Colorado, 2019

Winter Weather in Colorado, April 9 to 11, 2019

April 9 to 11, 2019 · NWS GJT · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

A Pacific low and associated cold front pushed across the Great Basin and produced moderate to heavy snow over the mountains of western Colorado, as well as some lower valleys. Additionally, a tightening gradient aloft led to gusty winds at the surface and periods of blowing snow.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
5

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 low and associated cold front pushed across the Great Basin and produced moderate to heavy snow over the mountains of western Colorado, as well as some lower valleys. Additionally, a tightening gradient aloft led to gusty winds at the surface and periods of blowing snow.

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 Apr 9, 6:30 PM MST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 9, 6:30 PM MST, 30 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 9, 4:00 AM MST, 15 hours before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Grand Junction CO
500 AM MDT Tue Apr 9 2019

COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-101100-
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-
500 AM MDT Tue Apr 9 2019

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

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Warm and windy conditions will occur today ahead of a strong cold
front expected to move through the area tonight. Southwest winds
will gust in the 30 to 50 mph range in most valley locations,
where wind advisories are in effect.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

Widespread showers with isolated thunderstorms are expected
Wednesday morning through Thursday morning as a strong Pacific
storm system moves through. Expect snow in the mountains and high
valleys with rain in the lower elevations. Significant snow
accumulations favoring the northern and central mountains.

Unsettled weather continues through the weekend as a couple more
weaker systems drop in from the northwest, with scattered showers
and thunderstorms possible from time to time.

Low temperatures will be much colder Wednesday, Thursday, and
Friday nights with sub-freezing low temperatures possible in the
lower elevations.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 9, 2:17 PM MST, 4 hours 43 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 9, 2:36 PM MST, 4 hours 24 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 9, 2:37 PM MST, 4 hours 23 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 9, 4:33 PM MST, 2 hours 27 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
533 PM MDT TUE APR 9 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0511 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 SW CORTEZ             37.30N 108.63W
04/09/2019  M45 MPH          MONTEZUMA          CO   ASOS

            ASOS STATION KCEZ CORTEZ MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.

&&

JC

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When
April 9, 7:00 PM MST to April 11, 1:00 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)

Generally 6 to 12 inches of snow fell across the area. Winds gusted up to 40 to 50 MPH. Colorado Highway 160 was closed for almost an hour during the storm between Hesperus and Mancos due to multiple vehicle slide-offs. Additionally, a state trooper was injured when a vehicle slid into his vehicle while he was working on a major accident.

Winter Weather, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When
April 9, 10:00 PM MST to April 11, 1:00 AM MST
Where
Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 6 to 9 inches of snow fell across the area.

Winter Weather, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus

When
April 10, 2:00 AM MST to April 11, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center measured 6 inches of snow over Douglas Pass. Winds gusted up to 47 MPH.

Winter Weather, Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide

When
April 10, 2:00 AM MST to April 11, 3:00 AM MST
Where
Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An estimated 10 inches of snow fell at the Columbine Pass SNOTEL site.

Winter Weather, Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin

When
April 10, 10:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
37.698, -108.507 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 2 to 5 inches of snow fell across the area. Winds gusted up to 41 MPH.

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 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 2019

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 806600, 806599, 806597, 806598, 806601.