A storm system produced very heavy snow over portions of the north central mountains as it moved over the state. The heaviest snowfall occurred above 10,500 ft.
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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 BOU wrote it up.
A storm system produced very heavy snow over portions of the north central mountains as it moved over the state. The heaviest snowfall occurred above 10,500 ft. Storm totals included 17 inches, 7 miles south-southeast of Cameron Pass with 16 inches, 9 miles south-southeast of Spicer. Elsewhere, storm totals generally ranged from 3 to 7 inches.
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 Denver/Boulder, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 27, 7:59 PM MST, 6 hours 1 minute earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 859 PM MDT Mon May 27 2019 .UPDATE... Issued at 853 PM MDT Mon May 27 2019 Severe weather threat has pushed east of our area and combination outflow/cold front is pushing through Denver at this hour. Plenty of showers continue upstream over central and southwestern Colorado in the lift ahead of the incoming trough, and also in the developing deformation zone along the northern border. Model trends are for a slower and slightly more northerly track to this low over the next 36 hours. This could keep most of the significant precipitation north of Denver, and also delay the arrival of the synoptic scale showers. For now, we've just slowed down the eastward progression of the showers overnight, with the best chances north and west of Denver. The slowing may also delay the descent of the freezing level in the mountains, but there will still be accumulations above timberline with the snow lowering to 9-10 thousand feet by morning. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Tuesday) Issued at 255 PM MDT Mon May 27 2019 An upper low over the Arizona/Utah border will slowly move northeast through Tuesday. The 120kt jet pushing northeast ahead of it spreads over eastern Colorado tonight, putting the area in the right exit region allowing for good lift. Increasing southeasterly surface flow into a low will provide good amount of shear the rest of the afternoon into the evening, allowing for a good severe storm environment capable of forming high winds, large hail and tornadoes. By late this evening, shear will be decreasing, but moisture involved in this system is still quite high, and a cold front will spread southeast across the forecast area after midnight for showers and a few thunderstorms to continue. Snow levels currently around 10000 feet will lower to around 9000 feet by midnight, further lowering to around 7500 by sunrise. Most CAMs showing an increase in shower/storm coverage after midnight and into sunrise as good lift continues as the cold front pushes into the area. Moderate to heavy snow is expected over the northern mountains, with a rain snow mix over the lower foothills and over the top of the Palmer Divide. The upper low will be right over the area Tuesday to allow for scattered to numerous showers across most of the area, with max temperatures likely only getting into the 50s over the plains, except low 60s south of the Palmer Divide. Snow will continue, heavy at times in the northern mountains, especially over the Front Range Mountains as flow becomes northeast. Hence the warning for zone 33 (Medicine Bow Mountains and RMNP) and an advisory for zone 31 (near Rabbit Ears Pass). Good lift over the north- northeastern part of the area will allow for better precipitation potential, with 24 hour amounts of 1-2 inches up near the WY/NE borders. There still will be a little instability around, but will be limited by the cooler surface temperatures. Cannot rule out a few weak thunderstorms tomorrow. .LONG TERM...(Tuesday night through Monday) Issued at 255 PM MDT Mon May 27 2019 A cut-off trough will linger over Nebraska on Wednesday with precipitation to its west. Rain showers will be likely across the northeastern plains. The northern mountains will continue to see snow as well with north slopes being favored due to the northern winds. High temperatures will likely be around 20 degrees below normal as highs in Denver will not make it out of the 60s. The aforementioned trough begins to drift slowly eastward on Thursday as upper level flow will be weak and from the west. Relatively cold air aloft will linger over the area through Friday which will allow for steep lapse rates in the afternoon due to the strong heating from the late May sun. Each afternoon, showers and thunderstorms will form favoring the mountains but they may drift onto the adjacent plains. Ridging aloft will move over Colorado on Saturday which will limit the shower and storm activity. On Sunday, a weak shortwave trough will move over northern Colorado which will allow for more widespread showers and storms. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Tuesday evening) Issued at 853 PM MDT Mon May 27 2019 There will be some patchy low clouds associated with a cold front through 06z, but VFR conditions are expected to prevail. After that, ceilings will lower and eventually rain showers will develop. Expect MVFR conditions after about 10z which will prevail through the day on Tuesday. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to midnight MDT Tuesday night for COZ031. Winter Storm Warning from midnight tonight to midnight MDT Tuesday night for COZ033. && UPDATE...Gimmestad SHORT TERM...Kriederman LONG TERM...Danielson AVIATION...Gimmestad
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 1035 AM MDT Mon May 27 2019 COZ030>051-281645- Jackson County Below 9000 Feet- West Jackson and West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet- Grand and Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet- South and East Jackson/Larimer/North and Northeast Grand/ Northwest Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet- South and Southeast Grand/West Central and Southwest Boulder/ Gilpin/Clear Creek/Summit/North and West Park Counties Above 9000 Feet-Larimer and Boulder Counties Between 6000 and 9000 Feet- Jefferson and West Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet/Gilpin/Clear Creek/Northeast Park Counties Below 9000 Feet- Central and Southeast Park County- Larimer County Below 6000 Feet/Northwest Weld County- Boulder And Jefferson Counties Below 6000 Feet/West Broomfield County- North Douglas County Below 6000 Feet/Denver/West Adams and Arapahoe Counties/East Broomfield County- Elbert/Central and East Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet- Northeast Weld County-Central and South Weld County-Morgan County- Central and East Adams and Arapahoe Counties- North and Northeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/North Lincoln County- Southeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/South Lincoln County- Logan County-Washington County-Sedgwick County-Phillips County- 1035 AM MDT Mon May 27 2019 ...SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE OVER THE PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... ...MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW POSSIBLE OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... This hazardous weather outlook is for northeast and north central Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight The potential exists for another round of severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening, from areas around Denver north to the Wyoming border and then east across the northern Colorado plains. Hail of up to 3 inches in diameter and wind gusts to 60 mph will be the main threats. Brief but isolated tornadoes are also possible. Moderate to heavy snow will begin late tonight and continuing through Tuesday evening over portions of the northern mountains. Colder temperatures and numerous showers will spread across the plains overnight, with a possibility of snow mixing in with rain over the top of the Palmer Divide. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Rain showers are expected to spread across northeast Colorado Tuesday and Tuesday night with the heaviest rain over far northern Colorado. Snow is expected over the mountains with the snow level falling to 8,000 feet MSL. Snowfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches will be possible in the northern mountains by Wednesday morning, mainly above 10,000 feet. Up to 16 inches of snow will be possible over the mountains of Rocky Mountain National Park. For Wednesday through Sunday, there will be a slight chance for thunderstorms each day with the best chance being over the mountains and foothills. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will be needed after 1 pm this afternoon.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Denver CO 121 AM MDT Tue May 28 2019 COZ040-280800- North Douglas County Below 6000 Feet/Denver/West Adams and Arapahoe Counties/East Broomfield County CO- 121 AM MDT Tue May 28 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR DENVER AND SOUTHWESTERN ADAMS COUNTIES UNTIL 200 AM MDT... At 121 AM MDT, the public reported a strong thunderstorm over western Denver, moving northeast at 25 mph. Nickel size hail will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Denver, northwestern Aurora, southeastern Thornton, Commerce City, Brighton, Denver International Airport, D.I.A Terminal and Concourses and Todd Creek. LAT...LON 3963 10493 3974 10504 3997 10488 3987 10464 TIME...MOT...LOC 0721Z 217DEG 22KT 3972 10497 MEIER
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
235 AM MDT TUE MAY 28 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0152 AM HAIL 1 W DENVER INTL AIRPORT 39.86N 104.69W
05/28/2019 M1.00 INCH DENVER CO EMERGENCY MNGR
0130 AM HAIL 2 E DENVER 39.74N 104.95W
05/28/2019 E0.25 INCH DENVER CO PUBLIC
HAIL ACCUMULATION MEASURED WITH RULER AT 1
INCH DEEP.
0125 AM HAIL 1 S DENVER 39.72N 104.98W
05/28/2019 E0.25 INCH DENVER CO PUBLIC
HAIL QUARTER INCH THICK AND HALF A INCH
DEEP.
0120 AM HAIL 3 NE ENGLEWOOD 39.68N 104.96W
05/28/2019 E1.25 INCH DENVER CO PUBLIC
0120 AM HAIL 1 E DENVER 39.74N 104.96W
05/28/2019 M0.70 INCH DENVER CO PUBLIC
HAIL COVERING GROUND.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter weather, 1 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, May 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: 815952, 824592, 824593.