Snowfall of “Epic Proportions”

| December 19, 2010 @ 10:56 pm | 2 Replies

The messages out of National Weather Service offices in the West are sounding more urgent as a mammoth storm hammers the region.

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WWUS45 KGJT 192200
WSWGJT

URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
300 PM MST SUN DEC 19 2010

…HEAVY HEAVY SNOW OF EPIC PROPORTIONS EXPECTED TO LAST INTO
THURSDAY ABOVE 9000 FEET…

.HEAVY SNOWFALL OF EPIC PROPORTIONS WILL CONTINUE AND PROJECTIONS
INDICATE THAT THE STORM WILL LAST THROUGH THURSDAY. VERY MOIST AND
MILD SOUTHWEST TO WEST FLOW WILL BRING A PROLONGED PERIOD OF
HEAVY SNOW TO THE HIGHER MOUNTAINS OF EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN
COLORADO…WITH PERIODS OF SNOW FOR COLD VALLEYS LIKE THE UINTA
BASIN AND GUNNISON VALLEY. HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED
ABOVE 9000 FEET WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ON SOUTHWEST TO WEST
FACING SLOPES. SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO BE MORE INTENSE IN MANY
MOUNTAIN AREAS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT.

POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE EXTENDED PERIODS OF ROAD CLOSURES…INCLUDING
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ROADS. CITIES OR TOWNS THAT MAY BE MOST
VULNERABLE WHERE ACCESS BECOMES LIMITED INCLUDE SILVERTON…CRESTED
BUTTE…AND ON TOP OF THE GRAND MESA. THE HIGHEST SNOW TOTALS ARE
EXPECTED OVER THE GRAND MESA…THE ELK AND SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS. IF
YOU RESIDE IN THESE AREAS…CONSIDER STOCKING UP ON NEEDED
SUPPLIES FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THESE AREAS HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF
SEEING EPIC SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY REACH AS HIGH AS 6 TO 8
FEET BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. EXPECTED SNOW AMOUNTS BY ELEVATION IS
AS FOLLOWS:

ABOVE 9000 FEET…3 TO 6 FEET OF TOTAL SNOWFALL BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON
WITH SOME AREAS REACHING 8 FEET. THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED
OVER THE GRAND MESA AND THE AREAS SURROUNDING AND INCLUDING CRESTED
BUTTE. THE AVALANCHE HAZARD IN UNDEVELOPED AREAS WILL BE ELEVATED
THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK.

BETWEEN 8000 TO 9000 FEET…THIS RANGE WILL SEE A MIXTURE OF RAIN
AND SNOW AND SNOWFALL POTENTIAL WILL BE SOMEWHAT LIMITED. HOWEVER
THE SNOW LEVEL IS EXPECTED TO LOWER ON MONDAY. TOTAL SNOWFALL
ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 1 TO 3 FEET BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

FOR AREAS BETWEEN 7000 TO 8000 FEET…MOSTLY RAIN IS EXPECTED FOR
TONIGHT…BUT SNOW LEVELS WILL LOWER ON MONDAY…BUT THEN RISE
AGAIN ON TUESDAY. TOTAL SNOW AMOUNTS WILL BE MODEST WITH TOTAL
ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES…BUT GREAT VARIABILITY WILL OCCUR
DEPENDING ON LOCATION AND SLOPE ASPECT AND HOW THE SNOW LEVELS FLUCTUATE.

ONCE AGAIN…TRAVELING OVER THE MOUNTAIN PASSES WILL BECOME NEARLY
IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES AS RELENTLESS HEAVY SNOW POUNDS THE MOUNTAINS
ABOVE 9000 FEET. PLAN ON ROAD CLOSURES AND HAVE ALTERNATIVE PLANS
IF THE MOUNTAIN PASSES DO NOT STAY OPEN.

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About the Author ()

Bill Murray is the President of The Weather Factory. He is the site's official weather historian and a weekend forecaster. He also anchors the site's severe weather coverage. Bill Murray is the proud holder of National Weather Association Digital Seal #0001 @wxhistorian

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