Heavy Snow — Upper Gunnison River Valley, Colorado

2023-03-10 to 2023-03-12 · Upper Gunnison River Valley, Colorado

Event narrative

Generally 6 to 12 inches of snow fell across the area. Much of the snow fell in less than 12 hours as a result of cold air trapped in the valley.

Wider weather episode

An atmospheric river brought an abundance of moisture to the Western Slope. This, paired with the passage of an upper level trough across the Northern Rockies and associated cold front, resulted in moderate to heavy snow for the mountains. Upwards of 1 to 2 feet of snow fell on the favored slopes. Mild air associated with the atmospheric river kept snow levels high with mostly all rain or a rain/snow mix in the valleys. Winds gusted in excess of 60 mph at times in the mountains.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1075378. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.