A storm system generated snow heavy at times, favoring higher terrain southern Colorado locations. Some of the higher reported snow amounts with this system included six to nine inches near Branson, Colorado City, Colorado Springs, Del Norte, Manitou Springs, Maysville, Peterson Air Force Base, Rosita, Texas Creek, Trinidad, Westcliffe and Wetmore.
Every event with a place to put it; 17 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 generated snow heavy at times, favoring higher terrain southern Colorado locations. Some of the higher reported snow amounts with this system included six to nine inches near Branson, Colorado City, Colorado Springs, Del Norte, Manitou Springs, Maysville, Peterson Air Force Base, Rosita, Texas Creek, Trinidad, Westcliffe and Wetmore. Ten to Twelve inches of snow was observed near Beulah, Leadville and the Spanish Peaks. 16 to 18 inches of snow graced the Rye and Wolf Creek Pass areas, while an impressive 31 inches of snow was measured in the vicinity of Monarch 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 Dec 12, 3:45 PM MST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 345 PM MST Thu Dec 12 2019 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday) Issued at 345 PM MST Thu Dec 12 2019 Leading edge of the upper level jet pushing into Colorado this afternoon, bringing some very light snow to the central mountains from Cottonwood Pass northward. Jet and associated moisture will continue to plow into the state overnight and through the day on Fri, leading to a gradual ramp up of snow intensity and coverage along the Continental Divide. Snow accumulations through Friday afternoon won't be too extreme (5-10 inches over the Sawatch and Mosquito Ranges), but with strong west winds producing widespread blowing snow, especially near/above timberline, winter storm warning looks warranted for higher mountain zones, with advisory for lower elevations of Lake County. Farther south along the Divide, snow looks much lighter, with just a few inches expected over the La Garitas/San Juans. Some mainly light spillover showers expected in upper Arkansas Valley and over the eastern mountains, through Friday, while plains and bulk of the San Luis Valley stay dry and fairly mild under westerly flow aloft. .LONG TERM...(Friday night through Thursday) Issued at 345 PM MST Thu Dec 12 2019 Active meteorological conditions are expected over the CWA from Friday night into Monday morning in advance of improving conditions from later Monday into next Thursday. Initially, snow, heavy at times(with incoming system/PV analysis/etc.)in combination with gusty winds will be ongoing over the Central Mountains Friday evening, with snow expanding into the majority of our Continental Divide locations into Saturday night and then continuing into Sunday, therefore have expanded inherited Winter Storm Watch to also include the La Garita Mountains in addition to the eastern San Juan mountains from late Saturday afternoon into Sunday afternoon. Elsewhere, locations east of the I-25 corridor should experience generally dry and cooler conditions in combination with gusty winds at times from Friday evening into Saturday evening(with encroaching showers possible from the west as Saturday progresses). Recent longer range computer simulations, ensembles, PV analysis, forecast model soundings/etc. still indicate that the highest potential for more widespread and possibly moderate to heavy precipitation/snow over eastern locations should be realized from Sunday into Sunday night and have issued a Winter Storm Watch over many eastern locations to account for this potential as healthy upper disturbance interacts with northerly component surface surge during this time-frame. Coolest temperatures during the longer term should be realized from Saturday into Tuesday, with warmer conditions returning by next Wednesday and Thursday as upper ridging moves across New Mexico. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Friday evening) Issued at 345 PM MST Thu Dec 12 2019 VFR at all taf sites the next 24 hours, with increasing west winds after 15z-18z Thu. Higher terrain surrounding the San Luis Valley will see occasional snow showers overnight and through the day on Thu, but expect this activity to stay away from KALS until Thu night. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST Friday for COZ059. Winter Storm Watch from Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon for COZ058>060. Winter Storm Watch from late Saturday night through late Sunday night for COZ061>063-072>087. Winter Storm Warning until 5 PM MST Friday for COZ058-060. Winter Storm Watch from Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon for COZ066-068. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 513 AM MST Thu Dec 12 2019 COZ058>089-093>099-131215- 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- 513 AM MST Thu Dec 12 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Snow and strong winds will spread into the mountains along the Continental Divide late this afternoon through tonight. With winds gusting over 50 mph across the higher peaks and passes tonight, expect considerable blowing and drifting snow. By early Friday morning, snowfall accumulations of 2 to 5 inches can be expected across the eastern Sawatch and western Mosquito ranges with additional wind driven snow expected through Friday. Lighter snowfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches will be possible across the La Garita and northern Sangre De Cristo mountains by early Friday morning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Expect snow and strong winds to continue along the Continental Divide on Friday. Winds approaching 50 mph will be possible, causing considerable blowing and drifting snow. An additional 2 to 3 inches of snow accumulation can be expected across the eastern Sawatch and western Mosquito Mountains during the day Friday with accumulations up to an inch possible across the La Garitas and northern Sangre de Cristos. Another round of heavier snow is expected Saturday into Sunday for the Continental Divide. An additional 8 to 16 inches of snow are possible for the eastern Sawatch and western Mosquito Ranges, while an additional 8 to 12 inches of snow is possible for the eastern San Juans. Lesser amounts of snow are expected over the Sangre de Cristo and La Garita Mountains, where 2 to 4 inches of snow are possible. Snow spreads to the I-25 corridor and eastern plains on Sunday, where 1 to 4 inches of snow are possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be likely tonight across the central mountains. 31/29
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
17 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, December 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: 870157, 870158, 870159, 870160, 870161, 870162, 870163, 870168, 870169, 870172, 870173, 870175, 870177, 870178, 870164, 870165, 870167.