Winter Storm — Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus, Colorado

2023-02-21 to 2023-02-23 · Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus, Colorado

Event narrative

Heavy snow combined with winds in excess of 80 mph resulted in significantly reduced visibility throughout the event. Douglas Pass was closed due to the impacts from the blowing and drifting snow and road conditions.

Wider weather episode

Moisture from a decaying atmospheric river event paired with the passage of a strong cold front resulted in moderate to heavy snow across much of western Colorado. In addition, gusty winds led to significantly reduced visibility in blowing and drifting snow. Winds gusted in excess of 58 mph at times in the valleys, and were stronger than 80 mph in some mountain areas.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1074980. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.