Snow is on the Way…Amounts Vary

URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
342 AM MST FRI FEB, 20, 2015

PUEBLO…WALSENBURG…ORDWAY…OLNEY SPRINGS…LA JUNTA…
ROCKY FORD…EADS…SHERIDAN LAKE…LAS ANIMAS…LAMAR
342 AM MST FRI FEB 20 2015

…WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT…

* LOCATION…THE WET MOUNTAINS…WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY…SANGRE DE
CRISTO MOUNTAINS…SPANISH PEAKS REGION…PUEBLO COUNTY…
EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY…HUERFANO COUNTY…PROWERS…BENT…
CROWLEY…KIOWA…AND OTERO COUNTIES.

* CAUSE AND TIMING…ABUNDANT MOISTURE ARRIVING WITH THE JET
STREAM FROM THE WEST WILL COINCIDE WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT
ARRIVING FROM THE NORTH THIS WEEKEND. THIS WILL RESULT IN A
PROLONGED PERIOD OF MODERATE TO OCCASIONALLY HEAVY SNOWFALL
OVER MUCH OF SOUTHEAST COLORADO.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION…6 TO 12 INCHES BELOW 10000 FEET…AND ONE
TO TWO FEET WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ABOVE 10000 FEET.

* WIND…NORTHEAST TO EAST 10 TO 25 MPH.

* IMPACT…TRAVEL WILL BECOME PROGRESSIVELY MORE DIFFICULT AND
HAZARDOUS THROUGH THE WEEKEND DUE TO ICY SNOW COVERED ROADS.
AVALANCHE DANGER WILL INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE HIGH
COUNTRY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR
SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP.

WINTER STORMS MAY HAVE STRONG WINDS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO
HEAVY SNOWFALL AND BLOWING SNOW. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF OVER
6 INCHES ACROSS THE PLAINS AND HIGH VALLEYS OR OVER 8 INCHES IN
THE MOUNTAINS MAY OCCUR. IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO TRAVEL IN THE
WATCH AREA DURING THE TIME OF THE WATCH…LISTEN TO THE LATEST
WEATHER FORECAST AND CONSIDER TRAVELING AT ANOTHER TIME OR BY
ANOTHER ROUTE. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL IN OR THROUGH THE WATCH AREA
DURING THE TIME OF THE WATCH…TAKE ALONG A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT.