Colorado, 2022

Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Colorado, March 8 to 10, 2022

March 8 to 10, 2022 · NWS GJT · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

A Pacific trough progressed across western Colorado. Plenty of upper level support, ample moisture, and instability fueled widespread snow showers across the region with moderate to heavy snow falling in many of the higher elevations.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.

A Pacific trough progressed across western Colorado. Plenty of upper level support, ample moisture, and instability fueled widespread snow showers across the region with moderate to heavy snow falling in many of the higher elevations.

What forecasters said that day

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 Grand Junction, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 8, 2:55 PM MST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 8, 2:55 PM MST, 2 hours 5 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 8, 4:59 AM MST, 12 hours 1 minute before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Grand Junction CO
459 AM MST Tue Mar 8 2022

COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-091200-
Lower Yampa River Basin-Central Yampa River Basin-
Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus-Elkhead and Park Mountains-
Upper Yampa River Basin-Grand Valley-Debeque to Silt Corridor-
Central Colorado River Basin-Grand and Battlement Mesas-
Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys-
Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin-
West Elk and Sawatch Mountains-Flat Tops-
Upper Gunnison River Valley-Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide-
Northwest San Juan Mountains-Southwest San Juan Mountains-
Paradox Valley/Lower Dolores River-
Four Corners/Upper Dolores River-Animas River Basin-
San Juan River Basin-Southeast Utah-Eastern Uinta Mountains-
Eastern Uinta Basin-Tavaputs Plateau-Arches/Grand Flat-
La Sal and Abajo Mountains-Canyonlands/Natural Bridges-
459 AM MST Tue Mar 8 2022

This hazardous weather outlook is for eastern Utah and western
Colorado.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Clouds will increase this afternoon ahead of another storm system.
Snow will begin across the northern mountains late this afternoon
into the evening, expanding into the central mountains tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

Snow will continue Wednesday and Thursday across much of western
Colorado with potential for heavier snow bands Wednesday as a cold
front drops south. Much colder air will encompass the region
Thursday through Friday before temperatures slowly warm this
weekend under dry conditions. A weak system will clip the
northwest Colorado mountains Sunday into Monday for another round
of snow there.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 8, 4:51 PM MST, 9 minutes before
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Local storm report, Mar 8, 4:52 PM MST, 8 minutes before
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Local storm report, Mar 8, 4:53 PM MST, 7 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 winter weather, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Elkhead and Park Mountains

When
March 8, 5:00 PM MST to March 10, 12:00 PM MST
Where
Elkhead and Park Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 10 to 20 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amounts close to 2 feet.

Winter Weather, Upper Yampa River Basin

When
March 8, 6:00 PM MST to March 10, 10:00 AM MST
Where
Upper Yampa River Basin forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
40.485, -106.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 8 to 12 inches of snow fell across the area.

Winter Weather, Central Yampa River Basin

When
March 8, 7:00 PM MST to March 10, 9:30 AM MST
Where
Central Yampa River Basin forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
40.361, -107.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 3 to 6 inches of snow fell across the area. Winds gusted up to 35 mph.

Winter Weather, Flattop Mountains

When
March 8, 8:00 PM MST to March 10, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Flattop Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
40.062, -107.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 8 to 14 inches of snow fell across the area.

Winter Weather, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When
March 8, 9:00 PM MST to March 9, 9:00 PM MST
Where
Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 6 to 8 inches of snow fell across the area.

Winter Weather, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys

When
March 8, 10:00 PM MST to March 10, 3:00 AM MST
Where
Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 6 to 12 inches of snow fell across the area.

Winter Weather, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains

When
March 9, 12:00 AM MST to March 10, 3:00 AM MST
Where
West Elk and Sawatch Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 6 to 9 inches of snow fell across the area.

Winter Weather, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When
March 9, 12:00 AM MST to March 10, 2:00 PM MST
Where
Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 6 to 12 inches of snow fell across the area.

Winter Weather, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When
March 9, 1:00 AM MST to March 10, 12:00 AM MST
Where
Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 6 to 9 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amounts of up to 13 inches.

Winter Weather, Central Colorado River Basin

When
March 9, 1:00 AM MST to March 10, 12:30 AM MST
Where
Central Colorado River Basin forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Generally 3 to 5 inches of snow fell across the area.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, March 2022

Sources

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: 1003377, 1003380, 1003379, 1003378, 1003381, 1003382, 1003383, 1003385, 1003384, 1003386.