A period of heavy snow was noted across southern Colorado during this time frame. Snow was observed across much of southern Colorado, especially the Wet and Sangre de Cristo mountains, and Pikes Peak region.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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 period of heavy snow was noted across southern Colorado during this time frame. Snow was observed across much of southern Colorado, especially the Wet and Sangre de Cristo mountains, and Pikes Peak region. The highest snowfall amounts were observed across the Pikes Peak region though, with many snowfall reports in excess of six inches observed over Teller and El Paso counties.
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 Feb 17, 10:59 AM MST, 3 hours 1 minute earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1059 AM MST Wed Feb 17 2021 .UPDATE... Issued at 923 AM MST Wed Feb 17 2021 After further evaluation of the latest model runs and lack of cloud development on satellite imagery, the QPFs and PoPs have been reduced over the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains for this morning, and slightly enhanced over the Wet Mountains for later this morning due to increased moisture over this area. Skies have also been slightly adjusted down over the eastern plains due to the cold arctic air continuing to be locked in with a more persistent easterly flow over this region of the CWA. && .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 341 AM MST Wed Feb 17 2021 Cold air is currently still in place over parts of the area, and while things have been clearing out overnight, there are still some low clouds lingering near the CO-KS border. Today, cloudy conditions will persist over most of the region. Latest model trends indicate growing confidence in relatively unstable conditions today and tonight. Lapse rates are looking not quite dry adiabatic, but for winter fairly robust. Several of the models have been showing afternoon CAPE values of 200 J/Kg or more, indicating that we could actually be seeing some isolated areas of convection and maybe even some thunder snow this afternoon and evening. The snow is likely to begin around midday, picking up more as we head later into the afternoon, with most of these convective snow showers likely over the southern Sangres and Wet Mountains, as well as the Pikes Peak region. Agreement on snow amounts was reasonably consistent between the high-res models, and given those and the potential impacts a few highlights have been issued. The peaks of the southern Sangres and Wets could be seeing upwards of 7- 10 inches, while the adjacent lower elevations could be seeing 3-6. Western El Paso County and Teller are expected to get 4-7 inches as well, while the eastern half of El Paso is only expected 1-3. However, a few of the models had some convective snow showers moving slightly more eastward in that area, so an extra shot of quick snow is not impossible. The snow will last into the evening, but will dissipate overnight. Temperatures today will be seasonably normal, with high 20s to mid- 30s expected over most of the area. Lows tonight will be cool once again, with low teens to single digits anticipated. Wind chill values should be on the mild side, compared to last weekend, over the plains, but the higher elevations will remain cold. .LONG TERM...(Thursday through Tuesday) Issued at 341 AM MST Wed Feb 17 2021 Thursday... Cold with lingering morning snow showers on the plains. Additional snow showers will be possible over the greater S Sangres during the afternoon. Max temps this date will be pretty uniform with highs around 30 both over the plains and valleys, with single digits and 10s mtns. Friday... Warming up across the region, especially the I-25 corridor region. Surface flow will be downslope as a strong jet translates across the state. This will allow temps to rise around 50 along the east slopes of the mtns with 40s over the rest of the plains. This will likely be the first day in quite awhile that all of the plains get above the freezing mark. It will likely get rather windy in the mtns with gusts in the 40s most of the higher terrain. Some snow showers will be possible over the central mtns, especially N of Cottonwood Pass. Saturday... Warm over the plains with mid 50s to mid 40s most areas. It will likely be a bit breezy over the lower terrain. Over the mtns, snow will be on the increase, especially over the central mtns. This Pacific system will be moving quickly, but I would not be surprised if we will need some advisories to the c mtns on this day. Some of this precip will have the potential to push into all of the Pikes Peak region in the evening. Sunday... Cooler all areas with snow showers decreasing in the morning. Early next week... Mild and mainly dry. Ensemble guidance is hinting at a more significant weather system later in the week. \/Hodanish && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon) Issued at 1043 AM MST Wed Feb 17 2021 KALS...VFR conditions are expected to persist today. Snow showers will be developing in the area this afternoon/evening, and while some showers may pass close to the terminal, confidence on a shower moving directly over the site is low until later this evening. While snow showers will likely be more isolated in nature, there is medium-high confidence in snow showers passing over the terminal starting around 03Z and lasting until about 14Z, and then snow should break up and become more scattered and in the vicinity. Winds will be light today, strengthening slightly tonight and gaining a southeast component until early tomorrow morning, in which they will return again to light and variable. KCOS...VFR conditions this morning, but potentially convective snow showers are expected to impact the terminal beginning around 20Z this afternoon with mostly MIFR conditions expected. The snow could be possible heavy at times after 20Z with VIS being reduced to 1/2SM or less in SHSN. Besides the isolated snow showers, snow is still expected to impact KCOS this afternoon and evening and will more than likely not break until around 15Z with IFR/LIFR conditions expected until then. Winds will also steadily increase during the day, increasing to around 10-15 kts when the snow begins, then becoming light and variable by early tomorrow morning, and becoming a southerly direction after 15Z. KPUB...VFR conditions are expected at KPUB most of today. Later in the afternoon/evening, likely around 03Z, snow is expected to move over the area. While the widespread snow should be light, the isolated pocket of convective snow showers is possible, which could result in short periods of heavier snow. The snow is expected to last until around 15Z tomorrow morning, with IFR/LIFR conditions likely until then. Winds will be fairly light this morning, before taking on a more easterly component this evening and strengthening slightly, then becoming mainly light and variable tomorrow morning, and becoming a southwesterly direction after 15Z. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 5 AM MST Thursday for COZ074-079>082-084-085-087-088. Winter Storm Warning from 2 PM this afternoon to 5 AM MST Thursday for COZ075. && UPDATE...STEWARD SHORT TERM...GARBEROGLIO LONG TERM...HODANISH AVIATION...STEWARD
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 451 AM MST Wed Feb 17 2021 COZ058>089-093>099-181200- 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- 451 AM MST Wed Feb 17 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Locally heavy snow showers will be possible along the I-25 corridor, Pikes Peak region, and the southern mountains this afternoon and evening. These locally heavy snow showers will have the potential to drop several inches of snow during a short period of time. This snow shower activity may affect the commute along the I-25 corridor late this afternoon. Across the mountains and high valleys, snow showers will be possible with a couple of inches of snow possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday A Pacific weather system will move across the region late Saturday into early Sunday. This system will bring accumulating snow to the central mountains. It may also bring some light accumulations to the southwest mountains and the higher elevations of the Pikes Peak region. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be possible this afternoon and evening over and near the Wet mountains and the Sangre de Cristo mountains as well as the I-25 corridor and Pikes Peak region. GARBEROGLIO/Hodanish
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy snow of 10.0 inches. 4 east northeast Monument.
Heavy snow of 8.0 inches. Cascade.
Heavy snow of 7.0 inches. 1 south southwest Monte Vista.
Heavy snow of 6.9 inches. 4 west northwest Buena Vista.
Heavy snow of 6.5 inches. 3 east northeast Manitou Springs.
Heavy snow of 6.0 inches. 3 west southwest Trinidad.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, February 2021
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: 946308, 946310, 946311, 946313, 946315, 946317.