Winter Storm — Cheyenne County, Colorado

2022-03-21 · Cheyenne County, Colorado

Event narrative

A heavy snowband produced impactful snow across portions of Cheyenne County. The highest measured report received was 6 inches at a location six miles north of Wild Horse. However, based on radar imagery and the slow movement of the heavy snowband, it is likely that higher amounts would have been reported in central Cheyenne County, particularly north central Cheyenne County. Amounts likely exceeded 8 inches in this area, but could have been 12 inches based on reports from central Kit Carson County. There were also some snow drifts observed with this event. Key impacts: heavy snow, snow drifts, transportation delays, road closures.

Wider weather episode

A strong low pressure system developed across the High Plains in the very early morning hours of March 21st. As the low progressed slowly east then northeast, a significant band of heavy snowfall developed across eastern Colorado. This core of the heaviest snow within the band was around 20-30 miles wide, and the impacts within that heaviest snow were extreme. 15 to 18 inches of snow were measured in portions of central Kit Carson County with lower amounts spread out across the rest of eastern Colorado.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1017525. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.