Heavy Snow and High Wind in Colorado, November 7 to 8, 2020

Name: Heavy Snow and High Wind in Colorado, November 7 to 8, 2020
Start: 2020-11-07T07:30
End: 2020-11-08T07:34
Location: Colorado

November 7 to 8, 2020 · NWS PUB · 23 events in 12 counties and zones

An upper level system moved across southern Colorado and brought increased snow chances and damaging winds to the eastern mountains and adjacent lower elevations during the early morning hours on the 8th. The main concerns for this day were the damaging winds, with gusts as high as 65 to 75 mph being reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 23 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: 23

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 PUB wrote it up.

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 Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 7, 4:30 AM MST, 3 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 7, 4:30 AM MST, 3 hours before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 7, 5:30 AM MST, 2 hours before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 high wind, 2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When: November 7, 7:30 AM MST to November 8, 7:30 AM MST
Where: Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow of 16.0 inches.

Heavy Snow, Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When: November 7, 7:34 AM MST to November 8, 7:34 AM MST
Where: Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow of 17.0 inches. Snotel station.

High Wind, Trinidad Vicinity / Lower Huerfano River Basin & Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Ft

When: November 7, 11:01 PM MST to 11:04 PM MST
Where: Trinidad Vicinity / Lower Huerfano River Basin & Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 37.316, -104.039 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Perry Stokes Airport.

High Wind, Pueblo Vicinity / Pueblo County Below 6300 Ft

When: November 7, 11:58 PM MST to November 8, 12:01 AM MST
Where: Pueblo Vicinity / Pueblo County Below 6300 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 38.173, -104.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Red Creek Raws.

High Wind, Trinidad Vicinity / Lower Huerfano River Basin & Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Ft

When: November 8, 12:20 AM MST to 12:23 AM MST
Where: Trinidad Vicinity / Lower Huerfano River Basin & Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 37.316, -104.039 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Perry Stokes Airport.

High Wind, Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft

When: November 8, 12:28 AM MST to 12:31 AM MST
Where: Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 37.578, -106.085 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

San Luis Valley Regional Airport.

High Wind, Wet Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When: November 8, 12:56 AM MST to 12:59 AM MST
Where: Wet Mountains Above 10000 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 37.989, -104.947 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Eight miles west northwest San Isabel.

High Wind, West / Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft

When: November 8, 2:34 AM MST to 2:37 AM MST
Where: West / Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 38.473, -105.440 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Bear Creek.

High Wind, Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft

When: November 8, 2:59 AM MST to 3:02 AM MST
Where: Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 64 kt (74 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 37.685, -104.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Automated Weather Observing System. K4V1.

High Wind, Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft

When: November 8, 3:00 AM MST to 3:03 AM MST
Where: Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 37.685, -104.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Apache City.

High Wind, Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: November 8, 4:35 AM MST to 4:38 AM MST
Where: Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 38.729, -105.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One mile southeast Rampart Rsvr.

High Wind, Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: November 8, 4:46 AM MST to 4:49 AM MST
Where: Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 38.729, -105.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Air Force Academy Rampart Range Sensor.

High Wind, Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: November 8, 4:48 AM MST to 4:51 AM MST
Where: Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Air Force Academy Community Center Sensor.

High Wind, Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: November 8, 4:51 AM MST to 4:54 AM MST
Where: Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Automated Surface Observing System.

High Wind, Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft

When: November 8, 4:56 AM MST to 4:59 AM MST
Where: Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 38.110, -105.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Willis Creek.

High Wind, Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: November 8, 5:12 AM MST to 5:15 AM MST
Where: Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Air Force Academy Lewis Palmer Sensor.

High Wind, Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: November 8, 5:19 AM MST to 5:22 AM MST
Where: Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 38.729, -105.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very large pine trees snapped and uprooted. Mobile home rolled on side. Power outages from downed trees.

High Wind, Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft

When: November 8, 5:30 AM MST to 5:33 AM MST
Where: Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 37.685, -104.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Apache City.

High Wind, Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft

When: November 8, 5:40 AM MST to 5:43 AM MST
Where: Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 37.685, -104.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Apache City.

High Wind, Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: November 8, 5:54 AM MST to 5:57 AM MST
Where: Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 38.729, -105.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Manchester.

High Wind, Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: November 8, 5:58 AM MST to 6:01 AM MST
Where: Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Fort Carson.

High Wind, Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: November 8, 6:58 AM MST to 7:01 AM MST
Where: Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Fort Carson.

High Wind, Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: November 8, 7:26 AM MST to 7:29 AM MST
Where: Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 37.426, -104.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Bosque.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Colorado in 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in Colorado, November 2020

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 929555, 929557, 929524, 929525, 929527, 929529, 929530, 929531, 929532, 929534, 929535, 929537, 929539, 929540, 929541, 929542, 929543, 929545, 929546, 929547, 929548, 929549, 929551.