Colorado, 2023

Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Colorado, April 4 to 6, 2023

April 4 to 6, 2023 · NWS PUB · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

Strong winds led to heavy snow as a closed low pressure center traveled over southern Colorado. Widespread light snow fell over the region, but the heaviest snow fell over northern El Paso County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
4

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 PUB wrote it up.

Strong winds led to heavy snow as a closed low pressure center traveled over southern Colorado. Widespread light snow fell over the region, but the heaviest snow fell over northern El Paso County.

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 Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 4, 6:46 AM MST, 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 4, 6:46 AM MST, 14 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 4, 4:58 AM MST, 2 hours 2 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

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

Heavy Snow, Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When
April 4, 7:00 AM MST to April 5, 7:00 AM MST
Where
Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 10 inches of snowfall reported at Wolf Creek Ski Area.

Winter Weather, Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When
April 5, 2:45 AM MST to April 6, 2:45 AM MST
Where
Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 4 inches of snow reported 6 wsw of Falcon.

Heavy Snow, Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When
April 5, 7:42 AM MST to April 6, 7:42 AM MST
Where
Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 9 inches of snow reported 5 miles northeast of the Air Force Academy.

Heavy Snow, Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When
April 5, 7:42 AM MST to April 6, 7:42 AM MST
Where
Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 9 inches of snow reported 5 miles northeast of the Air Force Academy.

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 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 2023

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1098408, 1098409, 1098410, 1098411.