An upper level system moved across Colorado and brought isolated reports of heavy snow to parts of southern Colorado. Snow first spread across the eastern San Juan Mountains and then the Continental Divide, before moving into areas around the Palmer Divide.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 Colorado and brought isolated reports of heavy snow to parts of southern Colorado. Snow first spread across the eastern San Juan Mountains and then the Continental Divide, before moving into areas around the Palmer Divide. Snowfall from this system ranged from six to ten inches.
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 Mar 4, 10:37 AM MST, 4 hours 23 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1037 AM MST Thu Mar 4 2021 .UPDATE... Issued at 1026 AM MST Thu Mar 4 2021 Updated highlights and precipitation. Winter Weather Advisory has been issued from 5PM this afternoon to 8AM tomorrow for the Southern Sangres and Wet Mountains. && .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 415 AM MST Thu Mar 4 2021 ...Snow and Rain Spreading across south central and southeast Colorado through Tonight... Current water vapor imagery and upper air analysis is indicating a mid level circulation across south central Utah, with regional radars indicating showers spreading north and east across the Continental Divide and high mountain valleys at this time. CDOT webcams and observations indicating moderate to heavy snow at Wolf Creek with snowpacked roads at this time. Today and Tonight...Models indicating a slightly slower movement of the upper low through the early morning, with the low transitioning across northern portions of the southeast plains by the early afternoon before continuing to slide south and east into the western Texas and Oklahoma panhandle into early Friday morning. Movement of this system and its deepening surface reflection across the southeast plains will allow for showers to continue to spread north and east across south central Colorado this morning, with deformation band precipitation developing across the northern Front Range and into the Pikes Peak region early this afternoon. Widespread precipitation associated with a developing mid level trowal looks to continue to spread south and east across the southeast plains late this afternoon and evening, before exiting the far southeast plains early Friday morning. Snow levels remain at or above 6500 feet through the early afternoon, before dropping to around 5000 feet from west to east through the late afternoon and evening, leading to expected snow accumulations across the Pikes Peak region this afternoon and evening, as well as the southern I-25 Corridor this evening and into early Friday morning. Snowfall combined with developing gusty northernly winds of 30 to 40 mph will lead to difficult travel conditions this afternoon and evening across the Pikes Peak region, with current Winter Weather Advisory from 2 pm Thursday to 2 am Friday remaining in effect. Accumulations of 2 to 7 inches remain possible, with the locally higher amounts possible along the lower eastern slopes. Current advisory across the the eastern San Juan mts remains in good shape through 5 pm today. Later shifts may also need to add an advisory for the southern I-25 Corridor, if latest model trends continue to indicate more snowfall tonight. As for thunderstorms, can't totally rule out a few rumbles of thunder across the region today, best chances of storms looks to be across the far southeast plains south of Highway 50, with elevated instability. .LONG TERM...(Friday through Wednesday) Issued at 415 AM MST Thu Mar 4 2021 Friday through Saturday morning... The exiting upper level low with wrap around moisture in the deformation zone will provide only a few lingering snow showers over the Raton Mesa region, and rain showers over eastern Las Animas and Baca counties during the early part of the morning. Some upsloping could allow for additional snow along the foothills of the southern Sangre de Cristo mountains as well. All precipitation should end by around noon. Strong and gusty winds with this low over the southeastern plains will begin to abate later in the morning with near light and variable winds returning over the entire CWA by 00Z. High pressure will build in quickly behind this as ridging occurs throughout the day with clearing skies and slightly warmer temperatures. High temperatures will be slightly above the seasonal average...with mostly 50s over the eastern plains, upper 40s and lower 50s in the high valleys and Teller County. Light winds coupled with radiational cooling under clear skies will allow for cooler temperatures over the entire region for Friday night. Lows will range from the mid 20s to low 30s over the plains; to the mid teens to low 20s for the upper Arkansas River Valley and San Luis Valley; to the single digits to low teens for the highest elevations and upper Rio Grande River Valley. Saturday through Sunday... An upper level open wave is going to propagate over the region later in the day on Saturday with a chance of snow over the Continental Divide, although most of the precip will remain to the north. The main impact from this system will be the winds increasing to become strong and gusty out of the south-southwest over the eastern plains, and out of the southwest over the higher terrain by later in the evening. Winds will be strong Saturday night, and will diminish throughout the later part of the morning and return to a diurnal cycle by the afternoon on Sunday as the upper level trough exits the region. Temperatures on Saturday with a southerly flow will be considerably warmer out over the plains. The downsloping winds will also modify overnight lows to remain warmer along the eastern facing slopes of the Wet Mountains and Raton Mesa, as well as over the southeastern plains. High temperatures on Sunday will also warm over the entire CWA and the ridge strengthens. Monday through early Tuesday morning... The ridge is going to remain persistent throughout the early part of the week with very warm temperatures, above the seasonal average by as much as 10 to 15 degrees over most areas, and could even creep close to record highs for the San Luis Valley on Monday. The ridge will begin to break down in the morning on Tuesday with increasing clouds as the next trough upstream begins to approach the region. Late Tuesday morning through Wednesday... The latest GFS model has snow beginning over the San Juan Mountains as early as late Tuesday morning around 18Z as a major shortwave trough upstream begins to slightly deepen over the southwest US and mid level flow out of the southwest is enhanced with diffluence aloft. The ECMWF does not have this trough upstream deepening and propagating as early as the GFS, therefore the earliest precipitation within our CWA doesn't appear until around 06Z later in the evening on Tuesday, and the precipitation is more confined to the north. It is still too far out to be able to determine which model will handle this system the best, although there is at least a general agreement between the ensembles and all deterministic models at this time that there will be a trough affecting the region by late next Tuesday into Wednesday. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon) Issued at 1031 AM MST Thu Mar 4 2021 Main concern this afternoon and evening will be the gusty north to northwesterly winds which will develop at KCOS and KPUB as a Pacific closed mid level low moves over, and then east of the region. Some snow will fall at KCOS later this afternoon and evening but accumulations on ground surfaces is not expected. Some general MVFR conditions will be possible with the rain/snow showers. KPUB will only see rain showers. By late evening and into the predawn hours skies will clear and winds will subside. For KALS...rain and snow showers will be possible but no accumulations are anticipated. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 2 AM MST Friday for COZ081-082-084. Winter Weather Advisory from 5 PM this afternoon to 8 AM MST Friday for COZ074-075-079-080. Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST this afternoon for COZ068. && UPDATE...GARBEROGLIO SHORT TERM...MW LONG TERM...STEWARD AVIATION...HODANISH
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 512 AM MST Thu Mar 4 2021 COZ058>089-093>099-051215- 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- 512 AM MST Thu Mar 4 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Snow showers across the Continental Divide this morning, will continue to spread north and east across the high mountain valleys through the eastern mountains through the late morning and early afternoon. Snow showers and lower elevation rain showers, will then spread south and east across the Pikes Peak region and I-25 Corridor later this afternoon and evening, with rain showers moving out across the far southeast through early Friday morning. Snow accumulations of 2 to 6 inches will be possible over the higher terrain of the Continental Divide today, greatest across the southern facing slopes of the eastern San Juan mountains. Snow accumulations of 2 to 7 inches will be possible across the eastern mountains, with the highest amounts expected across the Rampart Range and along the Palmer Divide. Snowfall and expected gusty northerly winds of 20 to 40 mph will lead to deteriorating travel conditions across the I-25 Corridor this afternoon and evening, which may impact the Thursday evening commute. There will be also be the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm across the southeast plains this afternoon and early evening. The main storm threats would be cloud to ground lightning and gusty outflow winds. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Friday morning, some light accumulations of snow will still be possible over the eastern facing slopes of the southern Sangre de Cristo mountains and Raton Mesa until noon. For Tuesday night and Wednesday, light accumulating snow will be possible along the Continental Divide. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be likely across the higher terrain of south central and southeast Colorado today and tonight. 23/STEWARD
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
131 PM MST THU MAR 4 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0130 PM SNOW 4 ENE AIR FORCE ACADEMY 39.03N 104.80W
03/04/2021 M1.0 INCH EL PASO CO CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
MJGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
139 PM MST THU MAR 4 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0139 PM SNOW 4 NW PETERSON AFB 38.88N 104.74W
03/04/2021 M1.7 INCH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
MJGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
143 PM MST THU MAR 4 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0143 PM SNOW 5 NNW PETERSON AFB 38.90N 104.72W
03/04/2021 M2.6 INCH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
MJGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
203 PM MST THU MAR 4 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1235 PM SNOW PETERSON AFB 38.84N 104.70W
03/04/2021 M3.0 INCH EL PASO CO PUBLIC
UPDATED FROM PREVIOUS REPORT.
&&
MJGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
231 PM MST THU MAR 4 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0230 PM SNOW 3 N FALCON 38.97N 104.61W
03/04/2021 M2.0 INCH EL PASO CO COCORAHS
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
250 PM MST THU MAR 4 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1222 PM SNOW 4 N FLORISSANT 39.01N 105.30W
03/04/2021 M1.8 INCH TELLER CO TRAINED SPOTTER
0622 AM SNOW WOLF CREEK PASS 37.48N 106.79W
03/04/2021 M7.0 INCH MINERAL CO PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTED AT WOLF CREEK SKI.
0945 AM SNOW CREEDE 37.85N 106.93W
03/04/2021 M6.0 INCH MINERAL CO TRAINED SPOTTER
1235 PM SNOW PETERSON AFB 38.84N 104.70W
03/04/2021 M3.0 INCH EL PASO CO PUBLIC
UPDATED FROM PREVIOUS REPORT.
0108 PM SNOW 5 SW BLACK FOREST 38.94N 104.74W
03/04/2021 M1.3 INCH EL PASO CO PUBLIC
0130 PM SNOW 4 ENE AIR FORCE ACADEMY 39.03N 104.80W
03/04/2021 M1.0 INCH EL PASO CO CO-OP OBSERVER
0139 PM SNOW 4 NW PETERSON AFB 38.88N 104.74W
03/04/2021 M1.7 INCH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
0143 PM SNOW 5 NNW PETERSON AFB 38.90N 104.72W
03/04/2021 M2.6 INCH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
0211 PM SNOW 5 SW BLACK FOREST 38.94N 104.74W
03/04/2021 M2.0 INCH EL PASO CO PUBLIC
0227 PM SNOW 4 S BLACK FOREST 38.97N 104.72W
03/04/2021 M2.0 INCH EL PASO CO PUBLIC
0230 PM SNOW 3 N FALCON 38.97N 104.61W
03/04/2021 M2.0 INCH EL PASO CO COCORAHS
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy snow of 10.0 inches. 1 west Woodland Park.
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, March 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: 951925.