Winter Weather — West Elk and Sawatch Mountains, Colorado

2025-03-03 to 2025-03-04 · West Elk and Sawatch Mountains, Colorado

Event narrative

Generally 6 to 12 inches of snow fell across the area with 7 inches reported at McClure Pass. Wind gusts were in the 45 to 55 mph range at elevations above 11,900 feet with a peak wind gust of 59 mph at Cinnamon Mountain.

Wider weather episode

A low pressure trough tracked across the Great Basin with strong dynamics and instability ahead of it, resulting in moderate snowfall favoring the southern and central Colorado mountains with lighter amounts across the north. This system was fairly mild which limited snowfall amounts in the lower valleys.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1248482. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.