An upper level system moved across the region, while an associated deepening surface low pressure system was situated over southeast Colorado. These features provided moderate to heavy snow to the region, and high northerly winds gusting up to 60 mph at times across the southeast plains.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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, while an associated deepening surface low pressure system was situated over southeast Colorado. These features provided moderate to heavy snow to the region, and high northerly winds gusting up to 60 mph at times across the southeast plains.
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 29, 3:26 PM MST, 3 hours 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 326 PM MST Fri Jan 29 2021 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Saturday) Issued at 303 PM MST Fri Jan 29 2021 A major shortwave trough is advancing towards the CWA and it is going to begin to impact the region with developing snow over the San Juan Mountains by later this evening, with the greatest amounts being on the southwestward facing slopes due to the persistent southwesterly flow at the 700 mb level, with around 1 foot possible in some locations, such as Wolf Creek Pass. Winds have increased over most of the region and will continue to do so as the trough propagates over the area, these winds have already been very strong and gusty over the higher elevations and along the western portions of the plains adjacent to the Wet, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and the Rampart Range. Later this evening the southeastern plains will also increase with stronger winds as the low pressure center associated with this trough moves out over the plains and then rapidly intensifies and it undergoes lee side cyclogenesis. Due to the rapid deepening of the low, there will be a tightening of the gradient on the backside of the low which will produce strong and gusty winds out of the north-northwest over much of plains. These winds will eventually begin to abate into the later part of the evening tomorrow as the low continues to quickly move away from the region. Low temperatures will also be a little more mild than the seasonal average over the western plains due to downsloping winds...from the high teens to upper 20s for the lower 30s, and around seasonal average for all other locations. Highs for tomorrow will be cooler over the area as the system moves in, although will still be above average over the plains due to downsloping and adiabatically warming winds. .LONG TERM...(Saturday night through Friday) Issued at 303 PM MST Fri Jan 29 2021 Sat night an upper ridge will begin building into the area from the west. There could be a few lingering snow showers over portions of the Continental Divide in the evening, but nothing significant. For Sun and Mon as the upper ridge translates eastward across the state, the weather will be dry and warm, along with relatively light winds. Highs on Sun should mostly be in the mid 40s to around 50 over the plains, with 30s in the San Luis Valley, lower to mid 40s in the upper Arkansas River Valley, and in the upper 30s and lower 40s in Teller County. On Mon temps should be a littler warmer, with highs in the mid and upper 50s over the plains, mid 30s to around 40 in the San Luis Valley, mid 40s to around 50 in the upper Arkansas River Valley, and in the 40s in Teller County. A weak disturbance in the flow aloft Mon night, could bring some isolated snow showers along portions of the Continental Divide, but nothing significant. Tue a longwave upper trof moves over the west coast, and then Tue night the trof will be moving east with an upper low expected to close off around southern NV. Depending on the speed of this system, we could start to see some snow showers along the Continental Divide by Tue afternoon, then spreading across the high valleys and into the eastern mtns Tue night. The models are fairly close agreement with regards to the track of the low but the timing differs through Wed and Thu. So at this time, it looks like high chance for precip across most of southern CO around midweek, but there is low confidence with regards to the timing of the precip. There is the potential for this storm system to be quite strong as the upper low gets wrapped up over southern CO. There could be a period of strong winds combined with snow over the plains, mainly on Thu. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Saturday evening) Issued at 303 PM MST Fri Jan 29 2021 VFR conditions currently dominate all locations, although ALS will be going down to IFR/MIFR criteria after 03Z this evening with the onset of -SN and BR, and this will continue throughout the rest of the forecast period. Strong and gusty winds near the surface and up to the 500 mb level for COS and PUB and along the western plains adjacent to the Wet and Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and especially in the vicinity of the Rampart Range, so expect light to moderate CAT if flying in this area. These winds will also impact the higher elevations of the Sawatch Range, San Juan Mountains, and the Continental Divide, so be advise of possible mountain wave development and alert of lenticular clouds if flying in the vicinity of these areas. By Saturday morning, the surface winds will begin to increase again over the plains with the strongest being over the eastern plains, which will also result in more CAT in the lower levels for COS and PUB again after 12Z, as well as the entire plains with these conditions getting worse the further east you go to the most eastern extent of the CWA due to stronger winds. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 8 AM MST Saturday for COZ068. && SHORT TERM...STEWARD LONG TERM...28 AVIATION...STEWARD
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 456 AM MST Fri Jan 29 2021 COZ058>089-093>099-301400- 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- 456 AM MST Fri Jan 29 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight An upper level system will quickly move through the region today into tonight and provide accumulating snow across the higher terrain. Most of this snow will fall tonight into early Saturday morning, with the eastern San Juans expected to observe the highest amounts. Spotty critical fire weather conditions are expected across the far southeast plains this afternoon, especially across eastern Las Animas and Baca counties. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday There is a chance for accumulating snow along the Continental Divide and Pikes Peak region during the day Saturday, with a focus on the central mountains. Another system will approach on Tuesday, bringing snow to the higher terrain Tuesday afternoon and evening, and to all of the forecast area for Wednesday and Thursday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters are expected today and tonight across the higher terrain. RODRIGUEZ/27
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 heavy snow, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy snow of 10.0 inches. One southeast Wolf Creek Pass.
Nine south Springfield.
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: 939627, 939626.