A storm system produced heavy snow at times, as well as gusty winds to portions of southern Colorado. and 15 to 21 inches around Leadville and the surrounding mountains.
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 produced heavy snow at times, as well as gusty winds to portions of southern Colorado. Some of the higher reported snow totals with this event include: 6 inches near Saguache (Saguache County)...Monument (El Paso County)...and Maysville (Chaffee County)...and 15 to 21 inches around Leadville and the surrounding mountains.
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 Dec 21, 4:50 AM MST, 2 hours 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 450 AM MST SUN DEC 21 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 450 AM MST SUN DEC 21 2014 THE FORECAST STILL GENERALLY LOOKS ON TRACK WITH MSTR AND SNOW CHANCES INCREASING A LITTLE LATER TODAY OVR THE CONTDVD... ESPECIALLY OVR THE CENTRAL MTNS. FORECAST MODELS SHOW HIGHEST SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THIS AFTERNOON OVER LAKE COUNTY AND INTO NRN PORTIONS OF THE WRN MTNS IN CHAFFEE COUNTY. LIGHTER ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED OVR THE LA GARITA MTNS AND ZONE 64. THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN DRY TODAY WITH ABOVE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPS. FOR TONIGHT THE MOIST NW FLOW INTO THE CONTDVD WL CONTINUE. THE ERN SAN JUAN MTNS DO NOT GET HIT HARD WITH SNOW AND AMOUNTS LOOK LIKE THEY WL BE UNDER ADVISORY LEVELS. HOWEVER...THE REST OF THE CONTDVD SHOULD SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT SNOW TOTALS. THE HARDEST HIT AREAS OVERNIGHT SHOULD BE LAKE AND WRN CHAFFEE COUNTIES. ZONES 64 AND 66 SHOULD ALSO SEE SEVERAL INCHES. IT NOW LOOKS LIKE ZONE 59 WHICH INCLUDES LEADVILLE...WL SEE MORE SNOW THAN ORIGINALLY EXPECTED BEGINNING TODAY THROUGH MONDAY...AND WL UPGRADE THE WINTER WX ADVISORY TO A WARNING FOR THAT AREA. IT ALSO LOOKS LIKE ZONES 64 AND 66 WL SEE ADVISORY LEVEL SNOWFALL...SO WL ISSUE THE ADVISORY BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING THRU MON AFTERNOON. FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA...MAY SEE SOME SNOW MOVE INTO THE NRN SANGRES AND PORTIONS OF WRN FREMONT COUNTY AND TELLER COUNTY/PIKE PEAK LATE TONIGHT...BUT JUST SOME ISOLD TO SCT COVERAGE. AS A FRONT SLIPS INTO THE ERN PLAINS LATE TONIGHT...THE GFS BRINGS SOME PCPN INTO THE AREA....WHILE THE NAM IS A LITTLE SLOWER WITH THE FRONT AND IS DRY OVR THE SERN PLAINS. SO...THERE IS A LITTLE UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE WL BE ANY PCPN OVR THE SERN PLAINS TOWARD MORNING...BUT WL GO WITH SOME ISOLD POPS AT TIME. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 450 AM MST SUN DEC 21 2014 MONDAY-TUESDAY...STRONG NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT ACROSS THE REGION MONDAY BECOMES MORE NORTHERLY AND REMAINS STRONG MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...AS A STRONG 140KT JET CONTINUES TO TRANSLATE ACROSS THE STATE. CURRENT WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES ACROSS THE CONTDVD CONTINUE TO LOOK GOOD THROUGH THE DAY MONDAY WITH VERY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL EXPECTED MONDAY WITH POOR VISIBILITIES IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. LATEST MODEL DATA INDICATING PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS AND PLAINS TO BE MAINLY TIED TO ASSOCIATED PASSING COLD FRONT MONDAY MORNING WITH BEST CHANCES OF GENERALLY LIGHT ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL ACROSS THE SOUTHERN I-25 CORRIDOR AND SOUTHEASTERN MTS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH GUSTY NORTH WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH AND FALLING TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE FRONT. SNOWFALL WINDS DOWN ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING WITH DEVELOPING SUBSIDENCE AS JET CORE PUSHES ACROSS THE STATE. THIS WILL LEAD TO A RAW AND BLUSTERY DAY AREA WIDE ON TUESDAY...WITH HIGHS IN THE 20S AND 30S AND GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 40 MPH. THERE IS SOME CONCERN OF POSSIBLE HIGH WIND WARNING CRITERIA ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS TUESDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON WITH THE STRONG SUBSIDENCE AND PROGGED H7 WINDS OF 40-50KTS...THOUGH WILL LET FORECAST SPEAK FOR ITS SELF FOR NOW...WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH MENTIONED AT THIS TIME. TUESDAY NIGHT-WEDNESDAY CONTINUES TO BE A PERIOD OF TRANSITION...AS STRONG NORTHERLY FLOW ALOFT TUESDAY NIGHT MODERATES AND BECOMES MORE WESTERLY THROUGH THE DAY WEDNESDAY. WITH DECOUPLING WINDS AND A COLD AIRMASS IN PLACE...COULD SEE TEMPERATURES TANK...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORMAL COLD POCKETS OF THE LOWER ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY TUESDAY NIGHT. WARMING ALOFT UNDER A TRANSITORY UPPER RIDGE ON WEDNESDAY TO LEAD TO A DRY DAY WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING BACK TO AT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGES. THURSDAY-SATURDAY...LATEST MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW RUN TO RUN DIFFERENCES ON THE NEXT SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE ROCKIES FOR CHRISTMAS DAY AND NIGHT...WITH THE 00Z RUNS OF THE GFS AND ECMWF FLIPPING SOLUTIONS FROM YESTERDAYS 00Z RUNS...WHERE AS THE GFS IS DEEPER AND STRONGER WITH THE SYSTEM AND ITS ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT PRODUCING SNOW ACROSS THE AREA CHRISTMAS NIGHT. HOWEVER...THE GFS ENSEMBLES AND THE 06Z OPERATIONAL GFS RUN ARE SIMILAR TO THE 00Z EC SOLUTION WITH A PROGRESSIVE TROUGH MOVING ACROSS THE ROCKIES THURSDAY NIGHT. AT ANY RATE...HAVE STAYED WITH LATEST MODEL CONSENSUS DATA...WHICH HAS AT OR ABOVE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE AREA FOR CHRISTMAS DAY ALONG WITH CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN CHRISTMAS DAY AND NIGHT AND SLIGHT CHANCES ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS FOR CHRISTMAS NIGHT. DESPITE DIFFERENCES FOR CHRISTMAS DAY AND NIGHT...LATEST MODELS DO CONTINUE TO INDICATE COLDER TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 450 AM MST SUN DEC 21 2014 KCOS AND KPUB WL HAVE VFR CONDITIONS TODAY AND THRU MUCH OF THE NIGHT...BUT IF PCPN MOVES INTO THE AREA LATE TONIGHT (AFTER 06Z) CONDITIONS COULD BECOME MVFR OR IFR...HOWEVER AT THIS TIME THE UNCERTAINTY IS TOO GREAT TO INCLUDE IN THE TERMINAL FORECAST. KALS SHOULD HAVE VFR CONDITIONS TODAY AND TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH THERE COULD BE SOME SNOW SHOWERS IN THE VCNTY TOWARD MORNING WHICH COULD REDUCE CIGS AND VSBY. THERE IS TOO MUCH UNCERTAINTY AT THIS TIME TO INCLUDE ANY MENTION IN THE TAF OF PCPN OR LOW CIGS/VSBY LATE TONIGHT. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 PM MST MONDAY FOR COZ064-066. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 11 PM MST MONDAY FOR COZ061. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 11 PM MST MONDAY FOR COZ058>060. && SHORT TERM...28 LONG TERM...MW AVIATION...28
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 612 AM MST SUN DEC 21 2014 COZ058>089-093>099-221315- 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- 612 AM MST SUN DEC 21 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SNOWFALL WILL INCREASE TODAY ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED OVER LAKE AND WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTIES...WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF ACCUMULATION OVER WESTERN AND NORTHERN SAGUACHE COUNTY. GENERALLY LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS...CENTRAL AND EASTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS...PRODUCING VERY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THROUGH THE DAY MONDAY...WILL SLOWLY WIND DOWN MONDAY NIGHT...AS A STRONG PACIFIC JET STREAM CONTINUES TO TRANSLATE ACROSS THE ROCKIES. STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 FEET REMAIN IN THE OFFING ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE EASTERN SAWATCH AND WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGES WITH OTHER AREAS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF LAKE COUNTY SEEING SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES OR MORE THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. SOME WIND DRIVEN SNOWFALL ALSO REMAINS POSSIBLE OVER THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...AS A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS EASTERN COLORADO. STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS ON TUESDAY...AS THE STRONG JET STREAM OVERHEAD PUSHES EAST ACROSS EASTERN COLORADO. FOR CHRISTMAS DAY AND NIGHT...ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE ROCKIES COULD BRING SOME GENERALLY LIGHT SNOWFALL TO THE AREA. HOWEVER...FORECAST CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW...AS THE TRACK OF THIS WEATHER SYSTEM IS STILL UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. STAY TUNED TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO FOR THE LATEST FORECAST UPDATES ON THIS POTENTIAL CHRISTMAS SNOWFALL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY TONIGHT OVER LAKE COUNTY...CHAFFEE COUNTY...WESTERN AND NORTHERN SAGUACHE COUNTY...THE LA GARITA AND EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS. 28/23
The 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 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 2014
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: 552943, 552945, 552944.