A cold and moist Pacific trough produced significant to heavy early season snowfall in the mountains of western Colorado.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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 cold and moist Pacific trough produced significant to heavy early season snowfall in the mountains of western Colorado.
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 1, 9:50 PM MST, 2 hours 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1050 PM MDT SAT NOV 1 2014
.UPDATE...
ISSUED AT 1045 PM MDT SAT NOV 1 2014
ADDED A WINTER WX ADVISORY FOR THE EASTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS IN
EASTERN UTAH AS SNOW LEVELS AND TIMING OF PRECIPITATION SUPPORT 3
TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION OVER THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS
ABOVE 8000 FEET. SNOW LEVEL IS CURRENTLY HIGH IN THE EASTERN
UINTAS IN SOUTHWEST FLOW...BUT SNOW LEVEL WILL DROP THROUGHOUT THE
DAY SUNDAY WITH THE PASSING OF THE COLD FRONT.
UPDATE ISSUED AT 911 PM MDT SAT NOV 1 2014
UPDATED POPS TO ACCOUNT FOR SPOTTY SHOWER ACTIVITY ACROSS THE
FORECAST AREA. EXPECTING ACTIVITY TO BEGIN INCREASING OVERNIGHT AS
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY DRAWS NEAR.
UPDATE ISSUED AT 558 PM MDT SAT NOV 1 2014
AIR MASS REMAINS CONVECTIVELY UNSTABLE WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPING LATE THIS AFTERNOON. STORMS HAVE FIRED IN THE VICINITY
OF DURANGO AND FROM THE UINTA BASIN INTO WRN MOFFAT COUNTY. GIVEN
UPWARDS FORCING FROM THE WEST...ISOLATED ACTIVITY MAY PREVAIL
UNTIL MIDNIGHT WHEN LIGHTNING POTENTIAL DIMINISHES.
&&
.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 404 PM MDT SAT NOV 1 2014
HAVE UPGRADED THE WINTER STORM WATCHES TO WINTER STORM WARNINGS
FOR SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE STORM APPEARS ON TRACK TO PUSH
THROUGH 2 TO 3 BANDS OF HEAVIER PRECIPITATION WHICH SHOULD FOCUS
RAIN AND HIGH ELEVATION SNOW OVER SOUTHEAST UT AND CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWEST COLORADO SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE FIRST SW TO NE
PRECIP BAND SHOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEADING EDGE OF THE COLD
FRONT AS IT MOVES THROUGH SUNDAY...AND THE SECOND BAND IS
ASSOCIATED WITH UPLIFT AND INSTABILITY ALOFT BETWEEN THE 700 AND
500 MB TROUGHS. BELIEVE THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SHOULD COME MONDAY
NIGHT WITH THIS SECOND BAND AND THE COLD TEMPERATURES ASSOCIATED
WITH IT. THE MOISTURE AND DYNAMICS APPEAR TO SUPPORT SOLID EARLY
SEASON SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN THE 4 TO 8 INCH RANGE WITH HIGHER
AMOUNTS EXPECTED DUE TO OROGRAPHIC AFFECTS AND ANY PERSISTENT
PRECIP ASSOCIATE WITH THE BANDING CHARACTER EXPECTED.
.LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY)
ISSUED AT 404 PM MDT SAT NOV 1 2014
12Z NAM SHOWED ANOTHER EMBEDDED WAVE EJECTING ACROSS WRN CO MONDAY
MORNING PER 700-300 MB LAYER QG VERTICAL VELOCITY FIELD...BUT NOT SO
EVIDENT IN THE GFS AND ECMWF. THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE POSITIVELY
TILTED SPLIT TROUGH FINALLY PASSES DURING THE DAY ON MONDAY WITH W
TO NW OROGRAPHIC AND COLD ADVECTIVE FLOW AND AN EMBEDDED
SHORTWAVE KEEPING SNOW SHOWERS GOING OVER THE CO MTNS. DRIER AIR
BEGINS WORKING IN MONDAY AFTERNOON. WINTER HIGHLIGHT FOR THE LA
SAL AND ABAJO MTNS MAY BE A BIT LONG EXTENDING INTO MONDAY
AFTERNOON...BUT WITH SPLIT TROUGHS OFTEN SLOWER WILL KEEP IT IN
PLACE UNTIL EVENING.
COLD TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED MONDAY NIGHT AS SKIES CLEAR AND
COLDER AIR SETTLES IN AS THE UPPER TROUGH DEPARTS TO THE EAST.
LIKELY TO SEE A HARD FREEZE FOR ALL BUT PERHAPS THE LOWER SERN UT
VALLEYS.
AN UPPER RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS CA INTO THE GREAT BASIN AND DESERT
SOUTHWEST TUE-THU FOR DRY WEATHER AND MODERATING TEMPERATURES.
MODELS SHOW RIDGE FLATTENING THU NIGHT/FRI AS A PACIFIC TROUGH MOVES
INLAND ACROSS THE NRN ROCKIES...AND CLIPPING NE CO FRI NIGHT AS IT
DROPS INTO THE PLAINS. WILL CARRY A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS FOR THE
NRN CO MTNS FRI/FRI NIGHT TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS.
&&
.AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 1045 PM MDT SAT NOV 1 2014
CONVECTIVE SHOWERS WILL INCREASE IN NATURE OVERNIGHT AND INTO
SUNDAY. SHOWERS HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF LOWERING CIGS AND VIS WITH
AREAS OF IFR OVER THE MOUNTAIN AREAS. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL
PASS THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN 00Z AND
09Z MON (SUNDAY NIGHT). GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE
DAY SUNDAY AND THERE WILL BE A QUICK WIND SHIFT FROM SOUTHWEST TO
NORTHWEST AS THE FRONT PASSES. SNOW LEVEL WILL LOWER TO AROUND
7-8K FEET MSL BY SUNDAY EVENING WITH SNOW LIKELY AT KTEX.
&&
.GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CO...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 AM SUNDAY TO 5 PM MST MONDAY FOR
COZ009-012-013-018-019.
UT...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 AM SUNDAY TO 5 PM MST MONDAY FOR
UTZ028.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 AM SUNDAY TO 5 PM MST MONDAY FOR
UTZ023.
&&
UPDATE...JAM
SHORT TERM...CC
LONG TERM...JAD
AVIATION...TGJTHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 430 AM MDT SAT NOV 1 2014 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-021200- 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- 430 AM MDT SAT NOV 1 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINDY CONDITIONS EXPECTED TODAY WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED...MAINLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST UTAH AND NORTHWEST COLORADO. THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...WITH SOME SNOW POSSIBLE ABOVE 10000 FEET. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY SUNDAY AND MONDAY...COOLER WITH MOUNTAIN SNOW LIKELY. ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED OVER THE MOUNTAIN PASSES...ESPECIALLY ON SUNDAY NIGHT WHERE 4 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW MAY OCCUR. UPWARDS TO 10 INCHES IS POSSIBLE OVER RED MOUNTAIN...COAL BANK AND MOLAS PASS IN SOUTHWEST COLORADO ON SUNDAY NIGHT WITH WINTER STORM WATCHES IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY. DRY AND WARMER WEATHER RETURNS TUESDAY AND REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 heavy snow, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts of 3 to 9 inches were measured across the area above the 9000 foot level. Locally higher amounts included 16 inches on Slumgullion Pass. Only 1 to 2 inches of new snow were measured between 8000 and 9000 feet.
Snowfall amounts of 3 to 9 inches were measured across the area above the 9000 foot level. Locally higher amounts included 15 inches at the Bear Town SNOTEL site. Only 1 to 3 inches of new snow were measured between 8000 and 9000 feet.
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 11 inches were measured across the area above the 9200 foot level. Only 2 to 5 inches of new snow were measured between 8000 and 9200 feet.
Snowfall amounts of 3 to 9 inches were measured across the area above the 9000 foot level. Locally higher amounts included 15 inches on Schofield Pass. Only 1 to 4 inches of new snow were measured between 8000 and 9000 feet.
Snowfall amounts of 4 to 7 inches were measured across the area above the 9300 foot level. Locally higher amounts included 11 inches at the Tower SNOTEL site. Only 2 to 5 inches of new snow were measured between 7000 and 9300 feet.
Snowfall amounts of 3 to 7 inches were measured across the area above the 8000 foot level.
Snowfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches were measured across the area above the 7000 foot level.
Snowfall amounts of 4 to 9 inches were measured across the area above the 8000 foot level.
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, November 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: 542306, 542307, 542305, 542304, 542308, 542309, 542310, 542303.