOUNTAINS. ENHANCED CLOUD COVER IN THE INFRARED IS SOMEWHAT FRAGMENTED AND UPSTREAM RADAR OBSERVATIONS SHOW BROKEN AREAS OF PCPN. THE RAP MODEL SHOW PCPN EXPANDING AS THE SHORT WAVE GETS LIFTED OVER THE DIVIDE...BUT APPEARS THAT THE TIME DURATION DOES NOT LAST LONG ENOUGH FOR ADVISORY CRITERIA SNOWFALL. APPEARS THE ELKHEADS AND PARK RANGE MAY GET A FEW INCHES OF SNOW TONIGHT...BUT TAPERING OFF AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE SRN HALF HALF GETS EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER BUT THE MOISTURE IS NOT AS DEEP...FLURRIES OR BRIEF LIGHT SNOW MAY OCCUR OVER THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS AS THE SHORT WAVE DRAGS ACROSS WRN COLORADO. SATELLITE INFRARED AND WATER VAPOR CLEARLY SHOWS A STREAM OF MOISTURE FROM NW OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLES TO THE CALIFORNIA COAST. THE FORECAST AREA MAY GET ONLY ONE SHOT AT THIS MOISTURE AND THAT OCCURS FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY. BUT SHORT WAVE ENERGY ADVECTING THIS MOISTURE TO THE FOUR CORNERS REGION IS WEAK AND FRAGMENTED (SIMILAR TO THE LEAD SHORT WAVE). NO SHORTAGE OF MOISTURE AS 700 MB SPECIFIC HUMIDITY VALUES EXCEED 4 G/KG...BUT OTHER FEATURES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR EFFICIENT RAIN OR SNOW PRODUCTION ARE MISSING. LACKING ELEMENTS INCLUDE BAROCLINICITY AND DYNAMICAL/OROGRAPHICAL FORCING AS 700 MB GRADIENT FLOW IS LESS THAN 20 KNOTS. THE AREA OF PRECIPITATION WILL BE EXPANDING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON OVER SW COLORADO AND SPREADING NEWD...CURRENT QPF PROJECTIONS SUGGEST SNOW POTENTIAL OF 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER THE SAN JUAN AND WRN COLORADO CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. THE DEEPEST MOISTURE WILL BE POSITIONED ACROSS THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT BEFORE SHIFTING DOWNSTREAM BY THURSDAY MORNING...NOT COINCIDING WITH THE COLD FRONT SURGING SOUTHWARD NEAR THE WYOMING BORDER. SNOW LEVELS A BIT TRICKY AND WILL BE FLUCTUATING DEPENDING ON TIME OF DAY. IN GENERAL TERMS...SNOW LEVELS WILL RANGE FROM 7000 TO 8000 FEET. DIABATIC COOLING PROCESSES COULD RESULT IN WET SNOW TO NEAR THE VALLEY FLOORS LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. LATER SHIFTS MAY NEED TO CONSIDER HOISTING WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 310 PM MST TUE NOV 19 2013 BY THU THE SPLIT IN THE FLOW WILL BECOME MORE DISTINCT AS THE LOW BEGINS TO CLOSE OFF ROUGHLY OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. A MOIST AND UNSETTLED SOUTHWEST FLOW AHEAD OF THE LOW WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM OVER THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE CONUS...AND ACROSS THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL ROCKIES. IN ADDITION...A COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH A NORTHERN BRANCH SHORTWAVE WILL DROP INTO THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE CWA BY AROUND MIDDAY. WE CAN EXPECT MOUNTAIN SNOW AND THE CHANCE FOR VALLEY RAIN TO CONTINUE THROUGH THU. MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE DOMINATED BY THE MOIST UNSTABLE SOUTHWEST FLOW WITH SOUTH- SOUTHWEST SLOPES FAVORED IN THIS REGIME. BUT THE OROGRAPHICS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN ON THE WEAK SIDE AS THE SOUTHWEST FLOW IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE OVERLY STRONG. OVER THE FAR NORTH HOWEVER...THE AREA IMPACTED BY THE THE NORTHERN BRANCH COLD FRONT WILL SPREAD SOUTH/SOUTHEAST. I EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE A NICE ENHANCEMENT OF THE PRECIPITATION IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONT. BUT MODELS INDICATE MUCH DRIER AIR WILL PUSH IN BEHIND THE FRONT. THIS WILL BRING A DOWNTURN IN POPS OVER THE NORTHWEST CORNER BY LATE IN THE AFTERNOON WITH THAT TREND EXTENDING SOUTH-SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE EVENING. ALSO A LOCALIZED AREA OF STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS WILL DEVELOP OVER WESTERN MOFFAT COUNTY INTO THE EASTERN UINTA BASIN DURING THE EVENING. MUCH COLDER TEMPS WILL RESULT IN THIS DRIER AIR BEHIND THE FRONT. MODELS DISAGREE ON JUST HOW FAR SOUTH THIS FRONT WILL REACH BEFORE IT WASHES OUT IN THE SOUTHWEST FLOW AHEAD OF THE SOUTHERN BRANCH LOW. BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY EXPECT MUCH COLDER TEMPS OVER THE FAR NORTH...WITH LESS COOLING AS ONE TRAVELS SOUTH. MODELS AGREE THAT THE LOW WILL STALL IN THE VICINITY OF SAN DIEGO BY EARLY FRIDAY...THEN PRETTY MUCH REMAIN STATIONARY UNTIL EARLY SUNDAY. BY SUN AFTERNOON THE LOW BEGINS TO SLOWLY SHIFT EAST...MAKING IT OVER NM/GFS...TO THE OK PANHANDLE/ECMWF ON MONDAY. THIS KEEPS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE SOUTHERN CO MOUNTAINS UNDER A MOIST UNSETTLED FLOW AHEAD OF THIS LOW...AND STILL UNSETTLED AS IT PASSES. OVER THE NORTH...MODELS SHOW A COL AREA BETWEEN THE SOUTHERN BRANCH LOW AND THE NORTHERN BRANCH NORTHWESTERLIES WILL MORE OR LESS SET UP OVER WY/NORTHERN CO...AND EXTEND INTO NORTHEAST UT. THIS WILL KEEP THE NORTHERN HALF TO TWO/THIRDS OF THE CWA ON THE DRY SIDE. BUT OUR SOUTHERN EDGE MAY CONTINUE TO SEE PRECIPITATION TROUGH MONDAY. EXPECT THERE WILL BE BREAKS AT TIMES. AND AS ANY EMBEDDED DISTURBANCES MOVE INTO THE THE AREA... SHOWERS WILL BE ENHANCED. MODELS ALL AGREE THAT BY TUE...A DRIER NORTH-NORTHWEST FLOW WILL DOMINATE AREA-WIDE AS A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TO OUR WEST. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1030 PM MST TUE NOV 19 2013 VFR EXPECTED IN MOST PLACES BUT THERE WILL BE AN AREA OF MVFR SOUTH OF EEO BUT NORTH OF MTJ DUE TO SHOWERS MOVING THROUGH. MOUNTAIN AREAS MAY BE PARTLY OBSCURED TONIGHT FROM LOW CEILINGS. SNOW LEVELS WILL BE LOWERING TO NEAR THE VALLEY FLOORS OR AROUND 5500 FEET. VFR ALL TAF SITES AFTER 12Z UNTIL ABOUT 00Z THURS WHEN DEEP MOISTURE RETURNS ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHERN LOCATIONS...VISIBILITIES AND CEILING REDUCING AT HIGHER LOCATIONS IN THE SAN JUANS THROUGHOUT THE EVENING. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...NONE. UT...NONE. && SHORT TERM...PF LONG TERM...EH AVIATION...JAM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 429 AM MST TUE NOV 19 2013 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-201300- LOWER YAMPA RIVER BASIN-CENTRAL YAMPA RIVER BASIN- ROAN AND TAVAPUTS PLATEAUS-ELKHEAD AND PARK MOUNTAINS- UPPER YAMPA RIVER BASIN-GRAND VALLEY-DEBEQUE TO SILT CORRIDOR- CENTRAL COLORADO RIVER BASIN-GRAND AND BATTLEMENT MESAS- GORE AND ELK MOUNTAINS/CENTRAL MOUNTAIN VALLEYS- CENTRAL GUNNISON AND UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER BASIN- WEST ELK AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS-FLATTOPS- UPPER GUNNISON RIVER VALLEY-UNCOMPAHGRE PLATEAU AND DALLAS DIVIDE- NORTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS- PARADOX VALLEY/LOWER DOLORES RIVER- FOUR CORNERS/UPPER DOLORES RIVER-ANIMAS RIVER BASIN- SAN JUAN RIVER BASIN-SOUTHEAST UTAH-EASTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS- EASTERN UINTA BASIN-TAVAPUTS PLATEAU-ARCHES/GRAND FLAT- LA SAL AND ABAJO MOUNTAINS-CANYONLANDS/NATURAL BRIDGES- 429 AM MST TUE NOV 19 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AREAS OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND LINGER THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS NORTHEAST UTAH AND NORTHWEST COLORADO. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OVER THE MOUNTAINS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN UNDER 5 INCHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY RAIN AND SNOW WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY. HEAVY SNOWFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE MOUNTAINS...ESPECIALLY ALONG SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES. CONDITIONS DRY OUT FROM NORTH TO SOUTH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. ANOTHER CHANCE OF VALLEY RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW ARRIVES LATE SUNDAY AND MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
13 winter weather, 6 heavy snow, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
High-density snowfall totals of 4 to 7 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 10 to 20 inches were measured across the area. Locally heavier amounts included 25 inches at Gothic and 28 inches at Schofield Pass and Irwin Lodge.
High-density snowfall totals of 1 to 3 feet were measured across the area. Locally heavier amounts included 50 inches at the Weminuche Creek SNOTEL site. WInd gusts of 20 to 40 mph produced areas of blowing snow.
High-density snowfall totals of 1 to 2 feet were measured above the 8000 foot level, with 4 to 11 inches below.
High-density snowfall totals of 1 to 2 feet were measured across the area. Locally heavier amounts included 29 inches at the Park Reservoir SNOTEL site.
High-density snowfall totals of 5 to 12 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 4 to 7 inches were measured across the area.
Four-day high-density snowfall totals of 10-20 inches were measured across the area. Wind gusts of 20 to 35 mph produced areas of blowing snow.
High-density snowfall totals of 3 to 4 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 2 to 4 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 3 to 10 inches were measured across the area. Numerous vehicle accidents in Vail and on Vail Pass resulted in the closure of I-70 for a period of time.
High-density snowfall totals of 1 to 4 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 1 to 5 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 3 to 7 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 4 to 10 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 4 to 8 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 5 to 6 inches were measured above the 7000 foot level.
High-density snowfall totals of 3 to 5 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 3 to 5 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 2 to 3 inches were measured across the area.
High-density snowfall totals of 3 to 4 inches were measured above the 6500 foot level.
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, November 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: 499192, 499174, 499173, 499176, 499175, 499181, 499182, 499172, 499184, 499183, 499180, 499185, 499186, 499177, 499178, 499179, 499191, 499187, 499188, 499189, 499190.