A storm system produced snow, heavy at times over many sections of southern Colorado. Some of the higher reported snow amounts included: six to eight inches of snow near Howard, WestCliffe, Maysville and the Spanish Peaks.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 produced snow, heavy at times over many sections of southern Colorado. Some of the higher reported snow amounts included: six to eight inches of snow near Howard, WestCliffe, Maysville and the Spanish Peaks. Ten inches of snow was noted near Monument, while 15 inches of snow graced Monarch Pass. Finally, 23 inches of snow was measured near Wolf Creek Pass.
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, 10:35 PM MST, 2 hours 25 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1035 PM MST Fri Jan 19 2018 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Saturday) Issued at 309 PM MST Fri Jan 19 2018 ...Areas of High Fire Danger ahead of Approaching Storm... There are some spots of critical fire weather conditions out there this afternoon, primarily through the Arkansas River gap shooting through Canon City out onto the plains. An area of stronger winds and, thus, higher fire danger is also occuring through the gap in the Sangre De Cristos through La Veta Pass, spilling out onto the plains toward Walsenburg. But, such conditions have been fairly localized today. There will be more such areas tomorrow afternoon but again fairly localized. Relative humidities come up just a bit keeping the overall threat down. So, no fire weather highlights needed. However, this would still be a good day to avoid outdoor burning or other activities that could accidentally start a wildfire. Saturday afternoon, a deepening Pacific storm system will begin to spread snow into the Colorado Continental Divide. The center of the storm will be shifting across southern Utah late in the day so the San Juans will start picking up the snow first. However, not too much accumulation is expected there through 5 PM...maybe up to around 3 inches. Farther north, the onset of most of the snow will be a bit later, mainly after 5 PM. So little accumulation expected up that way through the day, mostly just some local amounts of less than an inch. The heavier snow and stronger winds arrive during the evening. .LONG TERM...(Saturday night through Friday) Issued at 309 PM MST Fri Jan 19 2018 Models in good agreement through the extended period. Ensemble spreads are also quite low through the extended, with higher forecast confidence in the pattern evolution. The main differences in the operational solutions are the minor details. Saturday night through Sunday night...a strong winter storm system is forecast to move across the region. The model consensus takes the upper storm track across Utah, wrapping into a closed low across southern Colorado, before ejecting northeast across Kansas. There are two main concerns with this upper storm system, one being snowfall across the region, the other being strong winds across the Plains behind the cold front. Expect periods of heavy snowfall over the San Juan and La Garita ranges Saturday night through Sunday morning. Gusty winds will produce areas of blowing snowfall. Snow accumulations of 7 to 10 inches with local amounts up to 20 inches are expected. Travel will be challenging Sunday morning over area passes. Periods of heavy snow will start by late Saturday night over the Central Mountains, spreading east into the Eastern Mountains through the morning hours on Sunday. Generally 5 to 10 inches are expected with locally higher amounts possible. A strong cold front is forecast to drop south across the Plains by Sunday morning. Strong north winds gusting 45 to 55 mph are expected behind the front. Snow will quickly spread across the Palmer Divide by Sunday morning, and spread south and east through Sunday afternoon and evening. There are several factors that may cause issues on the Plains. Some model projections wrap the upper level low up Sunday morning into the afternoon across the Plains, with a heavier band of snow. This heavier band of snow looks to stretch from the Raton Mesa, northeast to Kiowa County at this time. Of course, storm dynamics will have to overcome strong downsloping winds which tend to limit snowfall over portions of the Plains. For now, expect the highest snow totals over the Southern I-25 corridor and over the Palmer Divide with around 2 to 5 inches expected. Out over the Plains, most locations may end up with 1 to 3 inches, especially where snow is able to overcome the effects of the strong north winds. We will also have to monitor storm track trends. A bit further south storm track would put more favorable northeast wind and a higher potential for more widespread heavier snowfall through the day on Sunday. Winds will produce dangerous driving conditions on highways across the Plains with low visibilities and drifting of snow. Those with high profile vehicles will experience strong cross winds. Models in good agreement with this being a fast moving storm system. Expect snow and wind to decrease from west to east across the region Sunday night, with dry conditions by Monday morning. Monday through Friday...broad northwest flow aloft will prevail Monday into Tuesday. This will bring dry conditions to much of Southern Colorado, with a few light snow showers possible over the Central Mountains. By Wednesday, a quick moving high pressure system will move across the area with dry and warmer conditions. The next upper level storm system will begin to approach the area Thursday and Friday. Flow aloft will turn southwesterly and allow for good mixing across the area. After highs in the 40s Monday through Wednesday, mid to upper 50s are expected Thursday and Friday. In addition, humidity values will lower and breezy conditions could bring elevated fire weather concerns to the Plains, however, fuels will have to be monitored for response to expected snowfall. Mozley && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Saturday night) Issued at 1030 PM MST Fri Jan 19 2018 VFR conditions are expected the next 24 hrs at KCOS, KPUB and KALS. KALS will likely see gusty southwest winds Sat afternoon, with gusts of 20-25 kts, and clouds will increase in the evening with ceilings lowering, but still remaining VFR. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Watch from late Saturday night through Sunday afternoon for COZ084. Winter Storm Watch from Saturday evening through Sunday afternoon for COZ081-082. Winter Storm Watch from Saturday evening through Sunday afternoon for COZ058>061. Winter Weather Advisory from 2 PM Saturday to 2 PM MST Sunday for COZ066-068. && SHORT TERM...LW LONG TERM...MOZLEY AVIATION...28
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 900 PM MST Fri Jan 19 2018 COZ058>089-093>099-210400- Western Mosquito Range/East Lake County Above 11000 Feet- Leadville Vicinity/Lake County Below 11000 Feet- Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Western Chaffee County Between 9000 and 11000 Feet- Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Feet- Western Mosquito Range/East Chaffee County Above 9000 Feet- Saguache County West of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet- Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet- La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Upper Rio Grande Valley/Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Feet-Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Del Norte Vicinity/Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet- Alamosa Vicinity/Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet- Southern San Luis Valley- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 And 11000 Feet- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 and 11000 Feet- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Northwestern Fremont County Above 8500 Feet- Western/Central Fremont County Below 8500 Feet- Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Feet- Wet Mountains between 6300 and 10000 Feet- Wet Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Teller County/Rampart Range Above 7500 Feet/Pikes Peak Between 7500 And 11000 Feet-Pikes Peak Above 11000 Feet- Canon City Vicinity/Eastern Fremont County- Northern El Paso County/Monument Ridge/Rampart Range Below 7500 Feet- Colorado Springs Vicinity/Southern El Paso County/Rampart Range Below 7400 Feet-Pueblo Vicinity/Pueblo County Below 6300 Feet- Walsenburg Vicinity/Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Feet- Trinidad Vicinity/Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Feet- 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- 900 PM MST Fri Jan 19 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Near-critical fire weather conditions will be possible across the across portions of the southeastern Colorado Plains on Saturday, as west to southwest winds increase ahead of a strong storm system moving into the Great Basin. This storm system is expected to move into the Four Corners Region Saturday night, and then across southern Colorado through the day Sunday, before lifting into north central Kansas into Sunday night. This system will bring gusty winds and moderate to heavy snowfall to the higher terrain of the Continental Divide late Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning. The current forecast path of this storm system supports a period of wind driven snow across Eastern Colorado on Sunday, with strong north winds Sunday and Sunday night. Light to moderate snow accumulations will be possible across portions of the Eastern Mountains, the Palmer Divide and Raton Mesa, with generally light snow accumulations possible across the rest of the Southeast Plains. Hazardous travel conditions will also be possible across Southeast Colorado on Sunday, with the potential for poor visibilities in snow and blowing snow. Another weak storm system could bring some light accumulating snow to the higher terrain of the central mountains Monday and Tuesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters will not be needed tonight. 28/28
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, January 2018
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: 730643, 730644, 730641.