Winter Storm — Elkhead and Park Mountains, Colorado

2025-02-16 to 2025-02-18 · Elkhead and Park Mountains, Colorado

Event narrative

Generally 12 to 30 inches of snow fell across the area with locally higher amounts up to 40 inches at Tower and Zirkel. Peak wind gusts of 46 mph occurred at Storm Peak Lab.

Wider weather episode

A low pressure trough followed on the heels of the strong moisture laden system around Valentines Day, with remnants of a moderate Atmospheric River and colder air, bringing moderate to heavy snowfall across the northern and central Colorado mountains where another one to two feet of snow fell. The northwest Colorado valleys and the Uncompahgre Gorge of the northwest San Juans also received moderate snowfall accumulations due to favored orographics and sufficiently colder air.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1239603. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.