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 20200416 and had a storm total snowfall of 31.24 cm, or 12.30 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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200412_00 200412_06 200412_12 200412_18 200413_00 200413_06 200413_12 200413_18 200414_00 200414_06 200414_12 200414_18 200415_00 200415_06 200415_12 200415_18 200416_00 200416_06 200416_12 200416_18 200417_00 200417_06 200417_12 200417_18 200418_00 200418_06 200418_12 200418_18 200419_00 200419_06 200419_12 200419_18 200420_00 200420_06 200420_12 200420_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.