Colorado, 2015

Dense Fog in Colorado, December 12, 2015

December 12, 2015 · NWS GJT · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Dense fog formed in some lower valleys in western Colorado as low level moisture remained trapped under shallow surface-based inversions.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.

Dense fog formed in some lower valleys in western Colorado as low level moisture remained trapped under shallow surface-based inversions.

What forecasters said that day

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 Dec 12, 6:54 AM MST, 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 12, 6:54 AM MST, 6 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 12, 5:39 AM MST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
539 AM MST SAT DEC 12 2015

COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-131245-
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-FLAT TOPS-
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-
539 AM MST SAT DEC 12 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN
COLORADO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

MANY WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES REMAIN IN PLACE WITH 2
TO 4 INCHES EXPECTED IN MANY VALLEYS AND ANYWHERE FROM 6 TO 12
INCHES EXPECTED IN THE MOUNTAINS. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE AS THE
DAY PROGRESSES FROM WEST TO EAST WITH THE MOUNTAINS SEEING MOST
OF THE PRECIPITATION TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA MONDAY AND TUESDAY
BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION. ACCUMULATING
SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED FOR MANY AREAS FROM THIS NEXT SYSTEM. ONCE
THE STORM PASSES...MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES WILL FILTER DOWN FROM
THE NORTH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TODAY OR TONIGHT...HOWEVER
SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 12, 2:54 AM MST, 4 hours 6 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 12, 3:10 AM MST, 3 hours 50 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.

Dense Fog, Paradox Valley / Lower Dolores River Basin

When
December 12, 7:00 AM MST to 9:00 AM MST
Where
Paradox Valley / Lower Dolores River Basin forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
38.294, -108.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense fog occurred across portions of the Lower Dolores River Basin with visibility at the Nucla's Hopkins Field Airport down to a quarter mile.

Dense Fog, Grand Valley

When
December 12, 8:00 AM MST to 9:30 AM MST
Where
Grand Valley forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
39.308, -108.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense fog occurred in portions of the Grand Valley with the visibility at the Grand Junction Regional Airport down to a quarter mile.

What these are

Dense Fog
Fog reducing visibility to a quarter mile or less, filed where it caused accidents or disruption.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 2015

Sources

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 659883, 659881.