Heavy Snow in Colorado, March 12 to 15, 2024

Name: Heavy Snow in Colorado, March 12 to 15, 2024
Start: 2024-03-12T17:00
End: 2024-03-15T17:00
Location: Colorado

March 12 to 15, 2024 · NWS PUB · 53 events in 22 counties and zones

An upper trough dug down through the Four Corners Region around the middle of March, bringing another winter storm system to southeast Colorado. This brought widespread heavy snow and rain to a large portion of the forecast area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 53 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: 53

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 PUB wrote it up.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

53 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Eastern Lake County / Western Mosquito Range Above 11000 Ft

When: March 12, 5:00 PM MST to March 14, 5:00 AM MST
Where: Eastern Lake County / Western Mosquito Range Above 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 39.202, -106.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 4.8 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Eastern Lake County / Western Mosquito Range Above 11000 Ft

When: March 12, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 5:00 AM MST
Where: Eastern Lake County / Western Mosquito Range Above 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 39.202, -106.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 8.2 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Leadville Vicinity / Lake County Below 11000 Ft

When: March 12, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 5:00 AM MST
Where: Leadville Vicinity / Lake County Below 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 39.202, -106.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 10.2 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Ft

When: March 12, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 5:00 AM MST
Where: Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.677, -106.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 18.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Ft

When: March 12, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 5:00 AM MST
Where: Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 38.747, -106.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 21.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Pueblo Vicinity / Pueblo County Below 6300 Ft

When: March 12, 11:00 PM MST to March 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where: Pueblo Vicinity / Pueblo County Below 6300 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 38.173, -104.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 14.9 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Leadville Vicinity / Lake County Below 11000 Ft

When: March 13, 12:00 AM MST
Where: Leadville Vicinity / Lake County Below 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.202, -106.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 1.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: March 13, 5:00 AM MST to March 15, 5:00 AM MST
Where: Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.729, -105.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 42.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, La Junta Vicinity / Otero County

When: March 13, 5:00 AM MST to March 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where: La Junta Vicinity / Otero County forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 37.903, -103.716 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 2.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Westcliffe Vicinity / Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Ft

When: March 13, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 7:00 AM MST
Where: Westcliffe Vicinity / Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 37.897, -105.164 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 36.0 inches of snow measured near Coaldale.

Heavy Snow, Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft

When: March 13, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 37.685, -104.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 2.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 & 11000 Ft

When: March 13, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 37.992, -105.637 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 4.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft

When: March 13, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 38.110, -105.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 25.3 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, West / Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft

When: March 13, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where: West / Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 38.473, -105.440 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 20.3 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft

When: March 13, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Walsenburg Vicinity / Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 37.685, -104.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 10.5 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Trinidad Vicinity / Lower Huerfano River Basin & Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Ft

When: March 13, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Trinidad Vicinity / Lower Huerfano River Basin & Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 37.316, -104.039 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 10.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: March 13, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 37.426, -104.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 22.6 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: March 13, 5:00 PM MST to March 15, 5:00 AM MST
Where: Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 30.1 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: March 13, 10:07 PM MST
Where: Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.729, -105.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 4.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft

When: March 13, 10:15 PM MST
Where: Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.110, -105.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 6.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: March 13, 10:48 PM MST
Where: Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 2.5 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: March 13, 11:00 PM MST to March 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where: Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 24.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Canon City Vicinity / Eastern Fremont County

When: March 13, 11:00 PM MST to March 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where: Canon City Vicinity / Eastern Fremont County forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 38.488, -105.323 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 13.1 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft

When: March 14, 5:00 AM MST to March 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where: Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 37.578, -106.085 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 8.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft

When: March 14, 5:00 AM MST to March 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 9.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Southern San Luis Valley

When: March 14, 5:00 AM MST to March 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where: Southern San Luis Valley forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 37.240, -105.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 6.6 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When: March 14, 5:00 AM MST to March 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 19.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Del Norte Vicinity / Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft

When: March 14, 5:00 AM MST to March 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where: Del Norte Vicinity / Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 37.832, -106.332 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 6.5 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Ft

When: March 14, 5:35 AM MST
Where: Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.677, -106.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 4.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, West / Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft

When: March 14, 7:00 AM MST
Where: West / Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 38.473, -105.440 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 7.5 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Southern San Luis Valley

When: March 14, 7:00 AM MST
Where: Southern San Luis Valley forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 37.240, -105.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 2.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Leadville Vicinity / Lake County Below 11000 Ft

When: March 14, 7:00 AM MST
Where: Leadville Vicinity / Lake County Below 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 39.202, -106.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 6.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Westcliffe Vicinity / Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Ft

When: March 14, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Westcliffe Vicinity / Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 37.897, -105.164 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 8.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Ft

When: March 14, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 38.747, -106.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 8.5 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Canon City Vicinity / Eastern Fremont County

When: March 14, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Canon City Vicinity / Eastern Fremont County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.488, -105.323 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 8.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: March 14, 8:13 AM MST
Where: Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 38.729, -105.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 29.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft

When: March 14, 12:18 PM MST
Where: Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 2.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When: March 14, 12:46 PM MST
Where: Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 5.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Pueblo Vicinity / Pueblo County Below 6300 Ft

When: March 14, 1:58 PM MST
Where: Pueblo Vicinity / Pueblo County Below 6300 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.173, -104.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 6.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, West / Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft

When: March 14, 3:14 PM MST
Where: West / Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.473, -105.440 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 13.5 inches of snow measured in Coaldale.

Heavy Snow, Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: March 14, 4:30 PM MST
Where: Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 26.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: March 14, 4:45 PM MST
Where: Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 38.729, -105.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 31.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Trinidad Vicinity / Lower Huerfano River Basin & Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Ft

When: March 14, 5:10 PM MST
Where: Trinidad Vicinity / Lower Huerfano River Basin & Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 37.316, -104.039 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 8.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft

When: March 14, 5:28 PM MST
Where: Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.110, -105.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 15.4 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: March 14, 7:30 PM MST
Where: Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.426, -104.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 15.5 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft

When: March 14, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 38.110, -105.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 19.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: March 14, 9:10 PM MST
Where: Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 12.5 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: March 14, 10:05 PM MST
Where: Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 20.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft

When: March 14, 10:52 PM MST
Where: Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.832, -104.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 21.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Del Norte Vicinity / Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft

When: March 14, 11:58 PM MST
Where: Del Norte Vicinity / Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 37.832, -106.332 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 6.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft

When: March 15, 7:00 AM MST
Where: Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 37.578, -106.085 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 6.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Westcliffe Vicinity / Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Ft

When: March 15, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Westcliffe Vicinity / Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 37.897, -105.164 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 18.0 inches of snow measured.

Heavy Snow, Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: March 15, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 38.729, -105.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was 35.9 inches of snow measured.

What these are

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.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Colorado in 2024 Every state in 2024 This day in weather history Warnings in Colorado, March 2024

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: 1168134, 1168158, 1168169, 1168171, 1168175, 1168167, 1168126, 1168162, 1168170, 1168131, 1168135, 1168143, 1168155, 1168157, 1168159, 1168161, 1168164, 1168168, 1168124, 1168123, 1168125, 1168174, 1168177, 1168154, 1168160, 1168166, 1168172, 1168173, 1168147, 1168132, 1168141, 1168146, 1168130, 1168152, 1168153, 1168139, 1168136, 1168148, 1168142, 1168133, and more.