A stalled weather disturbance over the Great Basin led to a significant, prolonged snowfall event for the eastern Uintah Basin in northeast Utah.
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 stalled weather disturbance over the Great Basin led to a significant, prolonged snowfall event for the eastern Uintah Basin in northeast 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 Nov 27, 5:26 PM MST, 3 hours 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
526 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015
.UPDATE...
ISSUED AT 525 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015
CURRENT COVERAGE OF PRECIP OVER WRN CO AND ERN UT ASSOCIATED WITH
VORTICITY MAXIMIA ROTATING AROUND THE GREAT BASIN CUT-OFF LOW HAS
INCREASED AND MODELS KEEP THIS AREA UNDER PRECIPITATION IN LARGE
PART FOR THE NEXT 6 HOURS. HAVE UPDATED FORECAST TO BOOST
POPS...LOWER SNOW LEVEL FOR THE VALLEYS WHERE PREDOMINATE P-TYPE
SHOULD NOW BE SNOW...AND ADJUSTED SNOW AMOUNTS ACCORDINGLY. HAVE
ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE UNCOMPAHGRE PLATEAU AND
GRAND MESA AS THEY SHOULD GET A QUICK BUST OF ACCUMULATING SNOW
TONIGHT WITH ADDITIONAL SNOW SHOWERS AND ACCUMULATIONS SATURDAY
FOR A TOTAL OF 5 TO 9 OF FRESH SNOW. LOWER VALLEY LOCATIONS IN THE
I-70 CORRIDOR AND HWY 50 TO MONTROSE WILL LIKELY SEE SNOW THIS
EVENING...BUT ANY ACCUMULATIONS BE LIGHT. A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES
HAVE BEEN OBSERVED OVER SW COLORADO NORTH OF CORTEZ...AND THIS
AREA APPEARS TO REMAIN UNSTABLE THROUGH 9 PM OR SO. ADDED MENTION
OF THUNDER TO THAT REGION.
&&
.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 240 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015
THE CLOSED LOW IN ITS RETROGRADE WEST TODAY IS PULLING ENERGY A
LITTLE FURTHER WEST THAN IT HAS BEEN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. THAT
BEING SAID...SHOWERS TODAY HAVE NOT BEEN ACCUMULATING MUCH IF ANY
DUE TO SIGNIFICANT DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS. THE SHORTWAVE ENERGY
PASSING THROUGH TONIGHT IS AIDED BY A 100 KT JET ALOFT...WHICH
WILL HELP THE CONTINUATION OF SHOWER DEVELOPMENT AND ACTIVITY
TONIGHT. QG VERTICAL VELOCITY INDICATES GOOD UPWARD MOTION ACROSS
NW COLORADO AND NE UTAH THROUGH TONIGHT. THE FOCUS TONIGHT LOOKS
TO BE ACROSS NW COLORADO AND NE UTAH...WITH A FEW INCHES OF SNOW
POSSIBLE ACROSS MOFFAT AND RIO BLANCO COUNTIES.
CURRENT SATELLITE INDICATES DRIER AIR ACROSS NE ARIZONA AND NW NEW
MEXICO...HOWEVER AFTERNOON INSTABILITY HAS CAUSED CONVECTIVE
SHOWER ACTIVITY ALONG THE EDGE OF THE CLOUD SHIELD IN SOUTHWEST
COLORADO. LETTING THE WINTER WX ADVISORY CONTINUE FOR THE
SOUTHERN SAN JUANS...THOUGH SHORT TERM MODELS INDICATE A BREAK
LATER TONIGHT FOR SW COLORADO.
SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH THAT MOVED
SOUTH TO NORTH ACROSS THE AREA LAST NIGHT IS PROJECTED TO REMAIN
AN OPEN WAVE IN THE GFS AND ECMWF...BUT THE NAM12 ACTUALLY CLOSED
IT OFF AT 500 MB OVER SW WYOMING THIS MORNING AND IS PROJECTING
THIS TROUGH TO BECOME THE STRONGER COMPONENT OF THE SYSTEM
TONIGHT. THE OTHER MODELS CATCH UP WITH THIS AND BY LATE SAT NIGHT
THE SW COMPONENT OF THIS MULTI-CENTERED TROUGH THAT EXTENDS OVER
UTAH WILL BE WEAKEN AND BE DRAWN EAST BEGINNING LATE SAT NIGHT.
.LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 240 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015
SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...THE SOUTHERN COMPONENT OF THE
DUMBELLING BROAD UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE OVER THE FORECAST AREA
SUNDAY AND SHOULD PRODUCE A BIT OF AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS AND
PRECIP THAT IS REFLECTED IN THE GRIDS. THE TROUGHLINE SHOULD CROSS
THE CO/UT BORDER SUNDAY EVENING WITH NORTHWEST FLOW...COLD
ADVECTION AND DIMINISHING MOISTURE LATE SUN NIGHT THROUGH MON
NIGHT.
A SHARP RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER THE WESTERN U.S. WITH ANOTHER DEEP
TROUGH DEVELOPING OFF THE WEST COAST TUE AND WED. CONDITIONS
SHOULD BE DRY THROUGH THURSDAY THEN RIDGELINE WILL MOVE EAST OF
THE AREA THURSDAY EVENING. THE PACIFIC COAST TROUGH WILL MOVE
INLAND AND REACH THE GREAT BASIN FRIDAY. IT SHOWS SIGNS OF
SPLITTING AS IT APPROACHES THE EASTERN GREAT BASIN FRIDAY
AFTERNOON...WITH THE ECMWF GIVING THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE MORE
ENERGY OVER SOUTHERN CA AND WESTERN AZ.
&&
.AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY EVENING)
ISSUED AT 240 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015
A SLOW MOVING STORM WILL BRING PERIODS OF SNOW AND LOWER VALLEY
RAIN TO THE AREA OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE BEST CHANCES FOR SNOW
ARE PRIMARILY EAST OF A K4BL TO KGJT TO KCAG LINE. AIRPORTS TO THE
EAST MAY SEE PERIODS WHERE CIGS AND VSBY FALL BELOW ILS
BREAKPOINTS IN SNOW. MVFR/IFR CIGS AND VSBY ARE POSSIBLE AT THESE
SITES. MEANWHILE...THE MOUNTAINS...EVEN THOSE WEST OF THE
PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED LINE...WILL FREQUENTLY BE OBSCURED IN CLOUDS
AND SNOW.
&&
.GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CO...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR COZ009-017-
019.
UT...NONE.
&&
UPDATE...BEN
SHORT TERM...CC
LONG TERM...CC
AVIATION...CCHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 540 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-281300- 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- 540 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT PERIODS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED TONIGHT...MAINLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS. GREATEST ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER SOUTH FACING SLOPES OF THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS WHERE AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOWFALL ARE EXPECTED. 2 TO 5 INCHES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE OVER MOUNTAIN RANGES TO THE NORTH AND WEST...AND SOME MINOR ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE VALLEYS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT. SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GJT FOR MORE DETAILS. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR OVER SOUTHWEST COLORADO THROUGH MID EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY LIGHT SNOW CONTINUES OFF AND ON SATURDAY WITH AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 4 INCHES IN THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS AND 1 TO 3 INCHES OVER THE REST OF THE MOUNTAINS. SNOWFALL BECOMES MORE SCATTERED OVER THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS SUNDAY AND MONDAY WITH QUIET CONDITIONS DURING THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK. .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.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
542 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SE SILVERTON 37.79N 107.64W
11/27/2015 M73 MPH SAN JUAN CO MESONET
WIND GUST MEASURED AT THE KENDALL MOUNTAIN SENSOR.
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1501352
DCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
544 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 ESE RED MOUNTAIN PASS 37.89N 107.68W
11/27/2015 M76 MPH SAN JUAN CO MESONET
WIND GUST MEASURED AT THE PUTNEY SENSOR.
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1501353
DCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
625 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM SNOW SILVERTON 37.81N 107.66W
11/27/2015 M2.1 INCH SAN JUAN CO CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL AS OF 0700 AM FRIDAY.
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1501354
DCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
650 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 ESE RED MOUNTAIN PASS 37.89N 107.68W
11/27/2015 M83 MPH SAN JUAN CO MESONET
WIND GUST MEASURED AT THE PUTNEY SENSOR.
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1501355
DCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
817 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0807 PM SNOW RIFLE 39.54N 107.78W
11/27/2015 E1.0 INCH GARFIELD CO LAW ENFORCEMENT
1 INCH OF NEW SNOW IN THE PAST HOUR OR SO. MODERATE
SNOW CONTINUES TO FALL.
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1501356
DCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
820 PM MST FRI NOV 27 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0812 PM SNOW 1 NW RIFLE 39.55N 107.79W
11/27/2015 E2.0 INCH GARFIELD CO TRAINED SPOTTER
2 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN THE PAST HOUR OR SO. MODERATE
SNOW CONTINUES TO FALL.
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1501357
DCThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 6 inches were measured across the area.
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, November 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: 659921.