An upper level system moved across the region during this time and helped assist with really focused snow development over El Paso county. Accumulating snow was noted outside of El Paso county, however, persistent heavier snow allowed amounts to approach ten to twelve inches in some spots.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
An upper level system moved across the region during this time and helped assist with really focused snow development over El Paso county. Accumulating snow was noted outside of El Paso county, however, persistent heavier snow allowed amounts to approach ten to twelve inches in some spots. These higher amounts were observed across the western half of the county, around the I-25 corridor.
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 24, 3:44 PM MST, 4 hours 16 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 344 PM MST Wed Feb 24 2021 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Thursday) Issued at 241 PM MST Wed Feb 24 2021 An upper level trof will be moving toward the area from the northwest overnight, with its axis expected to lie from over southern wy to northwest AZ by 12Z Thu. The HRRR and RAP are slow to develop precip over the area, with only some isolated evening showers over El Paso and Teller Counties, but not really showing high chances for snow over the Palmer Divide and northern Teller County until around midnight, along with scattered or likely chances over portions of Lake County. The RAP and HRRR then spread the snow south through Teller and El Paso Counties, and into Fremont County and the Wet mtns, and more into the central mtns as well. Up through 10Z, these models keep the rest of the forecast area dry. Then by 12Z the snow is expected to spread all along the eastern mtns and I-25 corridor. The GFS is fairly similar to the RAP and HRRR, although it shows some evening showers over the eastern mtns and portions of the plains, with little QPF. The NAM is rather dry as well through 06Z, but does have some showers over the eastern mtns and the Palmer Divide. The NAM also shows the bulk of the precip after midnight, and especially toward morning, and also include areas north of Highway 50 over the southeast plains. The NAM continue to show higher chances and accumulations of precip than the other models, over portions of the San Luis Valley and southwest mtns. On Thu, the upper trof slowly moves southeastward over CO, with the mtns and portions of the I-25 corridor still being the areas with the highest snow chances, and mainly through noon. The forecast models have backed off on precip amounts for portions of the southern I-25 corridor, south of Walsenburg. Thu afternoon the precip should decrease over most locations, but the southern mtns will probably have fairly high chance of light snow through the afternoon. There are still uncertainties as to how much snow may fall, especially in the San Luis Valley and southwest mtns, and over portions of the southeast plains, mainly Crowley and Kiowa Counties. However, confidence is probably the highest over Teller and El Paso Counties. Will leave the current Winter Weather Advisory as is for now. Even if snowfall amounts in some of the advisory area end up not being all that much, there could be enough snow to make driving a little challenging through midday Thu. .LONG TERM...(Thursday night through Wednesday) Issued at 241 PM MST Wed Feb 24 2021 The next system to pass over the area will be a weak trough slated to move over Colorado during the day on Friday. Models have been trending warmer for the high temperatures, so adjusting along with guidance bumped up high temps a few degrees across the board, leaving high 40s to low 50s over the plains and 30s-40s over the higher terrain. As the trough swings down Friday afternoon, stability and moisture should be good enough to trigger some brief snow over the Continental Divide, but any accumulations are expected to be very light, and even then snow amounts in general have been trending down the last 24 hours in the model guidance. Winds are also expected to pick up later in the day over the mountains, but gusts should still stay below the 50 mph mark. Snow over the Continental Divide will likely continue into Saturday after a seasonably cool evening. As the next upper trough makes its way over Colorado. Along with this system, a cold front is expected to make its way south across the plains during the late afternoon, and while it will bring in some brief gusty winds and bring temperatures down Saturday night and Sunday, any snow associated with this front will likely stay confined to the Continental Divide. Current runs of the GFS and EC both show a closed low being sent far south of our area Sunday night into Monday, which could put a little snow on the south part of the area near the Raton Mesa. Confidence in the models that far out is low when considering snow chances and amounts, but the synoptic set up is possible. After Monday, the models diverge more, but an upper ridge is expected to build in Tuesday and give us a brief dry and warm period through the first half of next week. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Thursday evening) Issued at 324 PM MST Wed Feb 24 2021 Updated for spelling errors and updates to timing on snowfall. KALS...VFR conditions are expected throughout the day today along with gusty southwest winds up to 35 mph. Starting around 05Z snow will be in the vicinity of the terminal which may lower cigs depending on how close they get. Models have been inconsistent today on the exact coverage of the snow, but confidence iS moderately high that snow could begin falling close to KALS around 10Z, limiting vis and cigs to potential IFR-LIFR conditions for a few hours. The snow is expected to decrease in coverage tomorrow afternoon, but will likely linger around the TAF site through the end of the forecast period. KCOS...Low-mid level clouds and gusty winds have persisted at KCOS this afternoon, although the gusts have decreased over the last few hours. The low clouds are expected to persist through the rest of the night as snow is expected to set in within the next few hours. While the intensity and the extent of the snow has been inconsistent in the models today, there is moderately high confidence that the snow will set in near the TAF site by 01-02Z and last into tomorrow morning, resulting in IFR-LIFR conditions prevailing for several hours at a time. Will continue to monitor trends. After the snow dissipates tomorrow VFR conditions are expected to return. KPUB...Gusty east winds and low clouds continue over the TAF site and will likely persist through the forecast period. Snow is expected to develop over the area by about 04Z, and could move over the TAF site as early as 04Z, although it is notable that models have been inconsistent today on the extent of the snowfall. Based on recent guidance, there is moderately high confidence that the snow will last over the terminal until around 17Z tomorrow, generally light but becoming locally heavy at times, which will keep things in the IFR-LIFR range through tonight. Once the snow dissipates tomorrow MVFR-VFR conditions will return for the rest of the forecast period. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM to 1 PM MST Thursday for COZ074-075-087-088. Winter Weather Advisory from 1 AM to 11 AM MST Thursday for COZ072-073-076>080-083-085-086. Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 11 AM MST Thursday for COZ081-082-084. && SHORT TERM...28 LONG TERM...GARBEROGLIO AVIATION...GARBEROGLIO
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1026 AM MST Wed Feb 24 2021 COZ058>089-093>099-251730- 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- 1026 AM MST Wed Feb 24 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Snow is expected to develop over the mountains this afternoon, then spreading over El Paso County by around midnight, and spreading south through the night. At this time, it looks like the San Luis Valley should just see light snowfall by Thursday morning, but some forecast models are showing the potential for some heavier snow, especially over northern portions. Hazardous travel conditons will be possible across much of the area later tonight and into midday Thursday. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Snow will continue across the region through Thursday morning with some additional accumulations. At this time, it looks like the highest snow amounts should be over the Wet and Sangre de Cristo mountains, and over the adjacent lower elevations. Hazardous travel conditions will impact the morning commute. Winds will increase across the region for Friday and Saturday, with the potential for gusts to around 50 mph across the higher elevations. Some light snow will be possible at times across the central mountains over the weekend, which may spread into the adjacent plains along, and north of highway 50 for Saturday night into Sunday. Another storm system may impact portions of southern Colorado Sunday night and Monday, bringing the potential for some additional light to moderate snowfall depending on the storm track. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be possible tonight and Thursday morning across the entire region. 28/28
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy snow of 12.0 inches. 2 southwest Colorado Springs.
Heavy snow of 10.0 inches. 6 south Air Force Academy.
Heavy snow of 8.5 inches. 6 south southeast La Veta Pass.
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: 946321, 946323, 946324.