A strong upper level jet stream moving across Colorado generated strong to high winds from the eastern mountains into and through the southeast plains of Colorado. Widespread wind gusts between 60 and 70 mph occurred across the lower elevations.
Every event with a place to put it; 22 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 PUB wrote it up.
A strong upper level jet stream moving across Colorado generated strong to high winds from the eastern mountains into and through the southeast plains of Colorado. Widespread wind gusts between 60 and 70 mph occurred across the lower elevations. Winds gusted in excess of 75 mph across the eastern mountains and down the adjacent lee slopes. Despite the high winds, widespread damage did not occur.
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 Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 25, 7:00 AM MST, 2 hours earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 700 AM MST Sun Dec 25 2016 .UPDATE... Issued at 648 AM MST Sun Dec 25 2016 Updated the morning precipitation chances based on the latest radar and satellite trends. A line of thunderstorms is exiting the far Eastern Plains into western Kansas and should clear the area by 8 am. Light showers have also been dissipating over the Palmer Divide and will continue to do so through the next hour or so. Drier air is beginning to work northward into the Plains, with dewpoints falling off into the 30s at Trinidad, La Junta and Springfield. Southwest winds are also beginning to increase across the Plains. This should effectively bring an end to precipitation chances for the Plains between 8 and 9 am. Added fog to the forecast over El Paso County as well. Area webcams and observations indicate patchy fog, especially on the eastern side of the city. This fog should dissipate through 9 am as winds begin to increase. No changes to the mountains where snow continues. Mozley && .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 341 AM MST Sun Dec 25 2016 ...High Winds Eastern Plains, Heavy Snow Continental Divide... Currently and this morning...a strong upper level low pressure center is strengthening over eastern Utah early this morning. Strong upper level dynamics and cyclogenesis in the lee of the Rockies has brought a variety of weather to southern Colorado so far early this morning. Heavy snow is ongoing along the Continental Divide, with the eastern San Juan Range seeing very heavy snowfall. Over the I-25 corridor, an area of moderate to heavy rainfall, with embedded thunderstorms is lifting north in the strong warm air advection scheme ahead of the upper low, with most activity from Pueblo County, north into El Paso County. Temperatures have been hovering in the low 30s, and observations, even over Monument Hill are indicating rainfall. Elevations above 6 kft may be seeing some snow. Quick accumulations of an inch or two may be possible with heavier snow burst cells. This area of precipitation will continue to lift north across the Palmer Divide through 6 am. Further east, high-res models are developing a line of convection this morning. IR Satellite imagery indicates a band of clouds developing from La Junta south. A narrow band of showers and thunderstorms is expected to develop and quickly move east into western Kansas 8 am. Locally moderate to heavy rainfall may be possible. Convective elements may also be capable of producing small hail and strong wind gusts to 50 mph. Given the temperatures rising into the lower 50s and dewpoints in the mid to upper 40s, there could be a brief severe threat with any stronger cells that develop. This will need to be monitored closely. After 8 am and through this afternoon...this is a quick moving storm system. Snow will continue across the mountain areas with periods of heavy snow through this afternoon. Additional snow accumulations will be heaviest over the San Juan Range with 10 to 15 inches of snow, while the La Garita mountains into the Central Mountains seen an additional 4 to 7 inches. The focus over the plains turns to high wind potential for this afternoon. This is a powerful storm system with very strong winds expected by this afternoon. For areas generally south of Highway 50, widespread westerly winds gusting to 65 mph will be possible. Locations over the southern I-25 corridor are likely to see the strongest winds. Very dangerous driving conditions are expected on north-south highways due to cross winds. In addition, areas that did not see rainfall this morning, so far areas west of Trinidad to La Junta, will likely see blowing dust. This will caused reduced visibilities on highways across far eastern Colorado. Tonight...the upper level storm system will continue northeast into the Northern Plains. The gradient will weaken and winds will decrease this evening as the upper system pulls away. Snow will also taper off over the mountains, with light snow continuing along the Continental Divide into Monday morning. Additional accumulations tonight will be minor at an inch or two. The plains will remain dry. Cold air will move back across Colorado with mid teens to lower 20s by morning. Mozley .LONG TERM...(Monday through Saturday) Issued at 341 AM MST Sun Dec 25 2016 ...Next System Arrives in Time for New Year's Weekend... Pretty quiet for most of the upcoming week as a generally dry westerly flow sets up across the area. It'll be a bit windy Monday over and near the higher terrain with gusts to 50 mph possible mainly early in the day. It'll also be a bit breezy across the I-25 corridor Monday with gusts to near 25 or 30 mph at times. On Wednesday, a weak upper level disturbance will track through the northern Rockies possibly bringing some snow showers to the central Colorado mountains, mainly north of Cottonwood Pass. Accumulations look light at this point. The next, more significant looking storm to impact our area doesn't arrive until New Year's weekend. At this time, it looks like there is potential for a system to dig south from the Pacific Northwest, pick up some moisture off of southern California, and spread snow into the Colorado Continental Divide late Friday and Friday night. Then, late Friday night and Saturday, the system has potential to spread a cold front and some light snow across the eastern plains. Being several days away yet, confidence is low in the details of the New Year's weekend forecast. Please stay tuned for updates during the upcoming week. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Monday morning) Issued at 341 AM MST Sun Dec 25 2016 KALS...showers will likely persist over the San Luis Valley through 14-15z this morning with reduced CIGS and VIS if they pass over the terminal. Increasing southwest winds are expected by mid morning with gusts to near 45 kts for this afternoon. VFR conditions are expected to prevail after 15z and showers dissipate. KCOS...showers have led to reduced CIGS and VIS this morning and will persist through 14z. Southerly winds will turn westerly with gusts to near 40kts expected this afternoon. VFR conditions are expected to prevail once low stratus and fog mix out. KPUB...southerly winds and stratus will give way to strong westerly winds are expected by mid morning with gusts near 50 kts possible this afternoon. VFR conditions are expected to prevail once winds increase later this morning. Mozley && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning until 5 PM MST this afternoon for COZ072>075- 086>088-093-094-097>099. Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM MST this evening for COZ058- 060-066-067-073-075. Winter Storm Warning until 11 PM MST this evening for COZ068. && UPDATE...MOZLEY SHORT TERM...MOZLEY LONG TERM...LW AVIATION...MOZLEY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 630 AM MST SUN DEC 25 2016 COZ058>089-093>099-261330- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT- LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT- EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT- CENTRAL CHAFFEE COUNTY BELOW 9000 FT- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST CHAFFEE COUNTY ABOVE 9000FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY/EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS BELOW 10000 FT- EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- DEL NORTE VICINITY/NORTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- ALAMOSA VICINITY/CENTRAL SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- SOUTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 8500 AND 11000 FT- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000FT- WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500FT/PIKE'S PEAK BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT-PIKES PEAK ABOVE 11000 FT- CANON CITY VICINITY/EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY- NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/MONUMENT RIDGE/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT- COLORADO SPRINGS VICINITY/SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7400 FT-PUEBLO VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FEET- WALSENBURG VICINITY/UPPER HUERFANO RIVER BASIN BELOW 7500 FT- TRINIDAD VICINITY/WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY BELOW 7500 FT- CROWLEY COUNTY-LA JUNTA VICINITY/OTERO COUNTY- EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY- EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY- 630 AM MST SUN DEC 25 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER THROUGH 8 AM. LIGHTNING, SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH MAY BE POSSIBLE WITH STRONGER STORMS BEFORE THEY MOVE EAST INTO KANSAS. HEAVY SNOW WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE TAPERING OFF TO LIGHT SNOW THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. AN ADDITIONAL 10 TO 15 INCHES OF SNOW ARE LIKELY OVER THE SAN JUAN RANGE. ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL OF 4 TO 7 INCHES IS EXPECTED FROM THE LA GARITA RANGE, NORTH INTO THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. GUSTY WINDS TO NEAR 60 MPH WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW LEADING TO HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. SNOW WILL ALSO CONTINUE OVER THE SANGRE DE CRISTO RANGE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON WITH 2 TO 5 INCHES OF ADDITIONAL SNOW EXPECTED. VERY STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS FROM LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. WIDESPREAD WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH ARE EXPECTED, MAINLY SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 50. STRONG CROSS WINDS ON INTERSTATE 25, ALONG WITH OTHER NORTH SOUTH HIGHWAYS, WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, AREAS THAT DID NOT SEE PRECIPITATION THIS MORNING WILL LIKELY SEE AREAS OF BLOWING DUST WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE HAS A CHANCE TO BRING SOME LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO THE CENTRAL COLORADO MOUNTAINS ON WEDNESDAY. A STRONGER LOOKING STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT SOUTHERN COLORADO NEW YEAR'S WEEKEND. AT THIS TIME...IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SPREAD SIGNIFICANT SNOW INTO THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE LATE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. IT THEN HAS POTENTIAL TO SPREAD SOME LIGHT SNOW ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. SINCE IT IS STILL NEARLY A WEEK AWAY...CONFIDENCE IN THE NEW YEAR'S WEEKEND STORM IS LOW. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR UPDATED FORECASTS THROUGHOUT THE UPCOMING WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHERN COLORADO. 88/50
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
617 AM MST SUN DEC 25 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0615 AM SNOW ALAMOSA 37.47N 105.88W
12/25/2016 M2.0 INCH ALAMOSA CO TRAINED SPOTTER
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NWS PUEBLO CO
IRIS SYSTEMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
743 AM MST SUN DEC 25 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0742 AM SNOW 2 NNE MONUMENT 39.12N 104.86W
12/25/2016 M1.3 INCH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
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NWS PUEBLO CO
IRIS SYSTEMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
759 AM MST SUN DEC 25 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0752 AM SNOW 7 ESE TEXAS CREEK 38.37N 105.46W
12/25/2016 M1.9 INCH FREMONT CO TRAINED SPOTTER
.27" OF LIQUID.
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NWS PUEBLO CO
IRIS SYSTEMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
819 AM MST SUN DEC 25 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0757 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 WNW COLORADO CITY 37.95N 104.87W
12/25/2016 M69 MPH PUEBLO CO MESONET
MESONET STATION 1 W COLORADO CITY /CCYC2/.
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NWS PUEBLO CO
IRIS SYSTEMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
842 AM MST SUN DEC 25 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0842 AM SNOW 1 WSW ROSITA 38.09N 105.35W
12/25/2016 M2.5 INCH CUSTER CO TRAINED SPOTTER
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&&
NWS PUEBLO CO
IRIS SYSTEMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
843 AM MST SUN DEC 25 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0843 AM SNOW MAYSVILLE 38.54N 106.22W
12/25/2016 M1.0 INCH CHAFFEE CO TRAINED SPOTTER
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&&
NWS PUEBLO CO
IRIS SYSTEMThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
22 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 2016
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: 670449, 670450, 670451, 670452, 670440, 670441, 670442, 670443, 670444, 670445, 670446, 670447, 670448, 670453, 670456, 670461, 670454, 670455, 670457, 670458, 670459, 670460.