across sections of southern Colorado. and 10 inches near the Spanish Peaks in Huerfano county.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 storm system moving across northern New Mexico produced snow...heavy at times...across sections of southern Colorado. Some of the higher reported snow amounts included: 5 inches near Monument (El Paso County)...6 inches near Pueblo and Beulah (Pueblo County)...7 inches near Walsenburg (Huerfano County)...8 inches near the summit of Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral County)...9 inches near La Veta (Huerfano County...and 10 inches near the Spanish Peaks in Huerfano county.
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 Jan 8, 4:14 AM MST, 1 hour 46 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 414 AM MST FRI JAN 8 2016 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 348 AM MST FRI JAN 8 2016 ...SNOW WILL DROP SOUTH ALONG THE I-25 CORRIDOR THIS MORNING... CURRENTLY... BAND OF PRECIP OVER EAST CENTRAL COLORADO WAS SLOWLY MOVING NORTHEAST DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. ANOTHER AREA OF PRECIP...ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2ND WX SYSTEM OVER THE 4 CORNER REGION...WAS MOVING EAST. TODAY... COLD FRONT WILL MOVE DOWN THE FRONT RANGE THIS MORNING. AS THIS FRONT MOVES SOUTH...THE WX SYSTEM OVER THE 4 CORNERS WILL MOVE EAST. ALL GUIDANCE IS INDICATING...TO ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER...PRECIP WILL INCREASE AND MOVE SOUTHWARD DOWN THE I-25 CORRIDOR THIS MORNING. OVERALL..THE HEAVIES PRECIP IS STILL PROJECTED TO OCCUR IN THE SPANISH PEAKS/RATON MESA REGION....AND THEN EASTWARD ALONG THE CO/NM BORDER REGION. BEST CHANCE FOR PRECIP OVER THE COLORADO SPRING/PIKES PEAK REGION WILL BE EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH THE PRECIP WANING BY LATE THIS MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. FOR THE PUEBLO REGION...BEST PRECIP CHANCES WILL OCCUR AFTER SUNRISE AND LAST INTO THE NOON HOUR. FOR THE S I-25 CORRIDOR REGION...PRECIP SHOULD DEVELOP AROUND 8-9 AM AND INCREASE AND BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES DURING THE AFTERNOON TIME PERIOD. FOR THE MTNS/VALLEYS...PRECIP SHOULD OCCUR MOST OF THE DAY ACROSS THE SAN JUANS AND SAN LUIS VALLEY. GIVEN THE PERSISTENT SOUTHERLY FLOW INTO THE VALLEY...THE VALLEY FLOOR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PICK A A FEW INCHES OF SNOW THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE C MTNS WILL NOT SEE MUCH WITH THIS EVENT. COLDER AIR WILL MOVE DOWN THE PLAINS THIS MORNING AND I EXPECT MAX TEMPS TODAY TO GENERALLY REMAIN AT OR BELOW FREEZING THROUGHOUT THE DAY. I WILL MENTION THAT AS OF 330 AM...PUEBLO IS STILL ABOVE FREEZING WITH A TEMP OF 35F. AS FOR HILITES...WE ADDED BACA COUNTY FOR A WINTER WX ADVISORY. THIS MATCHES UP WELL WITH DDC AND AMA. TONIGHT MAIN AREA OF PRECIP WILL BE ALONG SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 50 WITH THE BRUNT OF IT LOCATED ALONG THE CO/NM BORDER. PRECIP WILL SLOWLY DECREASE AS THE EVENING PROGRESSES...EXITING THE STATE GENERALLY BY MIDNIGHT. OVERALL...THE HEAVIEST SNOW WITH THIS EVENT SHOULD OCCUR ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF LAS ANIMAS COUNTY AS THE BEST COMBINATION OF OROGRAPHICS AND FORCING ALOFT WILL OCCUR OVER THIS REGION. \/HODANISH .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 348 AM MST FRI JAN 8 2016 MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD WITH MOSTLY QUIET CONDITIONS FORECAST FOR SOUTHERN COLORADO. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...BROAD NORTHWEST FLOW WITH WEAK EMBEDDED ENERGY AND RESIDUAL MOISTURE WILL LEAD TO PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MINOR WITH UP TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ON NORTHWEST FACING SLOPES. AREAS OVER THE PLAINS WILL REMAIN DRY THIS WEEKEND WITH NORTH FLOW KEEPING COLD AIR IN PLACE. HIGHS WILL ONLY REACH THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...UPPER TROUGH OVER THE CENTRAL CONUS WILL SHIFT EASTWARD AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN AND MOVES ACROSS THE ROCKIES. THIS WILL BRING DRIER AIR TO THE REGION WITH NO PRECIPITATION EXPECTED THROUGH THIS PERIOD. TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE WITH HIGHS REACHING THE MID TO UPPER 40S ACROSS THE PLAINS BY WEDNESDAY. THURSDAY...AN UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO THE DESERT SOUTHWEST ON THURSDAY AND TRANSITION FLOW ALOFT SOUTHWESTERLY. THIS WILL ADVECT MOISTURE INTO THE FOUR CORNERS REGION WITH SNOW MOVING INTO THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. MOZLEY && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 348 AM MST FRI JAN 8 2016 KCOS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE TAF SITE AROUND 14 UTC. EXPECT IFR CONDITIONS WITH SNOW AND LOW CIGS INTO THE MID TO LATE MORNING HOURS...AND THEN CIGS SHOULD GRADUALLY RISE ALONG WITH PRECIP ENDING DURING THE AFTERNOON TIME PERIOD. VFR SHOULD OCCUR TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH I CANNOT RULE OUT SOME FOG LATE TONIGHT. KPUB... EXPECT SNOW TO DEVELOP OVER KPUB EARLY THIS MORNING AND LASTING INTO LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. CIGS SHOULD RISE WITH PRECIP ENDING DURING THE AFTERNOON. VFR EXPECTED THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT...BUT GROUND FOG MAY BE AN ISSUE LATE TONIGHT. KALS... EXPECT PRECIP AND LOW CIGS THROUGHOUT THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. CIGS SHOULD RISE AND PRECIP SHOULD BECOME MORE SHOWERY THIS AFTERNOON. GROUND FOG MAY BE AN ISSUE AT KALS LATE TONIGHT. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR COZ072>075- 079-080-087-088. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON FOR COZ066- 078. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 11 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR COZ099. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR COZ094. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON FOR COZ068. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON MST TODAY FOR COZ081-082-084. && SHORT TERM...HODANISH LONG TERM...MOZLEY AVIATION...HODANISH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 407 PM MST THU JAN 7 2016 COZ058>089-093>099-082315- 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 9000 FT- 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 FEET- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500 FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FEET- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000 FT- WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500 FT/PIKES 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 AND VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FT- 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- 407 PM MST THU JAN 7 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ONE UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES TO LIFT OUT ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHEAST PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON...AS ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM IS HEADING INTO THE FOUR CORNERS REGION AT THIS TIME. THE PARTING SYSTEM WILL KEEP LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE SNOW ACROSS THE PIKES PEAK REGION THROUGH THE EVENING...AS THE FOUR CORNERS SYSTEM STARTS TO SPREAD SNOW INTO THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS AND HIGH MOUNTAIN VALLEYS OVERNIGHT. SNOW AND COLD AIR WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD EAST OVER THE REST OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND THE INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR INTO FRIDAY MORNING AS THE STORM CONTINUES TO TRACK EASTWARD. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 4 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS AND THE PIKES PEAK AND PALMER DIVIDE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 8 INCHES ON TOP OF AMERICAS MOUNTAIN. THE OTHER MOUNTAIN AREAS COULD SEE A FEW INCHES OVER NIGHT WITH A TRACE TO AN INCH POSSIBLE OVER THE PLAINS...ESPECIALLY CLOSER TO THE MOUNTAINS. EVERYONE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR HAZARDOUS WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE FOUR CORNERS SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST ACROSS NORTHERN NEW MEXICO THROUGH THE DAY FRIDAY...SPREADING WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL ACROSS THE REGION...ESPECIALLY FOR THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA. SNOW WILL DIMINISH THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...AS THE SYSTEM CONTINUES EAST INTO WESTERN TEXAS. TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 8 TO 12 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS...THE SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS AND THE TOP OF PIKES PEAK...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 4 TO 8 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS REST OF THE RAMPART RANGE...THE NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS AND THE WET MOUNTAINS AND THE SOUTHERN I-25 CORRIDOR. TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 3 TO 6 INCHES REMAINS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE PALMER DIVIDE...THE WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF LAS ANIMAS COUNTY...WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE ACROSS THE REST OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN...THE SAN LUIS VALLEY AND THE REST OF THE EASTERN PLAINS...GREATEST AMOUNTS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY TONIGHT. 31/23
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 winter storm. 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, January 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: 614421, 614422, 614423, 614424, 614425.