A large and slow moving storm system produced heavy snow over portions of southern Colorado. The higher elevations of the Pikes Peak Region and eastern Sawatch Range saw well over a foot of snow.
Every event with a place to put it; 10 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 large and slow moving storm system produced heavy snow over portions of southern Colorado. The higher elevations of the Pikes Peak Region and eastern Sawatch Range saw well over a foot of snow. Some other higher snow amounts included 6 to 9 inches across western Colorado Springs...the Air Force Academy (El Paso County) and Westcliffe (Custer County)...12 inches around Woodland Park (Teller County)...16 to 19 inches near Salida...Nathrop...and Maysville (Chaffee County)...and Texas Creek Fremont County...and 22 inches around Leadville (Lake County).
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 Apr 16, 4:13 AM MST, 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 513 AM MDT THU APR 16 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 500 AM MDT THU APR 16 2015 THERE ARE SEVERAL CONCERNS IN THE SHORT TERM. FIRST IS THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGH FIRE DANGER IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...THEN THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WX OVR THE FAR SERN PLAINS...AND LASTLY THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL. STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TODAY IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...WITH WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE VALLEY EXPECTED TO SEE RH VALUES DROP TO BELOW 15 PERCENT. DECIDED THAT ENOUGH OF THE VALLEY WOULD SEE CRITICAL FIRE WX CONDITIONS DEVELOP AND HAVE ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR TODAY. WV SATELLITE IMAGES THIS MORNING SHOWING A LARGE UPR LOW CENTERED OVR SRN UT. THIS UPR LOW WL MOVE SLOWLY TODAY AND IS EXPECTED TO BE CENTERED AROUND THE FOUR CORNERS BY 00Z FRI. THE OVERNIGHT IT IS FORECAST TO MOVE EASTWARD ALONG THE CO AND NM BORDER...ENDING UP BEING CENTERED ABOUT OVR RIO GRANDE COUNTY BY 12Z FRI. CURRENTLY THERE IS LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PCPN OVR THE AREA...EXCEPT FOR SOME LIGHT SNOW BEING REPORTED IN THE CENTRAL MTNS. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE OVR THE CENTRAL MTNS THRU THE MORNING AND PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG THE ERN MTNS AND ADJACENT LOWER ELEVATIONS AS MID LEVEL UPSLOPE FLOW CONTINUES AND LOW LEVEL UPSLOPE FLOW DEVELOPS. AS AN UPR LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROF ROTATES AROUND TO UPR LOW INTO SERN CO THIS AFTERNOON...PRECIPITATION CAN BE EXPECTED OVR THE PLAINS. OVR THE FAR SERN PLAINS THERE WL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE STORMS. THE NAM IS SHOWING CAPE VALUES UP TO AROUND 1200 J/KG LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING...WITH 0- 6KM BULK SHEAR VALUES OF 50-60KTS. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 500 AM MDT THU APR 16 2015 RELATIVELY ACTIVE METEOROLOGICAL LONG TERM ANTICIPATED AS SEVERAL UPPER DISTURBANCE IMPACT SOUTHERN COLORADO THROUGH NEXT WEDNESDAY. PRIMARY LONGER TERM METEOROLOGICAL ISSUES INCLUDE POPS ...TEMPERATURES AND THE POTENTIAL FOR GUSTY WINDS AT TIMES. INITIALLY...THE CLOSED UPPER LOW LOCATED OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL COLORADO/NORTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO AT 12Z FRIDAY SLOWLY SHIFTS INTO CENTRAL COLORADO BY 12Z SATURDAY AND THEN INTO WESTERN KANSAS BY 12Z SUNDAY BEFORE MOVING INTO EASTERN KANSAS BY 00Z MONDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL ALLOW BREEZY...UNSETTLED AND BELOW SEASONAL TEMPERATURES TO BE NOTED OVER THE MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST DISTRICT FROM FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT WITH LOWER ELEVATION RAIN AND HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW...ESPECIALLY OVER HIGHER TERRAIN AND NORTHERN LOCATIONS DURING THIS TIME-FRAME. AT THIS TIME...NUMEROUS HIGHER TERRAIN WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. THEN...ADDITIONAL UPPER DISTURBANCES MOVING ACROSS THE CWFA WILL ALLOW UNSETTLED CONDITIONS AT TIMES IN COMBINATION WITH COOL CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE OVER MANY SECTIONS OF SOUTHERN COLORADO FROM LATER SUNDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. IN ADDITION...THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR GUSTY GRADIENT WINDS DURING THE LONGER TERM ARE ANTICIPATED FROM FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY. FINALLY...BASICALLY BELOW SEASONAL MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES AND NEAR SEASONAL MINIMUM TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE NOTE OVER THE MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST DISTRICT FROM FRIDAY INTO NEXT WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 500 AM MDT THU APR 16 2015 AT KCOS SOME LOW CLOUDS HAVE DEVELOPED RESULTING IN MVFR CONDITIONS. MODELS SOUNDINGS SHOW THESE LOW CLOUDS HANGING AROUND MOST OF THE DAY. SOME SHOWERS WL LIKELY DEVELOP IN THE AREA LATER TODAY...WITH SOME SNOW DEVELOPING OVERNIGHT WITH CIGS LOWERING. THERE COULD BE SOME THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. KPUB IS EXPECTED TO HAVE VFR CONDITIONS TODAY...BUT COULD BRIEFLY GO INTO THE MVFR CATEGORY WITH SOME SHOWERS OR TSTMS IN THE AREA. TONIGHT MVFR TO LOW VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH SOME RAIN SHOWERS IN THE AREA. KALS WILL HAVE STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS TODAY WITH VFR CONDITIONS. TONIGHT CIGS WL LOWER WITH SOME SHOWERS IN THE VCNTY AND CONDITIONS COULD BECOME MVFR BRIEFLY. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 AM MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ072-073-080-082. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 AM MDT SATURDAY FOR COZ074-075. RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ224. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON MDT FRIDAY FOR COZ081. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT FRIDAY NIGHT FOR COZ059-063-076. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT FRIDAY NIGHT FOR COZ058-060-061. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 830 PM MDT WED APR 15 2015 COZ058>089-093>099-170230- 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- 830 PM MDT WED APR 15 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG THE KANSAS BORDER TONIGHT. PRIMARY STORM THREATS WILL BE WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH AND LIGHTNING. IN THE MOUNTAINS...ISOLATED SHOWERS MAY PRODUCE LOCAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ABOVE 10,000 FEET. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A LARGE...SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING PERIODS OF RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW TO THE REGION THROUGH THE PERIOD. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW ARE POSSIBLE AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PRIMARY STORM THREATS WILL BE LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL. HOWEVER...THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS IS BEING MONITORED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT ALONG THE KANSAS BORDER AND ABOVE 10000 FEET IN THE MOUNTAINS. 50/50
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 2015
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: 572322, 572325, 572326, 572327, 572328, 572329, 572332, 572333, 572330, 572331.