Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, January 17 to 18, 2023

Name: Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, January 17 to 18, 2023
Start: 2023-01-17T14:00
End: 2023-01-18T23:00
Location: Colorado

January 17 to 18, 2023 · NWS BOU · 18 events in 18 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 18 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: 18

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 BOU wrote it up.

A wet winter storm produced widespread blowing and drifting snow across much of the urban corridor and northeast plains of Colorado. Much of the region received a prolonged period of light to moderate snow, with bands of heavy wet snow from the 17th through the 18th. At Denver International Airport, 9.2 inches of snowfall was observed along with 0.87 inches of precipitation. This was the 8th largest 2-day snow event for Denver in the month of January to date. The greatest impacts occurred east and northeast of Denver. Across much of the urban corridor and northeast plains, storm totals ranged from from 3 to 12 inches, with 4 to 9 inches in the mountains and foothills. Warming shelters were opened up in Denver and several school districts across the region were closed. At Denver International Airport, there were 263 flight cancellations and 134 delayed flights.

Snow and blowing snow caused whiteout conditions, along with drifting snow up to 3 feet deep. Along the Interstate 70 corridor east of Denver to the Kansas state line, several 20 to 80 car pile ups were reported. Numerous road closures were implemented across the northeast plains of Colorado, outside of the metro areas. The closures included: Interstate 76 from Sterling to Nebraska state line; CO 14 East of US Highway 85, US 138 Sterling to Julesburg, US 6 from Sterling to Nebraska state line, CO 52 from Fort Morgan to CO 14, CO 113 north of Iliff, CO 55 near Crook, CO 59 Sedgwick to Yuma, CO 385 Nebraska state line and Julesburg to Wray, CO 23 Holyoke to Nebraska state line, CO 11 north of Julesburg.

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 Denver/Boulder, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 16, 3:00 PM MST, 23 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 16, 3:00 PM MST, 23 hours 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

10 winter storm, 8 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, West Jackson & West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet

When: January 17, 2:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: West Jackson & West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 40.385, -106.230 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals ranged from 5 to 9 inches.

Winter Weather, S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet

When: January 17, 2:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 40.382, -105.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals ranged from 4 to 8 inches.

Winter Weather, Jefferson & W Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Ne Park Counties Below 9000 Feet

When: January 17, 2:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Jefferson & W Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Ne Park Counties Below 9000 Feet forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.516, -105.413 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals ranged from 3 to 6 inches.

Winter Weather, Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet

When: January 17, 2:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.380, -105.410 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals ranged from 4 to 6 inches.

Winter Storm, Larimer County Below 6000 Feet / Nw Weld County

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Larimer County Below 6000 Feet / Nw Weld County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.611, -104.926 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals included 8 inches in Loveland, with 5 inches in Fort Collins.

Winter Storm, Boulder & Jefferson Counties Below 6000 Feet / W Broomfield County

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Boulder & Jefferson Counties Below 6000 Feet / W Broomfield County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.878, -105.220 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals included: 7 inches in Broomfield, 6.5 inches in Erie, 6 inches in Arvada, Lafayette and Longmont; with 5.6 inches in Boulder.

Winter Storm, N Douglas County Below 6000 Feet / Denver / W Adams & Arapahoe Counties / E Broomfield County

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: N Douglas County Below 6000 Feet / Denver / W Adams & Arapahoe Counties / E Broomfield County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.714, -104.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals included: 11 inches, 3 miles east-southeast of Aurora, 9.2 inches at Denver International Airport, 8 inches in Cherry Hills Village, 7 inches in Englewood, with 6.5 inches in Lakewood.

Winter Storm, C & S Weld County

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: C & S Weld County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.555, -104.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals included: 9.8 inches in Windsor, 8.8 inches near Firestone, 7.4 inches in Brighton, 7 inches near Mead, 6.5 inches in Greeley, with 6 inches in Johnstown and Nunn.

Winter Storm, C & E Adams & Arapahoe Counties

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 8:00 PM MST
Where: C & E Adams & Arapahoe Counties forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.762, -104.338 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals included: 12.5 inches, 5 miles south of Manila Village; 9.5 inches in Strasburg, with 9.3 inches in Bennett.

Winter Storm, Logan County

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Logan County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.725, -103.110 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals included 10.5 inches in Iliff and 5.4 inches in Sterling.

Winter Storm, Washington County

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Washington County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.971, -103.201 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals included: 10 inches in Cope, 9.4 inches in Platner, and 5.3 inches north of Hyde.

Winter Storm, Sedgwick County

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Sedgwick County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.876, -102.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals included 8.5 inches in Sedgwick.

Winter Storm, Phillips County

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 11:00 PM MST
Where: Phillips County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.594, -102.358 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals included 6 to 10.5 inches in and around Holyoke.

Winter Storm, Elbert / C & E Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 6:00 PM MST
Where: Elbert / C & E Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.422, -104.468 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals included: 12 inches in Elbert, Elizabeth and Ponderosa Park; 10 inches in Castle Rock and 4 miles north of Kiowa, 9 inches at the Pinery, and 8 inches in Parker.

Winter Weather, Ne Weld County

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Ne Weld County forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 40.555, -104.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals ranged from 2 to 5 inches.

Winter Weather, Morgan County

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Morgan County forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 40.263, -103.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals ranged from 3 to 5 inches.

Winter Weather, N & Ne Elbert County Below 6000 Feet / N Lincoln County

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: N & Ne Elbert County Below 6000 Feet / N Lincoln County forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 39.138, -103.825 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals up to 3 inches were reported. The combination of snow and wind produced whiteout conditions along I-70 with areas of blowing and drifting snow. Law enforcement reported 20 to 80 car pileups.

Winter Weather, S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet

When: January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 5:00 PM MST
Where: S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 39.726, -105.675 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm totals ranged from 4 to 8 inches.

What these are

Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Colorado in 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in Colorado, January 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: 1076452, 1076453, 1076454, 1076739, 1076456, 1076457, 1076458, 1076460, 1076462, 1076465, 1076466, 1076467, 1076468, 1076469, 1076733, 1076734, 1076735, 1076737.