Colorado, 2015Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Colorado, December 10 to 12, 2015
December 10 to 12, 2015 · NWS GJT · 17 events in 17 counties and zones
A moist Pacific trough and associated cold front brought significant to heavy snow to the mountains and higher valleys of western Colorado.
Every event with a place to put it; 17 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 17
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.
A moist Pacific trough and associated cold front brought significant to heavy snow to the mountains and higher valleys of western Colorado.
Winter Weather, Elkhead and Park Mountains
- When
- December 10, 9:00 PM MST to December 12, 5:00 PM MST
- Where
- Elkhead and Park Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 12 inches were measured across the area.
Heavy Snow, Central Yampa River Basin
- When
- December 11, 12:00 AM MST to December 12, 6:00 PM MST
- Where
- Central Yampa River Basin forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 40.361, -107.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 12 inches were measured across the area.
Winter Weather, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys
- When
- December 11, 1:00 AM MST to December 12, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 3 to 7 inches were measured across the area.
Heavy Snow, Lower Yampa River Basin
- When
- December 11, 1:00 AM MST to December 12, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Lower Yampa River Basin forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 40.066, -108.109 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches were measured across the area.
Winter Weather, Upper Yampa River Basin
- When
- December 11, 2:00 AM MST to December 12, 2:00 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Yampa River Basin forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 40.485, -106.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 12 inches were measured across the area.
Winter Weather, Flattop Mountains
- When
- December 11, 4:00 AM MST to December 12, 2:00 PM MST
- Where
- Flattop Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- SNOTEL
- Coordinates
- 40.062, -107.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 4 to 11 inches were measured across the area.
Winter Weather, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus
- When
- December 11, 5:00 AM MST to December 12, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts around 5 inches were measured above the 7000 foot level.
Winter Weather, Grand and Battlement Mesas
- When
- December 11, 5:00 PM MST to December 12, 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches were measured across the area.
Winter Weather, Southwestern San Juan Mountains
- When
- December 11, 6:00 PM MST to December 12, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 7 to 13 inches were measured across the area. Locally higher amounts included 15 inches at the Beartown SNOTEL site. Winds gusts of 20 to 40 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow. Even stronger wind gusts of 50 to 65 mph were measured on ridgetops.
Winter Weather, Northwestern San Juan Mountains
- When
- December 11, 7:00 PM MST to December 12, 10:00 PM MST
- Where
- Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches were measured across the area. Locally higher amounts included 14 inches at Slumgullion Pass. Winds gusts of 20 to 40 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow.
Winter Weather, Debeque to Silt Corridor
- When
- December 11, 8:00 PM MST to December 12, 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Debeque to Silt Corridor forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 39.308, -108.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches were measured across the area. Locally higher amounts included 7 inches at Silt.
Winter Weather, Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide
- When
- December 11, 9:00 PM MST to December 12, 3:00 AM MST
- Where
- Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide forecast zone
- Reported by
- SNOTEL
- Coordinates
- 38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 3 to 7 inches were measured across the area.
Winter Weather, San Juan River Basin
- When
- December 11, 11:30 PM MST to December 12, 7:30 PM MST
- Where
- San Juan River Basin forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 37.194, -107.048 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 3 to 4 inches were measured across the area.
Winter Weather, Animas River Basin
- When
- December 12, 1:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Animas River Basin forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 37.287, -107.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches were measured across the area.
Winter Weather, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains
- When
- December 12, 2:00 AM MST to 9:00 PM MST
- Where
- West Elk and Sawatch Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches were measured across most of the area.
Winter Weather, Upper Gunnison River Valley
- When
- December 12, 3:00 AM MST to 10:30 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Gunnison River Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 38.535, -107.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches were measured across the area.
Winter Weather, Central Colorado River Basin
- When
- December 12, 6:30 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Central Colorado River Basin forecast zone
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches were measured across the area.
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Coastal Flood in Oregon, December 10 to 11, 2015$4.4 million · 2 events
- Tornado in Washington, December 10, 2015$311,000 · EF1 · 1 event
- Damaging Wind and High Wind in Oregon, December 10, 2015$320,000 · 70 kt wind · 6 events
- Coastal Flood in Washington, December 10 to 11, 2015$115,000 · 1 event
- High Surf in Hawaii, December 10 to 13, 20158 events
- Dense Fog in Maryland, December 10, 20157 events
- Dense Fog in Kentucky, December 10, 20157 events
- Dense Fog in California, December 10 to 11, 20155 events
- High Wind in Washington, December 10, 201556 kt wind · 4 events
- High Wind in Utah, December 10, 201560 kt wind · 3 events
- High Wind in Nebraska, December 10, 201554 kt wind · 2 events
- Heavy Snow in California, December 10 to 11, 20152 events
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: 612754, 612764, 612758, 612763, 612762, 612755, 612756, 612757, 612761, 612760, 612767, 659884, 612769, 612768, 612759, 612765, 659885.