An active pattern and a favorable setup for persistent snow development occurred during this period, with both the higher terrain and lower elevations observing snow. Much of the snow during this time occurred over the eastern mountains and adjacent lower levels.
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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 PUB wrote it up.
An active pattern and a favorable setup for persistent snow development occurred during this period, with both the higher terrain and lower elevations observing snow. Much of the snow during this time occurred over the eastern mountains and adjacent lower levels.
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 Jan 24, 11:30 AM MST, 30 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1130 AM MST Sun Jan 24 2021 .UPDATE... Issued at 1119 AM MST Sun Jan 24 2021 Another update to cool down temperatures across the plains where low clouds and stratus look likely to hang in. KCOS may struggle to hit 30s as upslope should keep a fairly low cloud deck in. -KT UPDATE Issued at 1023 AM MST Sun Jan 24 2021 Updated to increase pops across the northern Sangre De Cristo mountains and Fremont county...and to reduce fog and freezing rain potential. Have maintained some -FZRA potential across Baca county overnight where signals in models point to where it is most likely to occur...but think that seeder-feeder effects should eliminate risk farther west along the I-25 corridor counties/adjacent plains and points westward. -KT && .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 347 AM MST Sun Jan 24 2021 Currently... Front crossed the region early this evening and lots of low clouds have developed over the plains early this morning. As for precip, radar was not showing much, but snow was likely falling along the contdvd, especially in the San Juan region. Temp were pretty uniform region wide with teens and 20s, and single digits mtn tops. For today and tonight... Snow will gradually pick up this morning over the San Juans and slowly push northeastward as the day progresses, reaching the San Luis Valley floor by afternoon and the southern mtns by mid afternoon. the I-25 corridor may begin to see winter precip by late afternoon and especially this evening. Overall snow totals will be light, except across the San Juan mtns where several additional inches will be possible. Temps today will be a bit tricky. we may see some warmer air push into the Raton Mesa area per HRRR guidance, and some 40s will be possible down near the KTAD area. N of US50, expect mainly 30s with temps not getting above freezing in the greater COS area. For the plains this evening, we may see a mixed bag of winter precip as we may see some freezing drizzle at times along with the snow showers. This is shown explicitly in the latest HRRR runs. The best chance of precip along the I-25 corridor will be this evening. Later tonight the precip will pick up in intensity over the far eastern plains, and we may see an inch or two of snow along the KS border by sunrise Monday. Although I do not expect much in the way of accumulation of winter precip along the I-25 corridor, any freezing precip could cause issues. Incoming day crew will need to monitor for possible winter weather advisories if the threat should increase. \/Hodanish .LONG TERM...(Monday through Saturday) Issued at 347 AM MST Sun Jan 24 2021 Monday-Tuesday night... Active pattern continues into the start of the work week with several waves expected to translate over our area through the long- term period. Snow Monday is expected to persist over both the eastern plains as well as the western and central mountains during the morning. The eastern precipitation, which will be tied to the low pressure moving towards the Central Plains, will diminish around midday as more snow builds in to the west over most of the central mountains, and specifically the eastern San Juans. Snow amounts over the San Juans are expected to vary on more local scales, but anywhere from 10 inches to nearly 2 feet are possible near the peaks and adjacent lower elevations. While the Sangres could be seeing upwards of a foot by Tuesday night, the remainder of the mountains are expecting 4-6 inches on average, with the plains only expecting 1-3 inches. Some pretty thick cloud cover is expected to hang around over most of the area Monday and Tuesday, which will keep daytime temperatures on the low side. Took a few degrees off of the NBM output in accordance with this. Monday's highs will be in the high 30s over the plains and in the 20s over higher terrain. Tuesday will be even colder, with high 20s over the plains and mid-low 20s over higher terrain. Wednesday-Sunday... By Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, the upper-level trough is expected to move eastwards, giving us a break from precipitation for the rest of this week under a building upper ridge. Temperatures are expected to make a comeback, with highs climbing back into the high 50s over the plains and 40s over the mountains by Friday afternoon. Sky cover should also decrease, the additional sunlight assisting with warming temperatures. The next upper-level system is expected to pass south of Colorado on Saturday, the upper-low shifting our flow aloft to northwesterly and giving us another shot of Pacific moisture. As of now, the EC and GFS are in fairly good agreement on the placement and speed of these upper-level systems, so some more precipitation is expected over the mountains this weekend, along with another slight cooldown. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Monday afternoon) Issued at 1023 AM MST Sun Jan 24 2021 IFR to LIFR conditions will persist across the KCOS area through tonight with a distinct clearing trend expected after 13z as system passes to the east and northerly winds off the Palmer Divide help erode cloud cover. KPUB will see more MVFR conditions though can't rule out some high end IFR conditions if light SN spreads in this evening. Clearing will also take place towards 13z. KALS will see more VFR with tempo to MVFR with -SN this afternoon, then trend towards IFR to LIFR with a potential for fog late tonight into tomorrow morning. Overall snowfall accumulations at TAF sites will be around an inch or less...with highest accumulations possible at KCOS and KALS. -KT && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 8 AM MST Monday for COZ067-068. && UPDATE...KT SHORT TERM...HODANISH LONG TERM...GARBEROGLIO AVIATION...KT
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 550 AM MST Sun Jan 24 2021 COZ058>089-093>099-251300- 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- 550 AM MST Sun Jan 24 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Snow will continue across the San Juan mountains today and tonight. The heavier snow will occur this morning, with lesser amounts this afternoon and tonight. The snow is expected to pick up once again towards sunrise Sunday. 4 to 8 inches is likely. Over the remainder of the mountains, snow is expected, but amounts will be generally in the 1 to 4 inch range. It will be windy all areas this afternoon. The strongest winds will occur along the I-25 corridor between Colorado City and Trinidad. Gusts to 45 to 55 mph will be possible along this stretch of I-25. Over the remainder of the area, gust to 35 mph will be possible with higher gusts over the mountains. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday The heaviest snow with this new system will impact the area Monday morning. The highest accumulations are expected over the eastern San Juans and Sangre de Cristo mountains. Some light snow will also be possible over the plains, with 1-3 inches typically expected, with the larger part of that range expected closer to the Kansas border. Another system will move across Colorado Monday night into Tuesday, bringing another short round of light to moderate snow to the area. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be possible today and tonight over the mountains, especially over the San Juan Mountains. 34/GARBEROGLIO
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
958 AM MST SUN JAN 24 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0957 AM SNOW CREEDE 37.85N 106.93W
01/24/2021 M5.5 INCH MINERAL CO TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM TOTAL SINCE 5 PM 1/22/20.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1128 AM MST SUN JAN 24 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1125 AM SNOW CREEDE 37.85N 106.93W
01/24/2021 M9.0 INCH MINERAL CO TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM TOTAL SINCE 5 PM 1/22/21. 3.5 INCHES
SINCE 10 AM 1/24/21.
&&
MWThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy snow of 15.0 inches. Wolf Creek Ski area.
Heavy snow of 11.0 inches. Eleven west Fort Garland.
Heavy snow of 9.8 inches. One northeast Security.
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, January 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: 939622, 939623, 939624.