A band of moisture flowed across a portion of west-central Colorado and produced significant snow in some locations.
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 GJT wrote it up.
A band of moisture flowed across a portion of west-central Colorado and produced significant snow in some locations.
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 30, 9:35 PM MST, 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
935 PM MST WED DEC 30 2015
.UPDATE...
ISSUED AT 849 PM MST WED DEC 30 2015
UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH UPSTREAM OVER NRN UT APPEARS TO BE ON
TRACK TO MOVE ACROSS ERN UT/WRN CO MAINLY BETWEEN 11 PM AND 7 AM
TONIGHT/THURSDAY MORNING. COOLER CLOUD TOPS ASSOCIATED WITH AREA
OF LIFT AHEAD OF THE TROUGH ARE CROSSING INTO WRN CO AT THIS TIME AND
RADAR RETURNS FROM KGJX ARE STARTING TO SHOW BANDED ENHANCEMENT
FROM NEAR MOAB TO THE GRAND MESA. SHORT TERM MODELS INDICATE LIGHT
SNOW SHOULD DEVELOP IN THE AREA FROM THE TAVAPUTS/I-70 CORRIDOR
SOUTH TO THE ABAJO AND NORTHERN SAN JUAN MTNS BETWEEN 9 PM AND
MIDNIGHT...AND PRESS EAST THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THE ONE
CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT NO REPORTING STATIONS UPSTREAM OVER CENTRAL
AND EASTERN UT ARE INDICATING SNOWFALL. BUT ASSUMING SNOWFALL DOES
GET GOING...WITH TROUGH AXIS PASSING IN THE 5 AM TO 8 AM TIME
FRAME...SNOW WILL BE QUICKLY ENDING BY MID MORNING. HAVE UPDATED
POPS TO SHOW THIS TREND...BUT HAVE LEFT QPF/SNOW AMOUNTS
ESSENTIALLY THE SAME. ADVISORIES APPEAR TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE.
THE ONLY OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGE MADE THIS EVENING WAS TO THE
OVERNIGHT MIN TEMPS. WITH CLOUD COVER AND CONSIDERING THE CURRENT
STATE OF DEWPOINTS...RAISED MIN TEMPS SEVERAL DEGREES FOR AREAS
EXPECTED TO BE UNDER THE DENSEST CLOUD COVER AND FALLING SNOW.
&&
.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 350 PM MST WED DEC 30 2015
SHOWERS DIMINISHED FROM WEST TO EAST THIS AFTERNOON...THEN WILL
INCREASE AGAIN TONIGHT. THE DISTURBANCE TONIGHT WAS OVER NE NV
THIS EARLY AFTERNOON AND WILL SWING THROUGH THE CENTRAL FORECAST
AREA INTO THURSDAY MORNING. DYNAMICAL SUPPORT IS NOT IMPRESSIVE
WITH A WEAK 80KT JET PASSING ALONG THE HWY 50 CORRIDOR THIS
EVENING. WORKING IN ITS FAVOR THOUGH IS COLD AIR IN PLACE WITH
COLDER AIR ADVECTING THROUGH THE NIGHT. THE 500MB -34C COLD CORE
PASSES NORTH OF I-70 AROUND SUNRISE. MTN TOP LAYER COOLS FROM -12
TO 16C...IDEAL FOR SNOW PRODUCTION. SNOW WILL DIMINISH END
THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS AS THE WAVE SHIFTS EAST. OVERNIGHT LOWS
WILL BE RELATIVELY MILD UNDER THE CLOUDS AND SHOWERS. THERE IS FOG
POTENTIAL FOR ALL BUT THE SOUTHERN-MOST ZONES.
EXPECT DRYING THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH
DECREASING CLOUDS...AS MAIN UPPER TROUGH PULLS AWAY TO THE EAST
AND THE PINCHED OFF TAIL SECTION FORMS AN UPPER LOW WELL TO OUR
WEST. CLEARING AND A COLDER AIRMASS SHOULD ALLOW FOR MAX
RADIATIONAL COOLING THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH MIN TEMPERATURES WELL
BELOW ZERO IN SOME VALLEY ZONES WHERE INVERSIONS ALREADY LIMITING
MAX TEMPERATURES.
.LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)
ISSUED AT 350 PM MST WED DEC 30 2015
RELATIVELY DRY AIRMASS EXPECTED FRIDAY...NEW YEARS DAY...WITH
LATEST MODEL RUNS DRIER THAN PREVIOUS MODEL RUNS FROM
YESTERDAY...AS UPPER LOW REMAINS TO OUR WEST. WARM AIR ADVECTION
ALOFT WILL HELP TO STRENGTHEN SURFACE-BASED INVERSIONS...WITH H7
TEMPERATURES RISING ABOUT 4 DEGREES C HIGHER THAN THURSDAY. GFS
AND EC INDICATING SOME MOISTURE SPREADING UP INTO OUR CWA FROM THE
SOUTH FRIDAY NIGHT AND MOVING NORTHWARD ACROSS MUCH OF OUR CWA
THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...THOUGH IT LOOKS MINIMAL AND ONLY EXPECT
SOME LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS MAINLY MOUNTAINS. AND H7 TEMPS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE TO RISE ANOTHER 4-5 DEGREES C ON SATURDAY TO FURTHER
STRENGTHEN THE SURFACE-BASED INVERSIONS.
SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT LOOK TO BE RATHER DRY FOR OUR AREA UNDER
A MIGRATORY RIDGE AS THE UPPER LOW TO OUR WEST GETS KICKED NNE BY
ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHING IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC.
FURTHER WARMING ALOFT EXPECTED SUNDAY AS INDICATED BY H7
TEMPERATURES RISING ANOTHER 1-2 DEGREES C HIGHER THAN SATURDAY...
THUS KEEPING SURFACE-BASED INVERSIONS WELL ENTRENCHED. WITH SUCH
STRONG INVERSIONS EXPECTED...HAD TO LOWER MAX TEMPERATURES IN SOME
VALLEY ZONES FROM PREVIOUS GRIDS FOR FRIDAY...SATURDAY...AND
SUNDAY. ON THE OTHER HAND...LOCATIONS ABOVE INVERSIONS SHOULD
EXPERIENCE A GRADUAL WARMING TREND FOR MAX TEMPERATURES FRIDAY
THROUGH SUNDAY.
MODELS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT WITH THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
SYSTEM...SHORTWAVE TROUGH...TO APPROACH OUR CWA WITH INCREASING
MOISTURE ON MONDAY...WITH THE THREAT OF PRECIPITATION GRADUALLY
INCREASING AND CONTINUING INTO TUESDAY. THEN THE MODELS INDICATE
ANOTHER ROUND OF MOISTURE WITH ANOTHER SHORTWAVE PACIFIC TROUGH
MOVING INTO THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY. SNOW LEVELS SHOULD BE
RELATIVELY HIGH...THOUGH SURFACE-BASED INVERSIONS WILL ALSO HAVE
TO FACTORED INTO THE SNOW VERSUS RAIN CONSIDERATION. AGAIN...HAD
TO SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER MAX TEMPERATURES SOME VALLEY LOCATIONS
MONDAY...TUESDAY...AND WEDNESDAY AS THE MODELS ARE NOT
SUFFICIENTLY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE TEMPERATURE IMPACT FROM THE
INVERSIONS.
&&
.AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 935 PM MST WED DEC 30 2015
SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD OVER THE REGION TONIGHT AS A WEAK
UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE SWEEPS EASTWARD OVER THE AREA. SNOWFALL
INTENSITY WILL BE LIGHT TO MODERATE RESULTING IN FREQUENT MOUNTAIN
OBSCURATIONS ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS OF COLORADO
AND UTAH. PERIODS OF SNOWFALL WILL RESULT IN IFR CONDITIONS FOR
KGJT...KRIL...KMTJ AND KTEX THROUGH 15Z/THURSDAY. THERE IS A
CHANCE FOR SIMILAR CONDITIONS AT KEEO...KEGE AND KASE. CONDITIONS
IMPROVE AFTER 18Z AS THE DISTURBANCE RESPONSIBLE FOR SNOW SHIFTS
EAST OF THE DIVIDE.
&&
.GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CO...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM MST THURSDAY FOR COZ009-014-
017.
UT...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM MST THURSDAY FOR UTZ028.
&&
UPDATE...BEN
SHORT TERM...JOE/JRP
LONG TERM...JRP
AVIATION...NLHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 919 PM MST WED DEC 30 2015 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-311300- 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- 919 PM MST WED DEC 30 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW AND PATCHY FOG WILL PERSIST ACROSS MUCH OF EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO TONIGHT. NEW SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING ARE EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY LESS THAN 2 INCHES...BUT THE LA SAL AND ABAJO MOUNTAINS...UNCOMPAHGRE PLATEAU...GRAND MESA...AND CERRO SUMMIT AREAS COULD SEE 4 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW. SEE THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN UTAH AND WEST CENTRAL COLORADO FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY LIGHT SNOW WILL TAPER OFF THURSDAY MORNING. VERY COLD CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW RETURNING EARLY NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TONIGHT...HOWEVER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
457 PM MST WED DEC 30 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0456 PM SNOW ORCHARD CITY 38.81N 107.96W
12/30/2015 M2.0 INCH DELTA CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL. WATER EQUIV 0.10 INCHES.
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1501850
DCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
610 PM MST WED DEC 30 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0552 PM SNOW 5 S COLLBRAN 39.17N 107.96W
12/30/2015 M5.3 INCH MESA CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR TOTAL
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1501851
NLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
640 PM MST WED DEC 30 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM SNOW HAYDEN 40.49N 107.25W
12/30/2015 M1.0 INCH ROUTT CO CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR TOTAL
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1501852
NLThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts of 2 to 3 inches were measured across the area.
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, December 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: 607772.