The next in a series of storm systems produced heavy snow over sections of southern Colorado. Some of the higher reported snow amounts with this storm system included six to eight inches of snow near Buena Vista, Cripple Creek, Westcliffe, Hillside and Texas Creek.
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.
The next in a series of storm systems produced heavy snow over sections of southern Colorado. Some of the higher reported snow amounts with this storm system included six to eight inches of snow near Buena Vista, Cripple Creek, Westcliffe, Hillside and Texas Creek. An impressive 40 inches of snow inundated locations near Leadville.
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 Apr 29, 3:49 AM MST, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 449 AM MDT Mon Apr 29 2019 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 343 AM MDT Mon Apr 29 2019 ...Widespread Rain and Snow Across South Central and Southeast Colorado... Current water vapor imagery and upper air analysis is indicating moderate west to southwest flow aloft across the region, with one broad upper trough translating across the Upper Midwest as another upper trough is digging across the Pacific Northwest Coast at this time. Water vapor imagery is also indicating an upper low currently spinning offshore of the southern California Coast, spreading Pacific moisture into the Desert SW at this time. At the surface, last night's passing cold front across the Eastern Plains has pushed south and west and is banked up across the lower eastern slopes into New Mexico, with stratus filling in across the Plains at this time. Regional radars a few showers across the northern and central mountains moving east across the Pikes Peak region and out across the northeast Plains. Today and Tonight...Latest models are a tad slower with lifting out the southern California upper low and are a tad further north with this system as it weakens and merges with the northern stream trough digging across the Intermountain west this afternoon, with the merged system then continuing across the Central Rockies into early Tuesday morning. With that said, have backed off the timing of precipitation onset, especially over and near the eastern mts until the mid to late afternoon. Pattern still supports widespread rain and higher elevation snow showers spreading across the ContDvd through the late morning, with the showers and a few embedded thunderstorms spreading north and east across the high mountain valleys and eastern mountains through the afternoon. Showers then continue out across the I-25 Corridor through the far southeast Plains late this afternoon and tonight. Model qpfs have also backed off a tad, though still looks to be widespread 1/2 to over an inch for areas over and near the higher terrain, greatest across the southwest and central mts and into the Pikes Peak region, with a few tenths across the southern I-25 Corridor through the far southeast Plains. With the slightly further north track, snow levels do not fall as much, though still could see some snow down to around 7000 feet tonight, especially in the Pikes Peak region. With that said, have kept current Winter Weather highlights in place. Will also need to monitor precipitation amounts and rates across the burn scars today, especially the newer Spring scar. However, with the slower and further north ejection of the system, there does not look to be widespread heavy precipitation across the Southern Sangres today. .LONG TERM...(Tuesday through Sunday) Issued at 343 AM MDT Mon Apr 29 2019 Initial upper wave moves quickly across srn CO Tue morning, with showers lingering across much of the area until midday. Wave then pushes into KS Tue afternoon, and expect upward motion to fade as low/mid level flow turns wly. Will taper off pops to mainly isolated tsra across the ern mts and plains, with downslope winds potentially killing precip entirely across the srn I-25 corridor from Pueblo south to Raton Pass. Farther west, lift ahead of nrn stream trough dropping into the Great Basin will begin to increase again by Tue evening, and will keep likely pops in place for rain/high elevation snow showers along the Continental Divide overnight, while interior valleys see scattered rain showers. Snow level stays around 8-9k feet through much of the night, before falling slowly toward 7k feet Wed morning. Snow then continues on Wed as wave slides by to the north, and may eventually need an winter wx advisory for portions of the central mountains, though will let initial highlights for today/tonight run their course before any new issuance. Eastern mountains and plains may miss most of the heavier precip with the Tue night/Wed system, though will keep some low pops for tsra along and north of the Arkansas River Wed afternoon as srn end of the trough drags across the region and surface cold front drops back south through the plains by Wed evening. Max temps Tue will jump back into the 60s/70s at lower elevations along and east of the mountains as downslope flow develops, though far eastern plains could stay in the cooler air mass until fairly late in the day. Mountains and interior valleys will see only some minor change from Monday's highs. Broad upper trough remains over the Rockies on Thu into Fri, with one more piece of energy sliding by to the north late Thu night into Friday morning. Weak post frontal upslope regime should add just enough moisture and instability for a slight chance of the thunderstorms over the eastern mountains Thu afternoon, with a few storms drifting onto the Plains Thu evening. Friday looks drier across the area under w-nw flow aloft, though enough low level moisture may remain in far sern CO for another round of afternoon/evening convection, as weak lift develops north of the old frontal boundary in nern NM. Flow then gradually turns swly next weekend as new upper trough approaches the west coast, suggesting warmer temps for both Sat and Sun, along with only minor pops over the mountains and near the low level moisture gradient along the KS border. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Tuesday morning) Issued at 343 AM MDT Mon Apr 29 2019 Last night's front has raced across the southeast Plains with MVFR and patchy IFR stratus banking up across the eastern mountains this morning. COS and PUB will continue to see easterly upslope and MVFR cigs through the day. Widespread rain showers are expected to spread across the I-25 Corridor late this afternoon and evening, with MVFR and IFR conditions expected through the rest of the taf period, especially at COS. VFR conditions are expected at ALS through the early afternoon with MVFR conditions in scattered rain showers and possible thunderstorms late this afternoon and evening. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning until 6 AM MDT Tuesday for COZ058-060-073- 082. Winter Weather Advisory from noon today to 6 AM MDT Tuesday for COZ066-068-076-080-081. && SHORT TERM...MW LONG TERM...PETERSEN AVIATION...MW
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 619 AM MDT Mon Apr 29 2019 COZ058>089-093>099-301230- 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- 619 AM MDT Mon Apr 29 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Rain showers, with higher elevation snow, will start to develop along and west of the Continental Divide this morning. Showers, with a few embedded thunderstorms, will become more widespread as they spread north and east across the high mountain valleys through the eastern mountains and plains this afternoon through tonight. Snow may be heavy at times over the mountains above 10,000 feet, with snow accumulations of 10 to 20 inches expected across the Eastern Sawatch and Mosquito Ranges, Pikes Peak and the Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches can also be expected across the Eastern San Juan and La Garita Mountains above 10,000 feet, the Wet Mountains above 10,000 feet as well as Fremont County and Teller County between 8000 and 11,000 feet. Snow levels could fall to around 7000 feet across the area late tonight, with light snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches possible, mainly on grassy areas. The main threats from any thunderstorms today and tonight would be lightning and gusty winds up to 50 mph, with small hail possible with the stronger storms. Also, locally heavy rainfall will be possible with the stronger storms. If heavy rainfall falls on one of the newer burn scars, especially the Spring burn scar, localized flashing flooding will be possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Rain and snow will end temporarily during the first half of Tuesday, before showers and isolated thunderstorms return to the mountains by evening. Overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, snow will be likely over the higher elevations along and near the Continental Divide, with several inches of accumulation possible above 8000 feet. Elsewhere, isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop Wednesday afternoon and evening, especially along and north of the Arkansas River. From Thursday into Sunday, isolated thunderstorms will be possible each day, with the best coverage of storms in the afternoon and evening hours over the eastern mountains and across the southeast plains near the Kansas border. The main threat from storms will be lightning and gusty winds to around 50 mph, with small hail possible with the stronger storms. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters are expected across the higher terrain today and tonight, and will be possible this afternoon and evening across the southeast plains. 10/23
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 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 2019
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: 821304, 821305, 821306.