Winter Storm — Western Chaffee County Between 9000 & 11000 Ft, Colorado

2006-12-28 to 2006-12-29 · Western Chaffee County Between 9000 & 11000 Ft, Colorado

Wider weather episode

Heavy snow and blizzard conditions impacted the western mountains...and the eastern mountains and southeast plains of southern Colorado. Wind gusts exceeded 55 mph...snow amounts reached up to 48 inches...and snow drifts noted as high as 18 feet. The following are the highest snow totals and snow drifts reported with this event...10 to 14 inches near the Air Force Academy (El Paso County)...Maysville (Chaffee County) and northwest Baca County...17 to 20 inches in and around Monument and Black Forest (El Paso County)...Rye (Pueblo County)...Woodland Park (Teller County)...and Fort Lyon (Bent County)...22 inches east of Colorado City (Pueblo County)...near 2 feet in Walsenburg (Huerfano County) and Fowler (Otero county)...in addition...Fowler had snow drifts up to 6 feet...31 inches in Walsh (Baca County)...La Junta (Otero County) and Lamar (Prowers County)...with 6 to 8 foot snow drifts common in both La Junta and Lamar...32 inches in La Veta (Huerfano County)...33 inches in Sheridan Lake (Kiowa County)...with snow drifts up to 18 feet deep...36 inches in Trinidad (Las Animas County)...40 inches just northwest of Aguilar (Las Animas County)...48 inches in Cuchara (Huerfano County). Many counties across the eastern plains received FEMA monies for snow removal and other recover efforts. In was estimated that at least 35,000 head of cattle perished during and after the episode. No good estimate of losses and costs was available at the completion of this report...but likely totalled well over $3 million.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 7736. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.