A potent weather system generated heavy snow and blowing snow across many areas. Some of the higher reported snow totals included: 6 to 9 inches in Beulah and Colorado City (Pueblo County), Walsenburg (Huerfano County), Alamosa, Westcliffe and Rosita (Custer County), and Texas Creek (Fremont County); 10 to 12 inches near Trinidad (Las Animas County) and Rye (Pueblo County); 23 inches near…
Every event with a place to put it; 14 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 potent weather system generated heavy snow and blowing snow across many areas. Some of the higher reported snow totals included: 6 to 9 inches in Beulah and Colorado City (Pueblo County), Walsenburg (Huerfano County), Alamosa, Westcliffe and Rosita (Custer County), and Texas Creek (Fremont County); 10 to 12 inches near Trinidad (Las Animas County) and Rye (Pueblo County); 23 inches near Leadville (Lake County); around 29 inches near Monarch Pass and Maysville (Chaffee County), and an impressive 42 inches impacting 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 3, 10:21 PM MST, 6 hours 39 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1021 PM MST Tue Jan 3 2017 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday) Issued at 245 PM MST Tue Jan 3 2017 Currently...The upper jet lay across the state and region today, providing for strong westerly winds and plenty of cloud cover for the higher elevations. LLVL east to southeast upslope flow across the plains and kept much of the I-25 corridor socked in with clouds,fog and very light snow at times as well as with temps in the teens to lower 20s. The remainder of the eastern plains was mostly sunny but cool with temps in the 20s to around 30F. Tonight and tomorrow...Not a lot of change expected over the next 24 hrs for the forecast area, save for an increasing amount of moisture pouring into the Continental Divide. Strong westerly winds will continue as the upper jet with a 130 kt core remains over Colorado. In addition, models indicate that snow will begin along the Divide and continue over approximately the next three days. Therefore...upgraded the winter storm watch for the Divide to a warning, and issued an advisory for the rest of Lake County and spillover areas of western Chaffee County for snow and blowing snow. Snowfall starts to pick up and become heavy at times early Wed morning. As for the eastern plains and mountains, temps will be a challenge tomorrow as the strong westerlies are expected to produce some warm temps across the southern foothills. Models indicate a front of battling winds starting somewhere over eastern Fremont County and stretching back to the southeast across Pueblo and Las Animas Counties. To the north of this line, easterly flow should keep cloud cover in place as well as temps in the 20s to around 30 F. South of the line, westerly flow may boost temps to around 50 F through midday. Truly a challenging temp forecast, as models had a poor grasp of the lingering snow and cloud/fog cover that occurred today. Snow is expected to develop over the Palmer Divide through the afternoon as the next northerly surge of cold air approaches. Moore .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday) Issued at 245 PM MST Tue Jan 3 2017 Fast westerly flow will persist across Colorado Wednesday night and Thursday, with numerous pieces of energy shearing eastward through the central Rockies during this time frame. Flow then bends to the northwest Fri as elongated upper trough finally drops south through the state, with upper ridge then building along the West Coast Sat and into Colorado late in the weekend. At the surface cold high pressure will build south through the plains beginning Wed evening, with at least shallow upslope flow over the eastern mountains and I-25 corridor into midday Fri. Along the Continental Divide, pattern favors a continuation of heavy snow Wed night into Thu, then gradually diminishing snowfall Thu night into Fri morning as jet sags south and upper trough drops south of the state. Interior valleys, including the upper Arkansas and San Luis valleys, will see lighter snows, though prolonged nature of event will lead to at least some moderate snow accums even at these lower elevations. Over the eastern mountains and plains, main snow band develops over northern CO Wed night, then drops south through the region Thu into early Fri morning. Shallow upslope and main snow band will coincide for a period over the eastern mountains Thu into Thu night, with heavy snows likely over the east slopes of the Sangres/Wets and Pikes Peak. In fact, models hint at weak mid- level circulation developing along the NM border Thu evening, which may allow heavy snow to linger into Fri morning over the southern Sangres and Raton Mesa. Expect a foot of more across the eastern mountains, perhaps close to 2 feet over the higher peaks of the Sangres. Most of the I-25 corridor and southeast plains will see accumulating snow, with 2-4 inches common across the plains, 3-6 I-25 corridor with perhaps some slightly higher amounts over the usual terrain enhanced locations including Monument Hill, Walsenburg and Trinidad. Given strong jet overhead, narrow band of hard to predict jet enhanced heavy snowfall will be possible even out on the plains, with last couple model runs hinting at locations south of the Arkansas River perhaps being favored for some overperforming snow totals. Max temps Thu will be coldest over the eastern plains, with slightly warmer readings over the mountains and valleys above the shallow cold air. Models keep clouds and light snow going into early Fri morning many locations, with a rapid end to precip by midday as trough slides south into NM. Clouds should thus keep Fri morning mins in the single digits above/below zero, though if any clearing can occur, temps on the plains could really tank with blanket of fresh snow in place. Temps begin a slow recovery Fri, though all areas will remain below freezing another day. Nudged temps downward somewhat Fri night to account for clear skies and fresh snow, though warming aloft will likely lead to rising temps Sat morning, especially in the lee of the eastern mountains. Milder air then floods back eastward across the region beginning Sat and continuing into early next week, with downslope winds bringing a quick melt to snow on the plains Sun/Mon as temps push back into the 50s east of the mountains. Weakening trough may bring some snow back to the mountains late Mon into Tue, with Continental Divide favored for heaviest snowfall. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Wednesday night) Issued at 1015 PM MST Tue Jan 3 2017 KALS...VFR conditions through the next 24 hours. Southerly winds will likely keep fog from developing tonight into Wednesday morning. But if fog can develop, it will reduce VIS and CIGS. Southwesterly winds are expected to increase by afternoon with gusts near 25 kts. KCOS...areas of low stratus will produce CIGS around 2 kft tonight into Wednesday morning. VFR conditions are expected by mid morning once low stratus mixes out. A cold front will move across the terminal late in the afternoon with winds shifting northerly and increasing through the evening. Snow will likely develop during the evening with lowered CIGS and VIS. KPUB...VFR conditions through Wednesday afternoon. The main issue will be winds during the afternoon. For now it looks like southerly winds will prevail, however, gusty west winds may be possible. A cold front will move across the terminal during the late afternoon with low stratus and showers developing during the evening. Mozley && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Watch from Wednesday afternoon through late Thursday night for COZ072>075-079>082. Winter Storm Warning from 5 AM Wednesday to 6 AM MST Friday for COZ058-060-066-068. Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM Wednesday to 6 AM MST Friday for COZ059-061. && SHORT TERM...MOORE LONG TERM...PETERSEN AVIATION...MOZLEY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 805 PM MST TUE JAN 3 2017 COZ058>089-093>099-050315- 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- 805 PM MST TUE JAN 3 2017 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT MOIST PACIFIC FLOW WILL PRODUCE 1 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TONIGHT. WINDS GUSTING TO 50 MPH AT TIMES WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW AND LOW VISIBILITIES. TRAVEL WILL BE HAZARDOUS AT TIMES THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN PASSES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY HEAVY...BLOWING SNOW AND POOR VISIBILITIES WILL IMPACT THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE INTO EARLY FRIDAY. ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 FEET ARE EXPECTED WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. TRAVEL WILL BE HAZARDOUS TO IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN PASSES. ARCTIC AIR WILL BRING A GOOD CHANCE OF SNOW TO THE VALLEYS AND PLAINS OF SOUTHERN COLORADO WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. MOST OF THESE AREAS HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR AT LEAST A FEW INCHES OF SNOW WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. THE ARCTIC AIR WILL BRING WELL BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES TO SOUTHEAST COLORADO THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. DAYTIME HIGHS DURING THE PERIOD WILL ONLY BE IN THE TEENS AND 20S. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL RANGE FROM 10 ABOVE TO 5 BELOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY TONIGHT ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. 50/50
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
14 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: 671448, 671449, 671450, 671451, 671452, 671453, 671454, 671455, 671456, 671457, 671458, 671459, 671460, 671461.