Colorado, 2024Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Colorado, January 13 to 15, 2024
January 13 to 15, 2024 · NWS GJT · 13 events in 13 counties and zones
A moderately strong atmospheric river coming in from the west in conjunction with a low pressure system dropping southward out of the Pacific Northwest tracked along a strong northwest to southeast oriented jet. This led to significant snowfall across all mountain ranges of western Colorado with lesser amounts across the La Sals in southeast Utah.
Every event with a place to put it; 13 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 13
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.
A moderately strong atmospheric river coming in from the west in conjunction with a low pressure system dropping southward out of the Pacific Northwest tracked along a strong northwest to southeast oriented jet. This led to significant snowfall across all mountain ranges of western Colorado with lesser amounts across the La Sals in southeast Utah. Some lower northwest and west-central higher valleys even saw moderate snowfall. Strong winds in the higher elevations continued to bring blowing and drifting snow as well as whiteout conditions and road closures to most mountain passes. A strong arctic front dropped in from the north late in the storms period, leading to some of the whiteout concerns and bringing continued snow in the Uncompahgre Gorge and north facing slopes. Snowfall was limited in the lower valleys due to cold arctic air being scoured out from the winds leading up to this system.
Event by event
6 winter storm, 5 winter weather, 2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Northwestern San Juan Mountains
- When
- January 13, 6:00 PM MST to January 15, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 12 to 20 inches of snow fell across the area with 16 inches in the Uncompahgre Gorge and 12.2 inches at Powderhorn 4.4 NNE. 1 to 4 inches fell at the lower elevations. Winds gusted 45 to 55 mph at elevations above 11,000 feet with a peak wind gust of 64 mph at Mt Abrams.
Winter Weather, Upper Gunnison River Valley
- When
- January 13, 6:13 PM MST to January 15, 8:40 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Gunnison River Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 38.535, -107.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 7 to 12 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amount of 14 inches at Gunnison 0.2 NW. Winds gusted in the 30s towards the latter part of the event.
Winter Storm, Upper Yampa River Basin
- When
- January 13, 6:55 PM MST to January 15, 9:35 AM MST
- Where
- Upper Yampa River Basin forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 40.485, -106.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 12 to 20 inches of snow fell across the area with 20.3 inches at Oak Creek 0.4 W. Winds gusted in the 20s and 30s with a peak wind gust of 46 mph at Steamboat Springs Airport.
Winter Storm, Elkhead and Park Mountains
- When
- January 13, 7:00 PM MST to January 15, 2:00 PM MST
- Where
- Elkhead and Park Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- SNOTEL
- Coordinates
- 40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 15 to 30 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amount of 39 inches at Tower. Winds gusted 55 to 65 mph at Storm Peak Lab.
Winter Storm, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys
- When
- January 13, 7:00 PM MST to January 15, 2:00 PM MST
- Where
- Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 15 to 30 inches of snow fell across the area with 29.3 inches at Vail 2.6 E. Winds gusted 45 to 60 mph mainly at elevations above 10,000 feet with gusts in the 70s above 12,000 feet.
Winter Storm, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains
- When
- January 13, 7:00 PM MST to January 15, 2:00 PM MST
- Where
- West Elk and Sawatch Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 12 to 24 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amount of 34.1 inches at Crested Butte 1.9 NNE. Winds gusted in the 50s and 60s for elevations above 11,000 feet with gusts above 80 mph towards the latter part of the event.
Winter Storm, Southwestern San Juan Mountains
- When
- January 13, 7:00 PM MST to January 15, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 10 to 20 inches of snow fell across the area, including 14.4 at Silverton 0.3 WSW, with locally higher amount of 29 inches at Red Mountain Pass. Winds gusted above 45 mph for elevations above 10,000 feet with gusts in the 60s at Molas Pass and Kendall Mountain.
Winter Weather, Central Colorado River Basin
- When
- January 13, 7:56 PM MST to January 15, 2:56 PM MST
- Where
- Central Colorado River Basin forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 4 to 8 inches of snow fell across the area with 9 inches at Glenwood Springs 0.64 S. Winds gusted 30 to 45 mph with a peak gust of 43 mph at Eagle County Regional Airport.
Heavy Snow, Flattop Mountains
- When
- January 13, 8:00 PM MST to January 15, 1:00 PM MST
- Where
- Flattop Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- SNOTEL
- Coordinates
- 40.062, -107.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 12 to 24 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amount of 31.5 inches at Ripple Creek.
Heavy Snow, Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide
- When
- January 13, 8:00 PM MST to January 15, 6:00 AM MST
- Where
- Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 15 to 17 inches of snow fell at the higher elevations, including 16.5 inches at Columbine Pass and 15.5 inches at Ridgway 3.6 NW. 2 to 3 inches of snow fell at lower elevations.
Winter Weather, Grand and Battlement Mesas
- When
- January 13, 9:00 PM MST to January 15, 1:00 PM MST
- Where
- Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 6 to 12 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amount of 15 inches at Cedaredge 10.5 NNW.
Winter Weather, Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin
- When
- January 13, 9:35 PM MST to January 15, 1:00 PM MST
- Where
- Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
- Coordinates
- 38.737, -107.907 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 5 to 8 inches of snow fell across the Hotchkiss and Paonia areas in the northern part of the zone with less than an inch from Delta to Montrose across the western and southern parts of the zone.
Winter Weather, Central Yampa River Basin
- When
- January 13, 9:41 PM MST to January 15, 11:00 AM MST
- Where
- Central Yampa River Basin forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 40.361, -107.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Generally 4 to 6 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amount of 9 inches at Hayden. Winds gusted 30 to 44 mph.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Flash Flooding and Coastal Flood in Maine, January 13, 2024$76 million · 8 events
- Extreme Cold in Illinois, January 13 to 16, 20241 death · 29 events
- Flash Flood and Coastal Flood in New Hampshire, January 13, 2024$30 million · 2 events
- Cold in Nebraska, January 13 to 16, 20241 death · 3 events
- Flash Flooding in American Samoa, January 13 to 15, 2024$192,000 · 5 events
- Extreme Cold in Iowa, January 13 to 16, 202451 events
- Extreme Cold and Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 13 to 14, 202440 events
- Extreme Cold and Winter Weather in Missouri, January 13 to 14, 202433 events
- Cold in Missouri, January 13 to 16, 202424 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Vermont, January 13, 202450 kt wind · 14 events
- Coastal Flood in New Jersey, January 13, 202414 events
- Coastal Flood in New York, January 13, 202414 events
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1162122, 1162120, 1162111, 1162110, 1162116, 1162118, 1162123, 1162112, 1162119, 1162121, 1162114, 1162117, 1162109.