A storm system produced areas of heavy snow, primarily to higher terrain of southern Colorado. Beulah (Pueblo County) and Penrose (Fremont County).
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 areas of heavy snow, primarily to higher terrain of southern Colorado. Reported snow amounts included 6 to 7 inches around Maysville (Chaffee County)...Beulah (Pueblo County) and Penrose (Fremont County). Around a foot was noted near Crestone (Saguache County)...and a localized 18 inches was measured southeast of Texas Creek (Fremont County). Near the summit of Wolf Creek Pass...23 inches of snow accumulated.
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 25, 5:13 AM MST, 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 513 AM MST THU DEC 25 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 340 AM MST THU DEC 25 2014 ...INCREASING SNOWFALL ALONG THE CONTDVD TODAY WHICH SPREADS EAST THROUGH TONIGHT... CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND UPPER AIR ANALYSIS INDICATING MODERATE TO STRONG SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT ACROSS THE THE REGION WITH A BROAD UPPER TROUGH DIGGING ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN REGION AT THIS TIME. REGIONAL RADARS AND OBSERVATIONS INDICATING SCATTERED ECHOES MOVING ACROSS WESTERN COLORADO WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW FALLING ALONG THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE CONTDVD. MIXING ASSOCIATED WITH LEE TROUGH ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS KEEPING THE LOWER EASTERN SLOPES THROUGH THE FAR SE PLAINS VERY MILD THIS MORNING WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S TO LOWER 40S...WITH TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE CONTDVD AND HIGH MT VALLEYS MAINLY IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS. LATEST MODEL RUNS COMING IN A TAD SLOWER AND FURTHER NORTH WITH THE GREAT BASIN TROUGH...WHICH NOW LIFTS OUT ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH THE DAY FRIDAY. AT ANY RATE...MODERATE SOUTHWEST FLOW CONTINUES ACROSS THE AREA TODAY AND BECOMES MORE SOUTHERLY THROUGH TONIGHT WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL TO DEVELOP AND PERSIST FOR AREAS ALONG THE CONTDVD THROUGH TONIGHT. OROGRAPHIC FLOW FAVORS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MTS WHERE 8 TO 12 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH 4 TO 8 INCHES POSSIBLE ACROSS THE LA GARITA MTS AS WELL AS THE SAWATCH AND MOSQUITO RANGES. SNOW FALL SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE HIGH MTS VALLEYS AND SOUTHEASTERN MOUNTAINS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...WITH 1 TO 4 INCHES POSSIBLE THROUGH TONIGHT. SLOWER AND FURTHER NORTH PLACE OF SYSTEM SLOWS TIMING OF ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL ALLOW FOR TEMPS TO WARM INTO THE MID 40S TO UPPER 50S ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON. GUSTY NORTH TO NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH EXPECTED TO HIT THE PALMER DVD BETWEEN 23Z-02Z AND THEN CONTINUE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS THROUGH THE REST OF THE NIGHT. LATEST MODELS NOT AS STRONG WITH H7 EAST TO NORTHEAST FLOW ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS AND PLAINS THOUGH STILL SHOULD SEE A PERIOD OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL ACROSS THE PIKES REGION TONIGHT WITH CURRENT WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR TELLER AND NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTIES STILL ON TRACK WITH 4 TO 9 INCHES OVERNIGHT...GREATEST OVER PIKES PEAK. SHOULD SEE LIGHT SNOWFALL SPREADING SOUTH AND WEST ACROSS THE REST OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS AND SOUTHEASTERN MTS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH BEST CHANCES OF ACCUMULATING SNOW ALONG AND WEST OF THE I-25 CORRIDOR. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 340 AM MST THU DEC 25 2014 LATEST MODEL RUNS LOOK JUST SLIGHTLY SLOWER AND WEAKER WITH THE UPPER LOW CROSSING THE AREA FRI...THOUGH OVERALL FORECAST IS GENERALLY ON TRACK. MID-LEVEL CIRCULATION FORECAST TO BE NEAR/JUST EAST OF THE 4 CORNERS AT 12Z FRI...WITH SYSTEM THEN TRACKING EASTWARD AND GRADUALLY WEAKENING AS IT MOVES INTO WESTERN KS BY 00Z SAT. EXPECT PERIODS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW TO PERSIST OVER THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH THE DAY FRIDAY...WITH HEAVIEST SNOWS NEAR THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE EARLY IN THE DAY SHIFTING TO THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS BY AFTERNOON. WITH SLIGHTLY SLOWER EASTWARD PROGRESSION OF THE TROUGH...DID EXTEND WINTER HIGHLIGHTS UNTIL 00Z SAT FOR CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ZONES...AS AT LEAST SOME LIGHTER SNOWS WILL PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY FRI. CONSIDERED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE WETS/SANGRES/SRN I-25 CORRIDOR FOR FRI/FRI EVENING...BUT GIVEN QUICKLY WEAKENING UPSLOPE FLOW BY 00Z AS 700MB/500MB CIRCULATION FADES...SNOWFALL AMOUNTS MAY COME UP JUST SHORT AND WILL PUNT DECISION TO THE DAY SHIFT. REMAINING MOUNTAINS/PLAINS/I-25 CORRIDOR (INCLUDING PUB AND COS) WILL SEE SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATING SNOW THROUGH THE DAY WITH MOST AMOUNTS IN THE 1-2 INCH RANGE. CLOUDS/SNOW/COLD ADVECTION WILL HOLD FRI MAX TEMPS DOWN...THOUGH DIDN'T GO AS COLD AS FRIGID MAV GUIDANCE AND STUCK CLOSER TO BLENDED CONSENSUS NUMBERS. SYSTEM EXITS THE AREA FRI NIGHT AND WITH LOW AND MID LEVEL FLOW BECOMING NORTHWESTERLY...EXPECT SNOW TO END QUICKLY OVER ALL BUT THE HIGHER PEAKS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS BY MIDNIGHT. CLEAR SKIES BUT CHILLY TEMPS ON FRI WITH MOST LOCATIONS STAYING BELOW FREEZING. LEE TROUGH BEGINS TO DEEPEN SAT NIGHT AS NEXT UPPER TROUGH DIGS INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST...LEADING TO A RATHER TRICKY MIN TEMP FORECAST. AT THIS POINT...SUSPECT MOST AREAS WILL DECOUPLE LONG ENOUGH TO DROP LOWS DOWN TOWARD GUIDANCE NUMBERS...WITH PERHAPS SOME SLOWLY RISING TEMPS BY MORNING...ESPECIALLY EASTERN MOUNTAIN SLOPES. MAX TEMPS SUN SHOULD WARM SLIGHTLY MOST AREAS AS 700 MB THERMAL RIDGE BRIEFLY DEVELOPS...THOUGH COLDER AIR WILL BE LURKING NEARBY OVER NORTHEAST CO AS NEXT COLD FRONT BEGINS TO PUSH SOUTH. DEEPEST MOISTURE STAYS NORTH OF THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY SUN...THOUGH WITH STRENGTHENING JET OVERHEAD...SUSPECT A FEW SNOW SHOWERS WILL BREAK OUT ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BY LATE AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF MONARCH PASS. COLD FRONT PUSHES BACK SOUTH THROUGH THE PLAINS SUN NIGHT...WITH FAIRLY DEEP COLD AIR AND STRENGTHENING UPSLOPE FLOW LEADING TO LIGHT SNOW DEVELOPING OVER THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS DURING THE DAY MON. STILL LOOKS LIKE A PROLONGED LIGHT SNOW EVENT ACROSS THE AREA MON INTO TUE...DRIVEN MAINLY BY UPSLOPE FLOW INTERACTING WITH JET OVERHEAD...THOUGH A FEW SPOTS OVER THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS MAY ACCUMULATE SEVERAL INCHES OF VERY FLUFFY/LOW DENSITY SNOW AS BITTERLY COLD AIR SETTLES INTO THE REGION. MAX TEMPS WILL STAY WELL BELOW FREEZING ALL AREAS MON...THEN STRUGGLE TO REACH THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS TUE AS 1055MB SURFACE HIGH DROPS INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. TUE NIGHT COULD BE ESPECIALLY COLD WITH BELOW ZERO READINGS AREA-WIDE...AND IF SKIES CLEAR...A FEW FRESHLY SNOW COVERED SPOTS COULD REACH MINUS 15F-20F AS HEART OF THE COLD AIR MASS MOVES THROUGH. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 340 AM MST THU DEC 25 2014 VFR CONDITIONS WITH BREEZY SOUTHWEST WINDS EXPECTED AT COS...PUB AND ALS OVER THROUGH AT LEAST 00Z FRI...AS UPPER TROUGH ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN SLOWLY PUSHES EAST INTO WESTERN COLORADO OVERNIGHT. MVFR AND LOCALLY IFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE AFT 00Z FRI...AS SNOWFALL ACROSS THE CONTDVD SPREADS EAST ACROSS THE HIGH MT VALLEY...AND A COLD FRONT PUSHES SOUTH AND WEST ACROSS THE PALMER DVD AND SOUTHEAST PLAINS THROUGH 06Z. COS WILL HAVE THE BEST CHANCES OF SEEING LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES BY 12Z FRI...WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS EXPECTED NORTH AND WEST OF THE TERMINAL. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO NOON MST FRIDAY FOR COZ081-082-084. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM MST FRIDAY FOR COZ060-066. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 PM MST FRIDAY FOR COZ068. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 PM MST FRIDAY FOR COZ058. && SHORT TERM...MW LONG TERM...PETERSEN AVIATION...MW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 319 PM MST WED DEC 24 2014 COZ058>089-093>099-252230- 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- 319 PM MST WED DEC 24 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE TOWARD DAYBREAK ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATION OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A STRONG WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN COLORADO EARLY CHRISTMAS DAY...THEN ACROSS THE STATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. SNOW WILL DEVELOP ALONG ALL OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE EARLY CHRISTMAS MORNING...AND BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES CHRISTMAS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY FRIDAY. SNOW WILL SPREAD EASTWARD TO THE PIKES PEAK REGION THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW LIKELY ALONG THE PALMER DIVIDE AND OVER THE RAMPART RANGE BY MIDMORNING FRIDAY. ACROSS THE REST OF THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND ACROSS MOST VALLEYS AND PLAINS...LIGHT SNOW WILL DEVELOP CHRISTMAS EVENING AND PERSIST INTO FRIDAY MORNING. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE WET MOUNTAINS...SPANISH PEAKS...AND SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS. STILL ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM WILL IMPACT THE AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK...BRINGING THE RISK OF LIGHT SNOW TO MUCH OF THE AREA MONDAY INTO EARLY TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. 13/13
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 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: 552956.