This is the first round of heavy snow from the five day event between November 5th through the 9th. This first wave impacted the Southern Front Range Foothills, Palmer Divide, and adjacent plains through Lincoln and Washington Counties from the evening of the 5th through most of the 6th.
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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 BOU wrote it up.
This is the first round of heavy snow from the five day event between November 5th through the 9th.
This first wave impacted the Southern Front Range Foothills, Palmer Divide, and adjacent plains through Lincoln and Washington Counties from the evening of the 5th through most of the 6th. Denver metro was on the northern edge of this first round, but temperatures were cold enough for some travel impacts on the morning of the 6th. After a brief lull on the evening of the 6th, another round of snow occurred across the Palmer Divide area and adjacent plains, including Lincoln County and the I-70 Corridor east of Denver in the early morning and daylight hours of November 7th. Interstate 70 and numerous highways in east central and southeast Colorado were closed for an extended period of time due to this prolonged period of heavy snow and blowing snow. Rural roads were blocked by the depth of the snow, as snow had already accumulated to nearly 2 feet deep. And the storm wasn't done yet, and in fact in many cases the heaviest snow was yet to fall with the final wave of the storm.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 winter weather, 5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Approximately 4 to 8 inches of snow fell across the lower elevations of Park County. Here are some snowfall reports from the storm, Fairplay 12 SSE 7.5 inches, 0.7 E of 11-Mile Canyon Reservoir 6.5 inches, Fairplay 2.7 SW 6.4 inches, and 1 NNW Lake George 5.0 inches.
Snowfall reports were sparse for this area east of Denver. An estimated 8 to 14 inches of snow fell November 5th through the morning of November 7th. At 5 miles ENE of Byers 9.8 inches fell, 10.8 miles SSW Bennett 10.8 inches fell, and 5 miles north of Strasburg 10 inches of snow fell. Interstate 70 was shut down at times through the 9th, especially for eastbound traffic. Also Highway 36 was closed at times. Travel became very difficult to impossible when heavy snow returned on the 8th.
After the lull in snowfall on the 7th, an additional 12 to 24 inches of snow fell late on the 7th through the 9th. This brought total snowfall amounts to 20 to 36 inches, with the heaviest snowfall occurring over eastern Arapahoe County where 31.0 inches of snow fell 6.1 miles SW of Deer Trail. At 5 miles ENE of Byers storm total snowfall of 22 inches was reported.
Roads become snow covered and slippery through out the southern foothills during the evening of November 5th and into the morning of the 6th. Snowfall generally ranged from 10 to 20 inches. Here are some of the heavier snowfall reports for the storm, 23.5 inches Deermont 1.2 ENE, 21.0 inches Aspen Park 1.9 ENE, 20.2 inches Ken Caryl 3.2 W, 17.0 inches Morrison 5.4 SSW, and 16.0 inches Evergreen 2.5 SSW.
Snowfall reports greatly varied through the zone with around 2 inches and no impacts across Longmont to 6 to 12 inches across easter Jefferson County in Golden, Arvada, and Lakewood. These amounts fell over two and half days with 2-3 periods of snowfall, the heaviest being late on the 5th and early in the 6th when 4-8 inches of snow occurred, creating slippery road conditions for the AM commute on the 6th. Impacts were minimal on the 7th and 8th.
Snowfall amounts across the area generally ranged from 10 to 16 inches November 5th through the morning of November 7th. Slight higher amounts occurred across western and central Elbert County. Light lingered into the morning of the 7th before coming to a temporary end. Then even heavier snowfall occurred. Another 12-22 inches fell across Douglas County and 18 to 30 inches across western and central Elbert. Roads through out Elbert County become covered by deep snow and in many cases became impassible.
Total snowfall for the event (November 5th through 9th) ranged from 20-25 inches across Douglas county to 35 to 44 inches over western and central Elbert County. The largest snowfall report was 44 inches at 3.7 miles west of Elbert.
Heaviest snowfall occurred over southern and eastern parts of the Denver area. On the 5th and 6th, snowfall of 4 to 8 inches fell creating slow and slippery driving conditions. Then additional snowfall of up to 4 inches fell on the 7th. Other than a slightly slow and slippery commute on the 7th, impacts from the snow on the morning of the 7th were minimal.
Snowfall in the Brush area was around 4 inches. Also a spotter located in far southern Morgan County received 10.5 inches over the three days (5th-7th).Temperatures hovered around freezing, helping to keep impacts minimal during the storm. Though roads likely were snow covered at times across southern parts of the county.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 5 inches across northern parts of the county to up to 12 inches over southern Washington County through the morning of November 7th. Due to the snow and blowing snow roads across southern Washington County were closed including Highway 36. Here are a few reports, Woodrow 16.8 miles SSE 11.6 inches, Anton 5.8 miles SE 10.0 inches, and Otis 5.7 W 5.5 inches. These snowfall reports are through 7AM November 7th. Snow then subsided for 12-18 before returning. Additional snowfall occurred on the 7th through the 9th was even heavier with additional snowfall of 16 to 24 inches across southern Washington County. For the entire 5 day event, an estimated 24 to 36 inches of snow fell across southern Washington County. At Woodrow 16.8 SSE 26.4 inches of snow was reported and at Anton 5.8 SE 30.0 inches of snow was reported. In addition to the snow, wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph on the 8th produced considerable blowing and drifting snow. Most roads across southern Washington County were closed for an extended time. If not closed, travel was very difficult to impossible due to the very heavy snowfall.
Heavy snowfall caused roads to become snow covered. Total snowfall across the county ranged from 6 to 12 inches. The heaviest snowfall report came was 11.7 inches 5 miles south of Sedgewick. Also 10.5 inches fell 3.4 miles south of Holyoke and 10.6 inches in the town of Holyoke.
Only two snowfall reports were received during this event. In Julesburg 5.0 inches of snow fell, and a report 3.4 miles north of Mark's Butte indicated 9.0 inches of snow fell. Webcams indicated Interstate 76 became snow covered after dark on the 6th.
Snowfall reports indicate 3-6 inches of snow fell across central and southern Logan County, with less snow falling over the northern part of the county. This snowfall caused Interstate 76 to become snow covered and slippery.
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, November 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1220491, 1220524, 1220518, 1220486, 1220521, 1220487, 1220492, 1220517, 1220525, 1220490, 1220488.