A Pacific storm system created moist, orographic flow across the eastern San Juan Mountains, and produced snowfall in excess of 8 inches. The summit of Wolf Creek Pass in Mineral County logged 10 inches of snow.
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The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
A Pacific storm system created moist, orographic flow across the eastern San Juan Mountains, and produced snowfall in excess of 8 inches. The summit of Wolf Creek Pass in Mineral County logged 10 inches of snow. Lesser amounts of snow occurred along the rest of the Continental Divide from Lake County into Saguache 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 Nov 26, 10:33 PM MST, 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1033 PM MST Sat Nov 26 2016 .UPDATE... Issued at 738 PM MST Sat Nov 26 2016 Updated forecast grids to incorporate latest obs data, and to better show latest satellite trends. Fairly uniform cirrus shield across all of the forecast area this evening as the approaching low pressure system nears. In addition, lowered dewpoint temps slightly tomorrow, though RH levels still remain above critical fire weather conditions. Ongoing temps and highlights look good. Moore && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Sunday) Issued at 303 PM MST Sat Nov 26 2016 Active meteorological conditions anticipated during the near term(especially over western portions) with primary near/short range concerns including qpf, snow amounts, temperatures, gusty winds and near critical fire weather and blowing dust potential over portions of the southeastern Colorado Plains by Sunday afternoon. Forecast district currently graced by continued near to above seasonal late November afternoon temperatures, dry conditions, encroaching clouds over far southwestern sections and localized gusty winds as evidenced by recent wind gusts in excess of 20 mph at both La Veta pass and the Air Force Academy respectively. Recent real-time data, PV analysis, computer simulations and forecast model soundings indicate that upper disturbance(per PV analysis...etc.) will begin impacting the Continental Divide and western higher terrain locations, especially the eastern San Juan mountains by later tonight with snow...heavy at times in combination with strong winds at times. Have maintained existing winter weather highlights over western higher terrain locations, which run from 11 PM tonight until 11 PM Sunday Elsewhere, as the initial upper disturbance moves across the forecast district from later tonight into Sunday...will also continue to depict basically low grade pops from late tonight into early Sunday afternoon with precipitation potential then ending during the afternoon hours, primarily east of the Interstate 25 corridor. In addition, have depicted wind gusts exceeding 40 knots at times over many sections Sunday and especially Sunday afternoon with areas of blowing dust possible over the southeastern plains Sunday afternoon. Also, elevated to near critical fire weather conditions are also anticipated, primarily over sections of the far southeastern Colorado plains by Sunday afternoon, although confidence not high enough to issue a fire weather highlight due to uncertainties in coverage and duration. As always, WFO Pueblo will continue to monitor closely. Finally...above seasonal minimum temperatures are anticipated over most locations tonight, while near to above seasonal maximum temperatures are projected over eastern portions Sunday, while below seasonal temperatures are depicted over western sections on Sunday. .LONG TERM...(Sunday night through Saturday) Issued at 303 PM MST Sat Nov 26 2016 ...Turning Colder Next Week... The weather pattern over the western U.S. is in transition. Snow and wind will continue along the Continental Divide Sunday evening before letting up toward Monday morning. Cold wind and a smattering of snow showers will be noted elsewhere. During the first half of Monday, the snow will essentially let up over the area but not for long. By Monday afternoon, the next storm system will already be on its way into Colorado from the Pacific Northwest. This next system will again favor the Continental Divide with snow Monday through Monday evening, while just a smattering of activity occurs elsewhere. While we definitely need some snow to hit the valleys, eastern mountains and plains, at least we are starting to get some along the Continental Divide. Not only is this great for the ski areas and commerce in general but it is crucial to summer water supplies. It is important to get a heavy, wet base on the slopes now so we can fully reap the benefits of colder, drier snows to come later in the winter. Often times, it is hard to catch up if you don't get the snow on the ground now. Tuesday through the end of the week, southern Colorado will enter a period of cold and somewhat unsettled weather. For the first time this season, a long wave trough of low pressure will take up residence over the western U.S. and Rockies. Most of the fall season has been dominated by a long wave ridge of high pressure over the western U.S. and Rockies which has resulted in the warm and dry weather. With a long wave trough over the area instead, the weather pattern will turn colder with increased chances for snow. Starting Tuesday, temperatures look like they'll run about 5 to 10 degrees below average each day right on through Saturday. We haven't seen more than a day or 2 of below average temperatures all fall! The plains and mountain valleys will generally see highs in the 30s and 40s with lows in the teens or single digits each day. The mountains will be even colder with highs in the teens and 20s and lows mostly in the single digits. Again, this isn't a pattern we've been familiar with this fall. So, brace for it! As for the snow chances from Tuesday onward, nothing too impressive is showing up yet. Cold north to northwest flow should provide the necessary forcing for mountain snow showers, particularly along the Continental Divide, through about Wednesday. Thursday looks dry under brief shortwave ridging. Then, Thursday night, a new weather system digs south from the Pacific Northwest that drops all the way into Mexico by Saturday afternoon. This system passes pretty far to the west of Colorado which will really limit its potential impact on the area. However, it should increase snow chances again over the western mountain areas Thursday through Saturday. It may also drop into position for some snow showers over southern parts of the forecast area, along the New Mexico border, Friday night and Saturday. Still a bit far out to call at this point. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Sunday night) Issued at 1025 PM MST Sat Nov 26 2016 VFR conditions are expected at KCOS and KPUB the next 24 hrs. There will be the possibility of some showers in the vcnty of KCOS and KPUB Sunday morning, but chances are too low to include in the terminal forecast. KALS will see lowering cloud bases tonight with snow showers probably moving into the area and the potential for IFR or MVFR conditions. All terminal forecast sites will see strong west to southwest winds develop Sunday, with gusts of 30 to 35 kts and possibly higher at times. Winds will decrease Sunday evening. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM MST Sunday for COZ058>061- 066-067. Winter Storm Warning until 11 PM MST Sunday for COZ068. && UPDATE...MOORE SHORT TERM...77 LONG TERM...LW AVIATION...28
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 1041 AM MST SAT NOV 26 2016 COZ058>089-093>099-271745- 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- 1041 AM MST SAT NOV 26 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SNOW WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS LATE THIS EVENING AND SPREAD NORTH THROUGH THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS BY EARLY SUNDAY. THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS WILL SEE THE MOST SNOW WITH UP TO 5 INCHES EXPECTED. THE LA GARITA...EASTERN SAWATCH AND WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGES WILL SEE LESS SNOW WITH AMOUNTS UP TO 3 INCHES. STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 30 GUSTING TO 50 MPH WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW AND POOR VISIBILITIES. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL WILL BE LIKELY THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN PASSES...INCLUDING...WOLF CREEK...CUMBRES...LA MANGA...NORTH...AND MONARCH. ELSEWHERE...SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE VALLEYS TO THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS BY EARLY SUNDAY. LOCAL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE...MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER PEAKS OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO RANGE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY HAZARDOUS MOUNTAIN TRAVEL WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY EVENING BEFORE IMPROVING. SNOW...BLOWING SNOW AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY...MAINLY ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL LIKELY FALL SUNDAY MORNING. ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES WILL BRING HIGH FIRE WEATHER DANGER TO THE SOUTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS SUNDAY AFTERNOON. OUTDOOR BURNING OR ANY OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT COULD START A FIRE SHOULD BE POSTPONED. NEXT WEEK...A PERIOD OF COLD AND UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL SET UP OVER THE REGION. THIS WILL BRING SNOW SHOWERS TO THE MOUNTAINS AND SLIGHT CHANCES FOR SNOW TO THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY AND POSSIBLY AGAIN LATER FRIDAY. ELSEWHERE...SPOTTY LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES THROUGH THE PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY LATE TONIGHT ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND ADJACENT VALLEYS. 50/50
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 852 PM MST SAT NOV 26 2016 COZ058>089-093>099-271200- 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- INCLUDING...CLIMAX...LEADVILLE...BONANZA...ALPINE...GRANITE... ST ELMO...SALIDA...BUENA VISTA...SARGENTS...NORTH PASS... SOUTH FORK...CREEDE...CUMBRES PASS...WOLF CREEK PASS...CENTER... DEL NORTE...ALAMOSA...MONTE VISTA...MANASSA...LA JARA... ANTONITO...SANFORD...SAN LUIS...FORT GARLAND...BLANCA... LA VETA PASS...PONCHA PASS...BLANCA PEAK...CUCHARA...STONEWALL... WESTON...SPANISH PEAKS...COALDALE...COTOPAXI...HILLSIDE... HOWARD...SWISSVALE...TEXAS CREEK...SILVER CLIFF...WESTCLIFFE... RYE...WOODLAND PARK...PIKES PEAK...CANON CITY...PENROSE... BLACK FOREST...COLORADO SPRINGS...PETERSON AFB...PUEBLO... WALSENBURG...TRINIDAD...ORDWAY...OLNEY SPRINGS...LA JUNTA... ROCKY FORD...BRANSON...KIM...EADS...SHERIDAN LAKE...LAS ANIMAS... LAMAR...SPRINGFIELD...WALSH 852 PM MST SAT NOV 26 2016 A WEATHER SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL COLORADO TONIGHT AND SUNDAY WILL BRING VERY WINDY CONDITIONS. WESTERLY WINDS AT 20 TO 35 MPH...WITH GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED. THE WINDS WILL INCREASE LATE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING...AND WILL THEN BE STRONG THROUGH THE DAY. THE STRONG WINDS MAY CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING DUST ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS...AND WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS FOR HIGH-PROFILE VEHICLES TRAVELING ON NORTH SOUTH ORIENTED ROADWAYS. THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...AND THE STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND POOR VISIBILITY.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 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, November 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: 666989.