Intense Snow Squall, Pagosa Springs, CO, 3/8/2019

by John Farley

An intense snow squall occurred in Pagosa Springs, CO in the early evening of March 8, 2019. The squall produced around an inch of snow between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m., and nearly 2 inches between 6:00 and 7:30. As you can see in the video, the squall was accompanied by strong winds, which I would estimate around 40-50 mph. Earlier, this squall produced a number of lightning strikes in northern New Mexico, but there was no thunder or lightning by the time it reached Pagosa Springs.

This squall was associated with the passage of a Pacific cold front, which was part of a strong weather system that affected much of the United States during the March 7-9 period. High moisture content in the air ahead of the front, relatively steep lapse rates, and strong forcing from the front were all likely factors in the intensity of the squall. The larger weather system produced heavy snow in the California mountains, parts of the Colorado mountains, and in Minnesota and the Dakotas. A significant severe weather outbreak occurred in parts of the South, and strong winds, both thunderstorm and non-thunderstorm, occurred in a number of areas. The Albuquerque Sunport recorded a 69 mph gust when the Pacific cold front passed through there.

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