ERA5 images from Fort Collins 12" snowstorms, 1979-2022

The links below each indicate a 12" snowstorm, defined as one or more consecutive days of measurable snowfall, at the Fort Collins weather station since 1979. In each directory are some basic maps from the ERA5 (ECMWF reanalysis) for these cases. The maps begin 4 days prior to the start of the snowstorm, and continue for four days after that, with maps at 0000 and 1200 UTC. Select a case and check it out!

Listing of cases (in YYYYMMDD format, with the date shown here being the start of the event)

This event started on 19851208 and had a storm total snowfall of 47.24 cm, or 18.60 inches!

Select a level/field

Click or hover mouse over a date to see the map (dates are listed as YYMMDD_HH, so that 791116_00 indicates 0000 UTC 16 November 1979). Left arrow for previous frame, right arrow for next, space to pause/play; click to open image in new tab

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851204_00 851204_06 851204_12 851204_18 851205_00 851205_06 851205_12 851205_18 851206_00 851206_06 851206_12 851206_18 851207_00 851207_06 851207_12 851207_18 851208_00 851208_06 851208_12 851208_18 851209_00 851209_06 851209_12 851209_18 851210_00 851210_06 851210_12 851210_18 851211_00 851211_06 851211_12 851211_18 851212_00 851212_06 851212_12 851212_18

Do you want to make plots like these for your own cases of interest? Check out the code on Github.

Data obtained from the ECWMF Climate Data Store and plotted using tools from the Unidata Python training gallery.

DISCLAIMER: The images and data on this site are intended for meteorological education and research purposes and, although they should generally be up to date, are not monitored at all times. Do not use for making decisions where money or lives are at stake. For official forecasts and warnings, visit the National Weather Service.