Strong winds developed in the mountains of Boulder and Grand counties. Peak wind gusts included 78 mph near Winter Park, and 75 mph near Brainard Lake.
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The episode as NWS BOU wrote it up.
Strong winds developed in the mountains of Boulder and Grand counties. Peak wind gusts included 78 mph near Winter Park, and 75 mph near Brainard Lake.
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 Feb 27, 6:44 PM MST, 2 hours 46 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 644 PM MST Tue Feb 27 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Significant travel impacts in the mountains from snow, strong winds, and blowing snow will continue through this evening. - Dry and warming conditions Wednesday through Saturday. - The next chance for accumulating snow across the area arrives on Sunday with colder air but poor computer model agreement on the evolution of the storm system and impacts. && .UPDATE... Issued at 631 PM MST Tue Feb 27 2024 Cross sections indicate strong northwesterly up to 55kts across the mountains this evening. This may lead to downslope winds across parts of the foothills and urban corridor through Wednesday morning; expect a brief period of wind gusts up to 30-45 mph. As northwest flow increases, higher elevations may experience wind gusts up to 65 mph now through Wednesday morning just under high wind criteria. PoPs were also updated to include additional snow showers across Lincoln county through 10 PM tonight as an upper jet supports banding through this period. UPDATE Issued at 416 PM MST Tue Feb 27 2024 There is good low level upslope flow and convergence over the northern Palmer Divide this afternoon. As a jet is moving overhead, a band of snow has developed in Douglas County with some snow showers extending into Elbert County. PoPs were increased dramatically to account for the snow showers that will continue into the early evening. Some areas in Douglas County could see a quick inch of additional snow. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday) Issued at 202 PM MST Tue Feb 27 2024 Area radars are indicating some moderate to heavy snow still falling over Lincoln County over the southeastern CWA. That snow band will continue moving east and should be out of the CWA by sunset. There is still some areas of snow and blowing snow over the high mountains at this time. Will let the Winter Storm Warning going there as it is still snowing. Current temperatures over the plains are mainly in the 20s F with north and northeasterly winds still blowing in the 8 to 25 mph range. Models show the upper trough to be east of the CWA early this evening with decreasing westerly flow aloft for our area overnight and Wednesday. There is decent downward vertical velocity for the forecast area from 06Z-18Z tonight into Wednesday. The cross sections also show a mountain wave set-up later tonight and Wednesday morning. It's not a great one; highlights shouldn't be needed, but it will be windy in the high mountains and higher foothills east of the divide through the morning hours of Wednesday. As far as the snow goes, will leave it in this evening over the high mountains, then decrease it later tonight. Wednesday is dry in all areas. For temperatures, highs on Wednesday should warm up to right at seasonal normals for the date. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday) Issued at 123 PM MST Tue Feb 27 2024 The pendulum will swing back to a warmer and drier period Thursday through Saturday. The flow aloft will be lightest on Thursday as a weak trough axis passes to the southeast and a ridge ridge axis moves overhead. It then increases Friday into Saturday, as the flow aloft increase and shifts more to the southwest. High temperatures on Thursday will warm back to around 60, with mid 60s expected across the plains on Friday and Saturday. Fire weather conditions will again get elevated especially to the south and east of Denver, as relative humidities may drop below 15 percent especially on Saturday. Southerly winds will increase over the plains this weekend. Sunday into Monday, moisture will increase over the mountains with the chance of snow returning to the high country. Across the plains it will be dry and cooler but strong southerly winds will again keep the fire weather conditions elevated across the plains. Monday and Tuesday, the chance of snow will continue in the high country, with cooler more seasonal temperatures across the plains. A broad trough will pass across WY/CO at that time with a slight chance of precipitation spreading onto the plains as well. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Wednesday evening) Issued at 456 PM MST Tue Feb 27 2024 Weak snow showers continue across the Palmer Divide. This outcome remains low but if snow showers are able to sustain at KAPA then VFR conditions may drop to MVFR through 02Z. Otherwise, VFR conditions continue through the TAF. Tonight through Wednesday morning, strong northwest flow may lead to wind gusts up to 20-28kts at KBJC due to downslope winds. This outcome may continue until 12Z Wednesday morning. KAPA and KDEN shift southwesterly near 09-10Z as cloud decks lift becoming FEW to SKC. Wednesday afternoon, winds remain under 10kts through the rest of the TAF period. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 123 PM MST Tue Feb 27 2024 Fire weather conditions will be marginal for the plains of east central CO on Friday, then elevated to near critical south and east of Denver on Saturday. Saturday will likely have the most favorable conditions for large fire growth. Relative humidities are forecast to drop below 15 percent, with southerly winds potentially gusting 25-35 mph. Sunday looks like it will be cooler but strong south/southwest winds could still produce marginal fire weather conditons primarily over southeast Elbert and Lincoln counties. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning until 11 PM MST this evening for COZ031-033- 034. && UPDATE...AD SHORT TERM......Koop LONG TERM.......Coop AVIATION...AD FIRE WEATHER....Coop
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 1051 AM MST Tue Feb 27 2024 COZ030>051-281800- Jackson County Below 9000 Feet- West Jackson and West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet- Grand and Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet- South and East Jackson/Larimer/North and Northeast Grand/ Northwest Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet- South and Southeast Grand/West Central and Southwest Boulder/ Gilpin/Clear Creek/Summit/North and West Park Counties Above 9000 Feet-Larimer and Boulder Counties Between 6000 and 9000 Feet- Jefferson and West Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet/Gilpin/Clear Creek/Northeast Park Counties Below 9000 Feet- Central and Southeast Park County- Larimer County Below 6000 Feet/Northwest Weld County- Boulder And Jefferson Counties Below 6000 Feet/West Broomfield County- North Douglas County Below 6000 Feet/Denver/West Adams and Arapahoe Counties/East Broomfield County- Elbert/Central and East Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet- Northeast Weld County-Central and South Weld County-Morgan County- Central and East Adams and Arapahoe Counties- North and Northeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/North Lincoln County- Southeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/South Lincoln County- Logan County-Washington County-Sedgwick County-Phillips County- 1051 AM MST Tue Feb 27 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for northeast and north central Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A band of snow will continue pushing eastward across the plains of northeast Colorado at this time. The band is moving eastward and should bring 1 to 2 inches of new snow to most of the plains before is pushes east of the area by mid to late afternoon. Snow will continue over the high mountains through today, decreasing to light snow showers this evening. Snowfall rates of up to 1/2 inch per hour are still possible through late afternoon. Winter driving conditions can be expected in the mountains and over the plains where snow is falling. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Snowfall reports will be appreciated.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
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, February 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: 1154253.