A storm system brought heavy snow accumulations to the eastern San Juan and La Garita Mountains. An impressive 29 inches of snow fell at Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral County).
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 brought heavy snow accumulations to the eastern San Juan and La Garita Mountains. An impressive 29 inches of snow fell at Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral 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 19, 3:04 PM MST, 1 hour 56 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 304 PM MST Thu Jan 19 2017 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday) Issued at 258 PM MST Thu Jan 19 2017 Currently across the region, high clouds were increasing from the west in advance of the next weather system which will move into the region later tonight. Radar on the western slope was beginning to detect echoes over eastern Utah. Temps over the region at 2 am were quite mild, with reading approaching 60 in the banana belt region while farther east temps were in the mid 40s. In the larger valleys temps were still quite cold given the snow cover, and readings were in the teens. Tonight... Snow will likely move into the contdvd likely around 00Z tonight and progress steadily east, reaching the southern mtns by midnight, and moving out onto the plains towards sunrise. Snowfall in the mtns. generally 2-4" of snow will fall along the contdvd tonight along with the northern Sangres. Some light accums will occur in the San Luis Valley. Light accums may also occur on the Plains mainly west of I-25. Tomorrow... Latest (18Z) hi res guidance indicates that snow on the plains tomorrow morning will be light, but it likely to be a bit more widespread, and an inch (or maybe two) of snow will be possible (most areas will likely see the grass turn white, but that is about it). The precip will likely be banded in nature as it moves across the plains, with the band of precip extending NW-SE as it crosses the region during the earlier part of the day tomorrow. Temps tomorrow will be quite a bit cooler than today over the plains (especially along the I-25 corridor), with max readings generally in the 40s across the lower elevations. Mtn and valleys temps will be similar to todays max temps. \/Hodanish .LONG TERM...(Friday night through Thursday) Issued at 258 PM MST Thu Jan 19 2017 Chances for pcpn are expected to decrease Fri night as the one upper trof moves off to the east. There wl still be some snow going on thru the night along the Continental Dvd, but accumulations should be light. The rest of the forecast area should see dry conditions overnight. On Sat a new upper disturbance moves over the state and pcpn chances wl increase acrs the area. Snow will pick up early Sat and continue thru the day along the Continental Dvd, with a few inches of accumulation. Some light snow will also move over the San Luis Valley and eastern mtns on Sat, but only light accumulations are expected. The eastern plains are expected to be dry on Sat with highs in the 40s. On Sat night and Sun, an upper level ridge will be building ovr the area and pcpn wl decrease. There should still be some light snow in areas along the Continental Dvd Sat night and early Sun, but accumulations should be light. Most of Sun afternoon conditions should be dry, but late in the afternoon or early in the evening moisture is expected to increase over wrn CO ahead of the next weather system, and snow should start up again along the Continental Dvd. Sun night snow will increase along the Continental Dvd and wl also spread acrs the high valleys and into the eastern mtns, but the sern plains should remain dry. Several inches of accumulation should be expected over the mtns along the Continental Dvd. An upper level trof wl move from just off the west coast Sun evening, into the Great Basin during the day Mon, with the trof then moving acrs CO Mon night and early Tue, with the upr low center expected to track ovr srn WY and the nern corner of CO. This wl be a prolonged snow event for the mountain along the Continental Dvd, with significant accumulations. The eastern mtns wl also see periods of snow thru this time-frame with the potential for several inches of accumulation, but not as significant as over the western mtns. The eastern mtns may end up needing a winter wx advisory, but it is too early at this time to issue anything. With the upr low expected to track to the north of the area, the sern plains shouldn't see much in the way of pcpn Mon or Tue. Behind the upr low on Tue some breezy northerly winds should be expected and there could be a few light showers ovr the plains. Northwest flow aloft and a broad upr trof is then expected to be ovr the area Wed and into Thu. The weather should mostly be dry, but some light showers wl probably be found mainly over the mtn areas. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Friday evening) Issued at 258 PM MST Thu Jan 19 2017 IFR/LIFR conditions will likely occur at all 3 airports tonight and/or tomorrow morning. KALS has held onto a low cig so far today and is likely not going to clear out until mid morning tomorrow. Snow will be possible tonight with an inch or so possible. KCOS and KPUB will likely see low cigs develop late tonight and last into tomorrow late morning or early afternoon. Snow will be possible but with ambient (relatively) warm temps and warm ground, the snow should not accumulate significantly (maybe some slush on runways). && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning until 8 PM MST Saturday for COZ066-068. Winter Weather Advisory until 8 PM MST Saturday for COZ058-060. Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 8 PM MST Saturday for COZ073-075. Winter Weather Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 8 PM MST Saturday for COZ082. && SHORT TERM...HODANISH LONG TERM...28 AVIATION...HODANISH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 701 AM MST THU JAN 19 2017 COZ058>089-093>099-201415- 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- 701 AM MST THU JAN 19 2017 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 CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THIS AFTERNOON AND PERSIST INTO FRIDAY MORNING. PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW ARE EXPECTED, ESPECIALLY OVER THE SAN JUAN AND LA GARITA RANGES. ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING OVER THESE MOUNTAIN RANGES. ELSEWHERE, SNOW WILL MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING. AROUND 2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT. A RAIN SNOW MIX MAY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS LATE TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW MORNING, WITH LITTLE OR NO ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY A SERIES OF PACIFIC STORMS WILL TRACK ACROSS SOUTHERN COLORADO THROUGH THE PERIOD. ROUNDS OF HEAVY...BLOWING SNOW WILL MOVE THROUGH THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE WITH PERIODS OF SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS. ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...THERE WILL BE CHANCES FOR SNOW SHOWERS AT TIMES...PARTICULARLY OVER THE PIKES PEAK REGION AND ALSO ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHEAST PLAINS. THE BEST CHANCES FOR SNOW ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL BE FRIDAY...SATURDAY EVENING AND AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS DURING THE PERIOD WILL BE MEASURED IN FEET ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS COULD SEE SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW. ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS OF AN INCH OR 2 WILL BE POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT OVER THE MOUNTAINS. 88/50
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, January 2017
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: 671498, 671499.