A moist Pacific storm system and associated cold front moved across the region and produced significant to locally heavy snowfall in most mountain areas and in some higher elevation valleys.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 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 moist Pacific storm system and associated cold front moved across the region and produced significant to locally heavy snowfall in most mountain areas and in some higher elevation valleys.
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 Mar 22, 2:23 PM MST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
323 PM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016
.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 322 PM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016
COLD FRONT MAKING SLOW PROGRESS INTO THE FORECAST AREA THIS
AFTERNOON...STRETCHING ROUGHLY ALONG A LINE FROM GREEN RIVER UTAH
NORTHEAST TO BAGGS WYOMING. THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE PUSHING
SOUTHEAST AND WILL DRIVE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST
AREA THIS EVENING...WITH FORWARD SPEED ANTICIPATED TO PICK UP
AROUND SUNSET. FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES OBSERVED OVER THE EASTERN
UINTA MOUNTAINS EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON AND SPOTTERS HAVE REPORTED
RAIN FLIPPING OVER TO SNOW...WITH SNOW BECOMING HEAVY AS THE FRONT
PASSED. THIS PATTERN WILL BE REPEATED ACROSS MOST OF WESTERN
COLORADO AND SOUTHEAST UTAH AS THE FRONT WORKS THROUGH. FRONT
SHOULD BE STRETCHED FROM MONTICELLO THROUGH THE GRAND VALLEY AND
UP TO STEAMBOAT SPRINGS AND THEN PUSHING THROUGH GUNNISON AND
PAGOSA BY 10 PM.
SHOWERS WILL BE INCREASING IN COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE EVENING...
PEAKING OVERNIGHT WITH ACTIVITY WINDING DOWN FROM WEST TO EAST
WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE OVER THE FAVORED
NORTHWEST AND NORTH FACING SLOPES WHERE OROGRAPHIC MECHANISMS WILL
COME INTO PLAY. CURRENT WINTER HIGHLIGHTS APPEAR REASONABLE WITH
MAIN CONCERNS REMAINING ACROSS THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF MOFFAT
COUNTY WHERE THE MODELS ARE STILL SHOWING AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 6
INCHES. HOWEVER...HOURLY BREAKDOWN OF QPF VALUES FROM MODEL
METEOGRAMS AND IN THE HRRR/RAP MODELS INDICATED MUCH OF THAT
OCCURRING WITH FRONTAL PASSAGE AND TEMPS LOOK TOO WARM TO RESULT
IN SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS AT THE INITIAL ARRIVAL. IN
ADDITION...UPSTREAM SITES NOT SEEING THOSE TYPES OF RATES. AS A
RESULT...WILL LEAVE THE ADVISORY IN PLACE WITH THE ANTICIPATION
THAT A FEW SITES COULD JUMP THE 6 INCH MARK BY WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON. SECOND AREA OF CONCERN WILL BE OVER VAIL PASS...BUT
AGAIN...TEMPS HOVERING AROUND THE FREEZING MARK AND MAIN IMPACT
WILL BE FELT OVER A RELATIVELY SHORT STRETCH OF OUR CWA...ALTHOUGH
A HIGHLY TRAVELED PART. WE WILL KEEP CLOSE TABS ON THIS THROUGH
THE EVENING HOURS AND FORWARD OUT UPDATES AS NEEDED.
THE RAIN AND SNOW TAPERS OFF WEDNESDAY EVENING...WITH DRIER
CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...WITH
NORTHWEST FLOW IN PLACE...ANY WEAK RIPPLE...AND THE MODELS ARE
SHOWING A FEW...WILL BE ENOUGH TO SQUEEZE OUT A FEW SHOWERS OVER
THE PARK AND GORE RANGES AND ACROSS THE FLAT TOPS. SO WILL KEEP
SCATTERED POPS IN THESE AREAS. OTHERWISE...DRIER CONDITIONS
EXPECTED WITH TEMPS STARTING A NEW CLIMB BACK TOWARD MORE SEASONAL
VALUES AS WE CLOSE OUT THE WORK WEEK.
.LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY)
ISSUED AT 322 PM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016
THE LONG TERM PATTERN OF A DOWNSTREAM BLOCKING RIDGE IN THE
VICINITY OF BERMUDA AND OUR PERSISTENT EAST PACIFIC AMPLIFIED
RIDGE WILL FAVOR LOW PRESSURE DROPPING OUT OF THE HIGH LATITUDES
INTO THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST. THE FIRST OF THESE SYSTEMS DROPS INTO
THE NORTHERN ROCKIES ON FRIDAY AND DIGS ACROSS THE 4 CORNERS ON
SATURDAY. THE SECOND WAVE ARRIVES TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST
AS A CLOSED SYSTEM EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SYSTEM DIGS SOUTHWARD
INTO THE WESTERN GREAT BASIN IN RESPONSE TO THE E.PAC RIDGE TAKING
ON A POSITIVE TILT AND AMPLIFYING INTO YUKON TERRITORY. THE AT THE
MOMENT THIS LOW IS PROGGED TO LIFT NORTHEAST TOWARD NORTHERN UTAH
ON TUESDAY. MODEL AGREEMENT IS QUITE GOOD THIS FAR OUT BUT WOULD
NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE THIS SOLUTION CHANGE OVER THE NEXT COMING
DAYS. HOWEVER ATTM THE FORECAST WILL SHOW A SHORT BREAK IN BETWEEN
THE SYSTEMS LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY. TO BACKTRACK TO THE FIRST
SYSTEM...MODEL MOISTURE FIELD ENSEMBLES DO INDICATE ANOTHER
ANOMALOUSLY WET FEED INTO THE NORTHERN COLORADO AND MOUNTAINS.
OROGRAPHICS AND INSTABILITY IN THE AFTERNOON WILL COMBINE WITH
INCREASING ASCENT ALOFT BY AN APPROACHING JET MAX. THIS SHOULD
COMBINE WITH THE MOISTURE TO PRODUCE SOME DECENT SNOWFALL. IT
APPEARS THIS WINTER STORM MAY ALSO CAUSE SOME HAZARDS IN OUR
NORTHEAST ZONES. WITH THIS UNSETTLED PATTERN TEMPERATURES WILL BE
NEAR TO BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD.
&&
.AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON)
ISSUED AT 1041 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016
COLD FRONT IS MOVING INTO EASTERN UTAH LATE THIS MORNING WITH
WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION FALLING BEHIND IT ACROSS THE PANHANDLE
AND SALT LAKE VALLEY. HIGH TO MID LEVEL CLOUDS ARE THE CIGS ACROSS
EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO. EXPECT CLOUDS TO CONTINUE TO
LOWER THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS STAY AT VFR LEVELS AT THE
FORECAST TERMINALS OVER THE FIRST SIX HOURS OF THE FORECAST. THE
MAIN CONCERN THROUGH 23/22Z WILL BE STRONG WINDS BOTH AT RIDGETOPS
AND MIXING TO THE SURFACE. TURBULENCE IS LIKELY TO PERSIST OVER
THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS COVERAGE OF MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION ALSO
INCREASES WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEXT STORM. FROM 00Z ONWARD
WINDS...CIGS AND WEATHER WILL ALL BE CONCERNS AT AREA FORECAST
TERMINALS OVERNIGHT AND THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. TEMPORARY
IMPACTS TO KVEL...KCNY...KGJT AND KDRO CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE
FRONTAL PASSAGE AS PRECIPITATION REACHES THE GROUND THIS EVENING.
KRIL...KEGE...KTEX AND KASE WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR LONGER
PERIODS OR PREVAILING MVFR OR LOWER FLIGHT CRITERIA OVERNIGHT AND
INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
ISSUED AT 322 PM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016
DRY FUELS ACROSS THE VALLEYS OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO AND WEST
CENTRAL COLORADO...COMBINED WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND MILD
TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO BRING RED FLAG CONDITIONS THROUGH
EARLY THIS EVENING. WINDS HAVE MATERIALIZED ACROSS MOST OF THE
FORECAST AREA...HOWEVER HUMIDITY VALUES HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO
DROP MUCH BELOW 15 PERCENT. STILL A FEW HOURS OF HEATING LEFT
BEFORE CONDITIONS IMPROVE AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH. AS A
RESULT...WILL CONTINUE THE RED FLAG WARNING THROUGH THIS
EVENING AS ANY IGNITIONS COULD STILL SPREAD RATHER QUICKLY.
.GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CO...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ020>023.
RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ203-205-207.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR COZ009-010-
012.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM MDT
WEDNESDAY FOR COZ014.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR COZ004-013.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR COZ002-005.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM MDT
WEDNESDAY FOR COZ008.
UT...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR UTZ022-027-029.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON MDT WEDNESDAY FOR UTZ023.
&&
SHORT TERM...JDC
LONG TERM...15
AVIATION...TGJT
FIRE WEATHER...JDCHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 431 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-231045- 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- 431 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST COLORADO...SOUTHWEST COLORADO...WEST CENTRAL COLORADO...EAST CENTRAL UTAH...NORTHEAST UTAH AND SOUTHEAST UTAH. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL BRING STRONG WINDS AND PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION BEGINNING TODAY. SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AND BLOWING SNOW ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL COLORADO MOUNTAINS TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. RAIN WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW IN MANY VALLEYS OF WESTERN COLORADO TONIGHT. THE FOUR CORNERS VALLEYS WILL REMAIN DRY BUT WINDY THROUGHOUT TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE WITH A SECOND WEATHER SYSTEM AT FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
422 PM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0327 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 SW CORTEZ 37.30N 108.63W
03/22/2016 M46 MPH MONTEZUMA CO ASOS
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1600448
MMSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
433 PM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0326 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 WSW OXFORD 37.16N 107.75W
03/22/2016 M49 MPH LA PLATA CO ASOS
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1600449
MMSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
434 PM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0308 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 NNW MONTROSE 38.51N 107.88W
03/22/2016 M47 MPH MONTROSE CO ASOS
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1600450
MMSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
435 PM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0327 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 15 NW MOAB 38.73N 109.74W
03/22/2016 M48 MPH GRAND UT ASOS
&&
EVENT NUMBER GJT1600451
MMSThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches were measured across the area. Locally higher amounts included 20 inches at the Rabbit Ears Pass SNOTEL site.
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches were measured across the area. Locally higher amounts included 14 inches at the Ripple Creek SNOTEL site.
Snowfall amounts of 1 to 6 were measured across most of the area. Locally higher amounts included 12 inches at Meeker.
Snowfall amounts averaged around 3 inches across the area. Locally higher amounts included 6 inches at Blue Mountain.
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches were measured across the area. Locally higher amounts included 17 inches at the McCoy Park SNOTEL site.
Snowfall amounts of 6 to 9 inches were measured across the area.
Snowfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches were measured across the area. Locally higher amounts included 22 inches at the Telluride Ski Area.
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 9 inches were measured above the 7500 foot level.
Snowfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches were measured across the area with locally higher amounts exceeding 12 inches. Irwin Ski Lodge received a storm total snowfall of 27 inches. Traction laws were in effect over Monarch pass throughout the event.
Snowfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches were measured across the western portion of the zone. Locally higher amounts included 9.8 inches at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
Snowfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches were measured across the area. Locally higher amounts included 20 inches at the Grand Mesa Lodge. Wind gusts up to 45 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow. Highway 65 was closed for avalanche control during part of the snow and blowing snow event.
Snowfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches were measured across the area. Locally higher amounts included 5 inches at Wolcott.
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, March 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: 668505, 668507, 668510, 668514, 668501, 668504, 668512, 677143, 668502, 668509, 668503, 668508.