A broad upper trough passed through the region the last several days of December, bringing a jet maximum overhead. These strong winds were felt across parts of the area, while minor snow accumulations were noted over the higher terrain.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 broad upper trough passed through the region the last several days of December, bringing a jet maximum overhead. These strong winds were felt across parts of the area, while minor snow accumulations were noted over the higher terrain.
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 Dec 29, 10:40 PM MST, 20 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1040 PM MST Sun Dec 29 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Next round of snow for the Central Mountains tonight into Monday. - Strong winds expected overnight along the lee slopes of the Ramparts and southern Sangre de Cristo Ranges, spreading eastward into the Plains on Monday. - High fire danger due to low humidity values and very strong winds on the Plains Monday. - Winds and snow ends Monday evening followed by a few days of below normal temperatures and isolated snow showers at times central mountains - Another storm possible next weekend though confidence in details is low && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/... Issued at 211 PM MST Sun Dec 29 2024 Currently...strong northwest flow aloft continues across southern Colorado this afternoon. This has spread mid and high level cloud cover across the region. This has also led to gusty winds this afternoon along the lee slopes and adjacent Plains. Temperatures have warmed into the 60s along the lee slopes, with 50s on the Plains. Tonight...the next upper disturbance embedded in the northwest flow will arrive overnight with another round of light to moderate snowfall for the Central Mountains. The heaviest snowfall is forecast to fall late tonight into the morning hours. In addition to the snowfall, strong winds will lead to blowing snow and poor visibilities. Winds could gust around 70 mph. Issued a High Wind Warning starting at 11 PM this evening for Teller, El Paso, Huerfano and western Las Animas Counties. The ARW and FV3 cross sections are showing a period of downslope wind potential overnight. The strongest winds will likely remain along and west of I-25 overnight. Gusts near 60 mph are likely, with a few higher gusts possible. Those traveling on I-25 will likely experience strong cross winds and hazardous travel. Temperatures tonight will likely remain warm along the lee slopes of the Eastern Mountains. Lows will likely remain in the 40s, to even a few 50s. The coldest temperatures on the Plains will occur along the lower Arkansas River Valley with lows in the 30s. Monday...northwesterly flow aloft is forecast to strengthen as an upper trough digs into Kansas. This will tighten the gradient across southern Colorado, leading to enhanced mixing and very strong winds across the region. Light to moderate snow will continue across the Central Mountains Monday morning, dissipating to flurries during the afternoon. Snow accumulations of 3 to 10 inches may be possible, especially north of Cottonwood Pass. Went with High Wind Warnings for portions of the Plains Monday morning into the afternoon. Two bands of winds, one off the Palmer Divide, southeast across Kiowa County, and another off the Sangre de Cristo and Wet Mountains, east into Las Animas and Baca Counties are expected. Winds in these bands will likely gust in excess of 60 mph. Out east, patchy blowing dust may be possible. Locations along the Highway 50 corridor will be breezy, but at this time look to remain below High Wind criteria. Very dry air will spread across the Plains Monday morning and prevail through the afternoon. Humidity values will fall into the mid teens and will combine with the high winds to produce very dangerous fire weather conditions for much of the region. Those with outdoor burning activities planned should postpone them until another day. Temperatures will also be tricky. Most model guidance has temperatures on the Plains reaching into the 50s. There are a few models that spike temperatures into the mid 60s. Given that these are outliers, did not go quite that warm, but did keep temperatures in the mid to upper 50s on the Plains. Mozley && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... Issued at 211 PM MST Sun Dec 29 2024 Lingering orographic snow showers comes to an end Monday evening with winds relaxing on the plains as the system pulls away to the east and surface pressure gradient relaxes. Cold air behind this system and persistent northwesterly flow aloft will keep temperatures below normal for Tuesday through Thursday across much of the area. Some of our colder valley locations (San Luis and Upper Rio Grande) could see lows drop into the negative single digits during the overnight hours. Next wave in northwest flow aloft will translate across the area Tuesday night/Wednesday. As suspected, the outlier GFS has continued to trend towards the weaker, drier and more progressive solutions of the EC and Canadian. This will bring some snow showers to the central mountains but little to no precipitation for the southeast plains. Heights begin to rise for Thursday as another upper ridge translates in from the west for late week. Some snow showers will linger into Thursday across the central mountains while the remainder of the area remains dry with temperatures recovering to near to above normal by Friday. Another system may affect the area next weekend. Once again GFS/GEFs is slower/deeper and offers a wetter solution than other long range models/ensembles. Have stuck with the NBM model blends for now given the uncertainties this far out, but recent trends suggest another shot of colder weather likely for the plains with the best chance of snows staying more confined to the Continental Divide. -KT && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1032 PM MST Sun Dec 29 2024 VFR conditions expected at KALS, KCOS, and KPUB the next 24 hours. Still a window for LLWS until 09z at KPUB where surface winds have yet to strengthen, while at KCOS, gusty nw winds have reached the surface as of 05z, and expect periods of gusty conditions here through the night. Stronger nw winds develop at both KPUB and KCOS after 12z, with gust potential in the 35-45 kt range through the day at both sites. Winds then slowly diminish after 00z. Slightly less windy at KALS, with gusts in the 30-35 kt range. && && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST Monday for COZ058-060. High Wind Warning until 5 PM MST Monday for COZ081-082-084-085- 087-088. Red Flag Warning from 7 AM to 6 PM MST Monday for COZ221- 226>237. High Wind Warning from 8 AM to 5 PM MST Monday for COZ083-086- 094>096-099. && SHORT TERM...MOZLEY LONG TERM...KT AVIATION...PETERSEN
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 540 PM MST Sun Dec 29 2024 COZ058>089-093>099-310045- 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- 540 PM MST Sun Dec 29 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Tonight Snow and wind will continue overnight across the central mountains, with additional accumulations of 2 to 4 inches, mainly north of Cottonwood Pass. Winds will strengthen overnight as well, with gusts of 45 to 65 mph widespread across the higher terrain after midnight. The Pikes Peak region and locations along the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Range will see even stronger winds, with some gusts over 75 mph by sunrise on Monday. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Another round of light to moderate snow is expected over the mountains Monday, especially the central mountains. Strong winds are expected to cause blowing snow and areas of reduced visibility, mainly north of Monarch Pass. Strong winds will continue over the mountains Monday with gusts of 45 to 65 mph expected, and some isolated higher gusts to near 75 mph are expected over the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Range and across the Pikes Peak region. Gusty winds will spread across the lower elevations Monday as well, with widespread 40 to 60 mph gusts expected by late morning into the afternoon. Critical fire weather conditions return Monday, especially across the plains, as dry air and strong winds up to around 55 mph overspread the area. For Tuesday and beyond, multiple systems will influence the area, bringing additional rounds of light to moderate snow for the mountains, especially the central mountains. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be possible over portions of the region. 10/SIMCOE
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust of 86 MPH was measured at the Monarch Pass AWOS.
A wind gust of 69 MPH was measured.
A measured wind gust of 62 MPH was reported at the Lamar, CO ASOS.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 2024
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: 1227117, 1227118, 1227116.