The majority of February was dry and warm across the Four Corners region. However, during the last week of the month winter storms brought significant precipitation, mainly in the form of snow, to the region.
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.
The majority of February was dry and warm across the Four Corners region. However, during the last week of the month winter storms brought significant precipitation, mainly in the form of snow, to the region. This moisture pushed monthly precipitation totals to the above normal category. Despite this precipitation, long-term severe drought conditions remained in place across extreme southeast Utah.
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 Jan 31, 9:03 PM MST, 2 hours 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 903 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 903 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015 AS EXPECTED...FOG HAS BEGUN TO FORM WITH 1/2 MILE VISIBILITY BEING REPORTED AT BOTH THE PAGOSA SPRINGS AND DURANGO AIRPORTS WHILE BLANDING UT IS REPORTING 1/4 MILE. ISSUED DENSE FOG ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTHERN VALLEYS AND SERN UT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. THE UINTA BASIN IS SITTING AT 10 MILES VISIBILITY FOR THE MOMENT BUT WITH A DEWPT SPREAD OF ONLY 3 DEGREES...CHANCES ARE GOOD THEY WILL DROP TOO. STAY TUNED... UPDATE ISSUED AT 525 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015 THE LAST STRONG PUSH OF PRECIPITATION HAS MOVED SOUTHWARD INTO NEW MEXICO THIS EVENING. WHILE SOME SNOWSHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING...SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATION HAS ENDED. WITH THAT IN MIND...CANCELLED ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS. WILL ALSO DROP POPS REFLECTING TREND OF LESS PRECIP FOR THE MTNS. NEXT CONCERN WILL BE FOG FOR MANY OF THE VALLEYS ESPECIALLY DOWN SOUTH WHERE PLENTY OF MOISTURE REMAINS IN THE ATMOSPHERE. AM ANTICIPATING SOME DENSE FOG ADVISORIES LATER TONIGHT. && .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 232 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015 AN UPPER TROUGH AND VORT MAX WILL MOVE ACROSS EASTERN CO THIS EVENING AND A DEEPER CLOSED LOW WILL BECOME ESTABLISHED OVER SOUTHERN AZ AND NW MEXICO. AS PREDICTED A DEFORMATION ZONE DEVELOPED BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS...WITH THE FLOW STRETCHED BETWEEN THE NORTHWEST TO WEST WINDS OVER WY AND THE UPPER PLAINS AND THE RETURN FLOW AROUND THE CLOSED LOW TO THE SOUTHWEST. THIS ZONE WILL KEEP PRECIP GOING OVER THE CO SW MTNS THIS EVENING AND HAVE LEFT THE SNOW ADVISORY GOING THROUGH 03Z. SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT THE SOUTHWEST LOW WILL CONTINUE MOVING DUE SOUTH OVER THE BAJA PENINSULA AND THE EASTERN TROUGH WILL STRENGTHEN OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS. THIS WILL BRING DRIER NW FLOW ALOFT OVER THE AREA. EMBEDDED WEAK TROUGHS IN THESE NORTHWESTERLIES WILL INCREASE CLOUDS AND SHOWERS OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS LATER SUNDAY NIGHT. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 232 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015 FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY THE FAMILIAR JANUARY PATTERN CONTINUES...WITH A RIDGE ALONG THE WEST COAST. THIS WILL GENERALLY BRING MILD AND DRY CONDITIONS TO THE FORECAST AREA. THE EXCEPTION IS FOR THE NORTHERN COLORADO MTNS THROUGH WEDNESDAY. AN ENERGIZED ALEUTIAN LOW WILL THROW DISTURBANCES OVER THE TOP OF THE WEST COAST RIDGE THAT WILL THEN BRUSH THE NE FORECAST AREA WITH SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. THESE PASSING SYSTEMS WILL BE QUITE MILD WITH SNOW LEVEL SOMEWHERE AROUND 7000FT. FOR THE PARK/GORE/ FLATTOPS... MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SNOW TOTALS MAY BE UP TO 4 INCHES BELOW 9000FT...UP TO 12 INCHES ABOVE THAT. THESE AMOUNTS COULD BE SOMEWHAT HIGHER IF THE STRONGER GFS VERIFIES. THE WESTERN RIDGE PROGRESSES INLAND THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY FOR EVEN MILDER AND DRIER CONDITIONS INTO NEXT WEEKEND. THERE ARE HINTS THAT THE RIDGE WILL BREAK EARLY IN THE SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 903 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015 A FEW LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS PERSIST OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN THIS EVEN BUT THEY WILL END IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. NEXT CONCERN WILL BE FOG FOR LOWER VALLEYS AND SERN UT...ALSO POSSIBLY UINTA BASIN AND NRN VALLEYS. EXPECT FOG TO KEEP IFR CONDITIONS GOING FOR KPSO...KDRO AND KBDG IN UT. NO FOG SHOWING YET FOR THE UINTA BASIN OR CENTRAL VALLEYS BUT DEWPT SPREAD IS ONLY 1 TO 3 DEGREES SO SOME FOG IS POSSIBLE FOR ALL TAF SITES OVERNIGHT. ANY FOG THAT FORMS WILL BURN OFF AFTER 17Z BRINGING A RETURN TO VFR CONDITIONS. NW FLOW WILL KEEP SOME OROGRAPHIC SHOWERS OVER THE NRN MTNS SUNDAY CAUSING SOME MID LEVEL CLOUDS FOR KSBS BUT NO TAF SITES SHOULD BE AFFECTED. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM MST SUNDAY FOR COZ021>023. UT...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM MST SUNDAY FOR UTZ022-028. && UPDATE...TGR SHORT TERM...CC LONG TERM...JOE AVIATION...TGR
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
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
930 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0930 PM SNOW 1 SSW DURANGO 37.27N 107.87W
01/31/2015 M1.9 INCH LA PLATA CO COCORAHS
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1500155
RENWICKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
931 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0931 PM SNOW 7 N ROCKWOOD 37.60N 107.81W
01/31/2015 M3.0 INCH LA PLATA CO COCORAHS
.38 SNOW WATER EQUIVALENT
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1500156
RENWICKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
932 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0931 PM SNOW 4 N FALFA 37.26N 107.79W
01/31/2015 M2.0 INCH LA PLATA CO COCORAHS
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1500157
RENWICKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
934 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0932 PM SNOW 3 S VALLECITO 37.34N 107.61W
01/31/2015 M4.0 INCH LA PLATA CO COCORAHS
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1500158
RENWICKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
937 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0936 PM SNOW 3 W PAGOSA SPRINGS 37.27N 107.07W
01/31/2015 M4.5 INCH ARCHULETA CO COCORAHS
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1500160
RENWICKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
938 PM MST SAT JAN 31 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0938 PM SNOW 2 SSW PAGOSA SPRINGS 37.24N 107.03W
01/31/2015 M7.4 INCH ARCHULETA CO COCORAHS
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1500161
RENWICKThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought conditions remained in place across southeast corner of Utah through the month of February.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Utah in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Utah, February 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: 586062.