A spring storm brought a mix of high winds, high fire danger, mountain snows and lower elevation rain during this period. Highest wind gusts up to around 60 mph were observed over the far southern I-25 corridor and far 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.
A spring storm brought a mix of high winds, high fire danger, mountain snows and lower elevation rain during this period. Highest wind gusts up to around 60 mph were observed over the far southern I-25 corridor and far 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 Mar 29, 3:07 AM MST, 2 hours 25 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 407 AM MDT Tue Mar 29 2022 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 323 AM MDT Tue Mar 29 2022 ...Spring storm will bring a mix of strong winds, high fire danger, mountain snows and lower elevation rain through tonight... Key Messages: 1) High Fire Danger expected southern portions of the southeast plains today. 2) Snow continues for the mountains, spreading eastward this afternoon and evening. New Winter Weather Advisories added for the central and remainder of the southeast mountains today and tonight. 3) Rain showers and embedded thunderstorms spread across plains late this afternoon and tonight with a rain/snow switch over bringing slushy accumulations of 1 to 3 inches for the Palmer Divide and Raton Ridges tonight. Upper low over the Desert Southwest is already spreading snow into the mountains this morning with web cams already showing snow packed roads over both Wolf Creek and Monarch. This will continue through today with snow spreading eastward and becoming more convective in nature through the afternoon as lapse rates steepen as the low opens up and moves across CO. Ahead of the system across southern sections of the southeast plains, critical fire weather conditions are still expected across Baca county with even an hour or two of critical conditions across portions of Las Animas county. Challenge will be the gradual slow moistening coming over the mountains which should prevent critical RH values from being met along the southern I-25 corridor this afternoon. Did not expand Red Flag Warnings further given the marginal RH, but will need to monitor eastern Las Animas county closely as this area could come close. Westerly winds will gust up to 50 mph, especially across southern sections of Baca county where some near high wind gusts will be possible this afternoon. Cold front will make a push southward off the Palmer Divide, driven partially by convective outflows. Leaned away from the slower HRRR given its rather sparse convective coverage. Most other models place the front along the Arkansas River around 21z, making a push through the remainder of the plains by 00z-03z. Showers will fill in quickly behind it with some isolated embedded thunderstorms given a few hundred J/kg of CAPE. Initially snow levels will start out around 8000 feet at 6 PM, but will drop quickly along the Palmer Divide with a switch over to snow by 7 PM. Should see a rain snow mix across most of the southeast plains after midnight, but accumulations should be restricted to the Palmer and Raton Ridges where a slushy 1-3 inches will be possible. Locally higher amounts could occur on the Palmer Divide. Most of the deterministic and ensembles show around 0.4 to 0.7 of liquid across the southeast mountains which should net a quick 4 to 8 inches of snow. This will justify expanding winter weather advisories into the lower elevations of the Sangres, Wets and even the Pikes Peak region, though northern portions of Teller county should fair best with the heavier accumulations. Finally, winds behind the front could approach high wind criteria tonight across the plains with strongest although spotty signals centered across El Paso and Kiowa counties. Have held off on high wind warnings at this point, but if high res models amplify this signal, El Paso, Kiowa and even Pueblo and Crowley counties could need a highlight. With these strong winds coupled with a heavy wet snow, its possible that Winter Weather Advisories may need to be expanded down into northern El Paso county for tonight as the snow levels drop. For now, think this will mainly be a visibility in heavy snow issue with warm pavement surfaces keeping conditions slushy. Have held off on any advisories for now, and will let later shifts reassess. -KT .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Monday) Issued at 323 AM MDT Tue Mar 29 2022 Overall, an active weather pattern looks to continue through the extended period, however, there are differences between the operational solutions, especially for the weekend and beyond. There is also modest spread in the ensemble guidance. Wednesday...southern Colorado will be under the influence of two upper disturbances, one departing into the Missouri Valley, and the other dropping south out of Nebraska and clipping eastern Colorado during the afternoon. Strong northerly winds are expected Wednesday morning, especially over the Palmer Divide. Gusts will likely be in the 40 to 50 mph range, with locally higher gusts possible over El Paso County. The windy conditions will spread south and east into the early afternoon with northerly gusts near 40 mph. As for precipitation, scattered showers will likely be ongoing across the Mountains throughout the day. Additional snow accumulations will be minor at 1 to 2 inches with the highest totals expected over the Central Mountains. Further east, a few light rain showers early Wednesday morning are likely on the Plains, which will quickly shift east with the initial upper trough. As the next system over Nebraska impacts the region, expected a secondary round of higher elevation snow, and low elevation rain, mainly banked along the Eastern Mountains and Raton Mesa area. Additional snow accumulations above 7 kft will likely be in the 1 to 3 inch range. Weak instability may lead to couple rumbles of thunder over the southern Sangre de Cristo range Wednesday afternoon. Expected precipitation to come to an end by Wednesday evening as the secondary system continues to track southeast away from the region. Thursday and Friday...quick moving shortwave ridging will move across southern Colorado on Thursday, while the next upper disturbance moves across the area on Friday. Generally dry conditions are expected on Thursday. As flow turns southwesterly late in the day, a couple of snow showers may be possible along the Continental Divide. The upper disturbance will track east across Colorado Thursday night and Friday. Mountain snows are expected during this period, with a few lower elevation rain showers spreading across the Plains on Friday. At this time, precipitation does not look to be overly widespread across the Plains. Saturday through Tuesday...the upper pattern begins to diverge over the weekend into early next week. Generally zonal flow is expected over the weekend. The main model differences are with embedded waves in the flow. Areas across the Central Mountains will likely see periods of snow showers through the weekend. The main question will be if and where any precipitation falls to the east of the Continental Divide. The GFS is most active over the Palmer Divide with periods of rain showers over the weekend. The rest of the Plains may end up being dry through the weekend. The next upper system looks to impact the region early next week. This would bring the potential for more Mountain snowfall and lower elevation rains. Given the uncertainty in the models, did not make any changes from the NBM, and left low pops across the region early next week. Outside of Wednesday, temperatures through the extended period look on the milder side. Highs on Wednesday will struggle to make it into the upper 40s across the Plains. Temperatures will then warm through the 60s and into the 70s from Thursday into the weekend. Temperatures will cool off early next week back into the 60s. Mozley && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Wednesday morning) Issued at 323 AM MDT Tue Mar 29 2022 VFR conditions today should transition to MVFR conditions as rain and mixed rain and snow showers spread across the San Luis Valley and the southeast plains through tonight. West to southwest winds will gust up to 30 kts at KALS and KCOS today, with winds at KCOS likely to stay more northerly to northeasterly this morning before a stronger surge of the could front moves in this afternoon with gusts to around 40 kts at both KCOS and KPUB after 21z. Showers and even some isolated embedded thunderstorms will be most likely in the 22z through 06z time frame for both KCOS and KPUB. Winds at KALS will shift around from the northwest with -SHRASN possible after 00z. It will remain windy overnight with improving cigs after 06z. -KT && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to midnight MDT Wednesday night for COZ073>075. Red Flag Warning from noon today to 7 PM MDT this evening for COZ237. Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to 6 AM MDT Wednesday for COZ072-079>082. Winter Weather Advisory until midnight MDT tonight for COZ058- 060. Winter Weather Advisory until 6 PM MDT this evening for COZ066- 068. && SHORT TERM...KT LONG TERM...MOZLEY AVIATION...KT
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 458 AM MDT Tue Mar 29 2022 COZ058>089-093>099-301100- 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- 458 AM MDT Tue Mar 29 2022 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Critical fire to near critical fire weather conditions will develop across Las Animas and Baca counties this afternoon. Humidity values may come up just shy of the critical 15 percent threshold along the southern I-25 corridor but west to southwest winds will gust to near 50 mph across this region. Snow will continue across the mountains through tonight with showers and isolated thunderstorms spreading eastward across the plains this afternoon and tonight. Snow levels will drop early this evening with snow spreading into the Palmer Divide around 7 PM. Rain showers will switch over to snow across the Raton Ridge after midnight. One to 3 inches of heavy wet snow will be possible across the Palmer and Raton ridges by early Wednesday morning with roads becoming slushy at times. The mountains across southern Colorado will see between 4 to 8 inches of snow with locally higher amounts across the higher elevations of the eastern San Juan mountains and the Sangre De Cristo mountains. North winds behind the front will gust to around 50 mph across the plains tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Snow is expected over the Mountains on Wednesday. Snow accumulations of 1 to 2 inches are possible over the Central Mountains, while higher elevations of the southern Sangre de Cristo range will likely see 1 to 3 inches. An isolated thundersnow storm may be possible Wednesday afternoon over the southern Sangre de Cristo range. Periods of high elevation snow will be possible, mainly along the Continental Divide, from Thursday into Sunday. Minor accumulations are possible. More widespread high elevation snow is possible early next week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be possible today and tonight across south central and southeast Colorado. 31/88
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Apache City.
Ute Canyon.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, March 2022
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: 1017522, 1017524.