Colorado, 2018

Winter Weather in Colorado, February 22 to 24, 2018

February 22 to 24, 2018 · NWS GJT · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A Pacific trough brought widespread significant snowfall to the region.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.

A Pacific trough brought widespread significant snowfall to the region.

What forecasters said that day

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 Feb 22, 4:52 PM MST, 3 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 22, 4:52 PM MST, 3 hours 8 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 22, 4:47 AM MST, 15 hours 13 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service GRAND JUNCTION CO
447 AM MST Thu Feb 22 2018

COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-231200-
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-
447 AM MST Thu Feb 22 2018

This hazardous weather outlook is for eastern Utah and western
Colorado.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Widespread snow will continue across much of southwest and central
Colorado this morning. An additional 2 to 4 inches in the Pagosa
Springs area is expected this morning and from 3 to 6 inches in
the southwest San Juan Mountains. Snow becomes more showery and
scattered in coverage this afternoon. Additional accumulations
will be more localized with heavy bursts of snow possible over
the higher terrain this afternoon. Light scattered snow showers
are expected to continue tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

The weather pattern will remain active during the latter part of
the week through the middle of the coming week. A storm arriving
Friday has the potential to yield significant snowfall
accumulations through Saturday. Additional snowfall is possible
Sunday, then again Tuesday night and Wednesday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected today or tonight, however
spotters are encouraged to report snowfall amounts to the
National Weather Service in Grand Junction.

NL

In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 22, 3:20 PM MST, 4 hours 40 minutes before
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Local storm report, Feb 22, 4:29 PM MST, 3 hours 31 minutes before
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Local storm report, Feb 22, 6:24 PM MST, 1 hour 36 minutes before
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Local storm report, Feb 22, 6:36 PM MST, 1 hour 24 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When
February 22, 8:00 PM MST to February 23, 10:00 PM MST
Where
Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals generally ranged from 4 to 10 inches across the area, with locally higher amounts up to 14 inches.

Winter Weather, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains

When
February 22, 10:00 PM MST to February 24, 4:00 AM MST
Where
West Elk and Sawatch Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals ranged from 3 to 8 inches across the area.

Winter Weather, Flattop Mountains

When
February 23, 2:00 AM MST to February 24, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Flattop Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
40.062, -107.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals ranged from 3 to 9 inches across the area.

Winter Weather, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus

When
February 23, 3:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where
Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals of 5 to 11 inches occurred across the area.

Winter Weather, Elkhead and Park Mountains

When
February 23, 4:00 AM MST to February 24, 12:00 PM MST
Where
Elkhead and Park Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals generally ranged from 4 to 10 inches across the area.

Winter Weather, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When
February 23, 8:00 AM MST to February 24, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals ranged from 4 to 8 inches across the area.

Winter Weather, Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide

When
February 23, 11:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where
Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals ranged from 5 to 7 inches across the area.

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, February 2018

Sources

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: 732469, 732470, 732471, 732467, 732468, 732473, 732472.