A low pressure trough moved through the Four Corners region from Southern California, bringing moderate to heavy snow to the mountains of southeast Utah and southwest Colorado as well as the northwest Colorado mountains and valleys as cold air moved in on the backside of the system. This storm came in the days leading up to Christmas, affecting pre holiday travel.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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 GJT wrote it up.
A low pressure trough moved through the Four Corners region from Southern California, bringing moderate to heavy snow to the mountains of southeast Utah and southwest Colorado as well as the northwest Colorado mountains and valleys as cold air moved in on the backside of the system. This storm came in the days leading up to Christmas, affecting pre holiday travel. The mild nature of this system limited snow accumulation in the southern valleys.
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 Dec 22, 11:07 AM MST, 3 hours 53 minutes earlier.
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</html>Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 300 AM MST Fri Dec 22 2023 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-231500- 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- 300 AM MST Fri Dec 22 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Colorado, southwest Colorado, west central Colorado, east central Utah, northeast Utah and southeast Utah. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Clouds will increase today across the region as the next system lifts into the Four Corners. Isolated showers will develop over southeast Utah this afternoon before activity spreads to southwest Colorado tonight. Rates will increase over the San Juan Mountains with 6 or more inches likely by Saturday morning. Snow levels will generally remain high resulting in rain or a wet mix in the valleys. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Scattered to numerous showers are expected through the weekend with moderate to heavy snowfall in the mountains. Impacts to holiday travel are a concern, especially over the high mountain passes such as Red Mountain, Coal Bank, Wolf Creek, and Molas. Snow spreads to the northern and central mountains Saturday afternoon and evening before drier air moves in Sunday night. High pressure builds in on Christmas Day with dry weather prevailing through at least mid next week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 winter weather, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Generally 6 to 12 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amount of 15.6 at Rabbit Ears Pass.
Generally 4 to 8 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amount of 13.5 inches reported at Red Mountain Pass.
Generally 4 to 10 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amounts favoring the Uncompahgre Gorge between Ouray and Red Mountain Pass with 10.5 inches of snow reported at Monument Site on Highway 550.
Generally 4 to 10 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amount of 14 inches reported at Cedaredge 10.5NNW (Grand Mesa Lodge).
Generally 4 to 6 inches of snow fell across the area. Winds were generally below 25 mph on average with a peak gust of 34 mph at Lodore.
Generally 5 to 8 inches of snow fell across the area with 7.8 at Hayden COOP. Winds were generally below 25 mph on average with a peak gust of 33 mph at Great Divide.
Douglas Pass received 13 inches of snow. Wind gusts were generally 15 to 25 mph with a peak gust of 34 mph at Douglas Pass.
Generally 4 to 10 inches of snow fell across the area with 10.3 inches of snow reported at Steamboat Springs 1.1E.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 2023
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: 1149261, 1149266, 1149265, 1149264, 1149258, 1149259, 1149260, 1149263.