Colorado Snow: How Much Falls Where, the Storms That Set Records, and How to Keep Devices and Homes Powered
- Colorado Snow Totals by Region: Denver, Colorado Springs, the Western Slope, and the High Country
- Is It Snowing in Colorado Right Now? Where the Official Totals Come From
- Snowstorm Power in Colorado: EcoFlow TITAN Classic for 120V Essentials and EcoFlow TITAN for Compatible 240V Loads
- Upslope Storms and the March Peak: Colorado's Biggest Snowstorms on Record
- Traction Law and Avalanche Danger: Colorado Snow on Mountain Roads
- Colorado Snowstorm Power Outages: Which Utility Restores Your Power
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Look at any list of Colorado snow totals and you'll see a wild spread. One storm can leave a few inches in Denver and several feet in the foothills. Grand Junction averages about 19 inches of snow a year, yet a single March 2003 storm buried Fritz Peak and Rollinsville under 87.5 inches. This guide covers the official averages by region, the storms that set records, where to check live totals and road rules, and who restores your power. It also explains when 120V backup covers your essentials and when you need 240V.
Colorado Snow Totals by Region: Denver, Colorado Springs, the Western Slope, and the High Country
Does it snow in Colorado every year? Yes, but how much depends on elevation and which side of the mountains you're on. The cities along I-25 get moderate totals from fall to spring, the Western Slope valleys get less, and the high country gets far more. Here's how the National Weather Service lists seasonal snow for the main cities, labeled the way each NWS page labels it.
Location | Average or normal seasonal snowfall | What the NWS page says | NWS office |
Denver International Airport | 47.0 inches | "Seasonal Normal Snowfall," 1991 to 2020. | |
Denver, Central Park/Stapleton | 49.0 inches | "NCEI Seasonal Normal Snowfall," 1991 to 2020. NWS says this is "likely underestimated" and the true average is "probably closer to 56." | NWS Boulder |
Denver, long-term record (1882 to 2025) | 56.6 inches | "Long Term Average Seasonal Snowfall." | NWS Boulder |
Colorado Springs | 33.6 inches | "30 Year Average" for seasonal snowfall. The period is not stated on the page. | |
Grand Junction | about 19 inches | "Approximately 19" per year, "low compared to the other parts of the state." | NWS Grand Junction station digest |
When Denver's Snow Season Runs
When does the season start? NWS Boulder's fall and winter stats put Denver's average first measurable snowfall on October 19 and the average last snowfall on April 28. The earliest first snow came September 3, 1961 (4.2 inches), and the latest December 10, 2021 (0.3 inch).
March is Denver's snowiest month in the NWS Boulder normals tables. It averages 11.4 inches over the long-term record and 8.8 inches at Central Park for 1991 to 2020.
Record Highs and Lows
Downtown Denver's biggest season brought 118.7 inches in 1908 to 1909. DIA's record high is 80.2 inches (2020 to 2021) and its record low is 21.8 inches (2016 to 2017). The NWS Pueblo table for Colorado Springs runs from 89.4 inches (1956 to 1957) down to 12.7 inches (2010 to 2011).
None of these numbers covers the high country, where totals climb far higher. The storm totals later in this guide show how much snow Colorado's mountains can get from a single storm.
Since Denver's season usually runs from mid-October to late April, fall is the time to prepare. A pass through a seasonal home maintenance checklist is the right moment to clean the gutters and test the furnace.
Averages tell you what a season looks like. On storm day, though, you want to know whether it's snowing where you are and how much has fallen.
Is It Snowing in Colorado Right Now? Where the Official Totals Come From
The snow totals lists on Denver TV sites come from reports sent to the National Weather Service. You can go straight to the source. Three NWS offices cover most of Colorado, and each posts forecasts, alerts, and storm reports.
So is it snowing in Colorado where you live? Start with these sources:
NWS Boulder: Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, the northern and central mountains, and the northeast plains.
NWS Pueblo: Colorado Springs, Pueblo, the southern mountains, and the San Luis Valley.
NWS Grand Junction: the Western Slope, including the southwest San Juans.
COtrip.org and the COtrip Planner app: road closures, conditions, weather warnings, and a plow tracker, from CDOT.
Colorado Avalanche Information Center: avalanche forecasts, covered below.
Why Storm Totals Vary
Storm totals are preliminary and can vary a lot over short distances. Is it snow in Colorado's foothills and rain in Denver? That can change within a few miles, so check the final NWS storm report for your own area.
A NOAA Weather Radio and phone alerts both help. Knowing how WEA, EAS, and radio alerts differ tells you which device to keep charged.
Once a storm is on the map, the next question is power. Choose backup around the voltage, running power, and startup requirements of the equipment you need to keep working.
Snowstorm Power in Colorado: EcoFlow TITAN Classic for 120V Essentials and EcoFlow TITAN for Compatible 240V Loads
Heavy, wet snow can bring down lines. In the March 2021 storm, NWS Boulder said the snow "accumulated on trees and powerlines, producing scattered power outages."
What would you need running if the power stayed off overnight in a cold snap? For most homes, it's lights, the fridge, phones and Wi-Fi, and the controls and blower that move warm air from the furnace. Some homes also rely on 240V equipment, like a well pump or certain heating systems, and that split decides which backup fits.
EcoFlow TITAN Classic and EcoFlow TITAN are home batteries. Both can power compatible appliances through their appropriate outputs. For automatic backup of household circuits, use the matching Smart Home Panel 10 installed by a licensed electrician. Plan placement and any circuit integration before the storm, and keep the equipment in a dry, ventilated indoor location within its specified operating temperature range.
120V Essentials: EcoFlow TITAN Classic
EcoFlow TITAN Classic provides 4,000W at 120V for compatible lighting, refrigeration, communications, and 120V heating controls or furnace blowers. Check each appliance's running and startup requirements and the total simultaneous load. For automatic circuit backup, have a licensed electrician install the 120V Smart Home Panel 10. A powered blower or control system does not guarantee heat if the heating equipment has other faults or lacks fuel.
TITAN Classic is a 120V-only unit. That makes it a good fit for essential circuits, but not for equipment that needs 240V.
240V Loads: EcoFlow TITAN
Many well pumps and some heating equipment need 240V. EcoFlow TITAN provides 7,200W of 120V/240V split-phase output for compatible loads within its running and startup capabilities. Check the specific pump or heating equipment and other simultaneous loads, rather than assuming every 240V appliance will work. For automatic backup of selected household circuits, a licensed electrician must install the 240V Smart Home Panel 10.
Whether TITAN can carry a specific furnace, well pump, or other 240V load depends on that equipment's nameplate and what else runs at the same time. Plan it around essential circuits, not whole-house electric heat through a long outage. Owners weighing whole home versus essential circuits should start with the circuits an outage puts at risk.
Estimated Runtime
For a rough runtime, multiply capacity in watt-hours by 0.85, then divide by your load in watts. The 0.85 is a planning assumption for conversion losses. The rows are total load levels, so add up the label watts of your own devices first.
TITAN Classic and TITAN start from the same 5kWh battery, so runtime at a given load is the same. What differs is how much they can run at once: 4kW at 120V for TITAN Classic, and 7.2kW split phase for TITAN.
Total circuit load | TITAN Classic or TITAN, 5kWh base (5,000Wh × 0.85 = 4,250Wh) | TITAN Classic or TITAN, 15kWh (15,000Wh × 0.85 = 12,750Wh) |
100W | about 42.5 hours | about 127.5 hours |
300W | about 14.2 hours | about 42.5 hours |
500W | about 8.5 hours | about 25.5 hours |
1,000W | about 4.3 hours | about 12.8 hours |
3,000W | about 1.4 hours | about 4.3 hours |
5,000W (TITAN only; above TITAN Classic's 4kW output) | about 0.9 hours | about 2.6 hours |
These are estimates only. Fridges and furnace blowers cycle on and off, so real runtime varies. Snow-covered panels also limit solar recharging until they clear.
The March 2021 outages came from heavy, wet snow. Colorado's other record storms show why March, Denver's snowiest month, is the one to watch.
Upslope Storms and the March Peak: Colorado's Biggest Snowstorms on Record
Some of the Front Range's heaviest snow comes when moist air flows toward the mountains and is forced to rise. Forecasters call this upslope flow. Two March storms show what it can do.
The NWS Spotter's Field Guide defines upslope flow as "Air that flows toward higher terrain, and hence is forced to rise." When the air is stable, that lift often brings widespread clouds and steady precipitation. In a February 2016 storm, NWS Boulder described "persistent and deepening upslope" with "No cold front." That storm dropped 8 to 15 inches on the I-25 Corridor and 8 to 36 inches in the foothills.
March 17 to 20, 2003
NOAA's Storm Data for March 2003 lists 31.8 inches at the former Stapleton International Airport and 87.5 inches at Fritz Peak and Rollinsville. The Urban Corridor and plains got 1 to 3 feet, and roofs collapsed across the Urban Corridor.
The report says "up to 135,000 people lost power at some point during the storms." Avalanches closed I-70 in both directions, and DIA closed, stranding about 4,000 travelers. Property damage was estimated at $93 million, "easily the costliest snowstorm ever in Colorado" at the time.
March 13 to 14, 2021
This Colorado snow storm gave Denver an official 27.1 inches. NWS Boulder's storm summary calls it "the fourth largest storm on record since 1882." The top report was 48.5 inches at 3 ESE Buckhorn Mountain in Larimer County.
Heavy, wet snow caused scattered outages, but the NWS gives no outage count. All major interstates closed except near Denver and Fort Collins. DIA's runways shut from noon Sunday until 2 p.m. Monday, and more than 2,000 flights were canceled.
Western Slope Example
Big storms aren't only a Front Range story. In a March 18 to 20, 2020 storm, NWS Grand Junction reported 12 to 20 inches in the southwest San Juans and up to 27 inches on the Uncompahgre Plateau. Wind gusts topped 45 mph at times.
Wet snow clings to branches and wires much like freezing rain. Reading how ice buildup causes power outages shows what that extra weight does to a line.
Those same storms close I-70 and load the slopes above it. That makes tire rules and avalanche forecasts the next things to check.
Traction Law and Avalanche Danger: Colorado Snow on Mountain Roads
Colorado has a seasonal tire rule for I-70 through the mountains and a state avalanche center that publishes public forecasts. Both are worth checking before a ski trip.
What the Traction Law Requires
CDOT's Traction Law page says the law runs on I-70 between Dotsero and Morrison from September 1 through May 31. CDOT can also put it into effect on other state highways. When it's on, your tires need at least 3/16-inch tread and one of these ratings:
Winter tires with the mountain-snowflake icon
All-weather rated tires
Mud and snow tires marked M+S or M/S
Having 4WD or AWD doesn't replace that tire standard, so those vehicles need the same tread and tire rating. If your vehicle doesn't meet it, CDOT says you need chains or an approved alternative traction device on two or more drive tires.
A violation costs $100 plus a $33 surcharge. If it closes one or more lanes, the penalty jumps to $500 plus a $157 surcharge.
The Passenger Vehicle Chain Law is a separate, stricter step. CDOT calls it "the final safety measure before the highway is closed." When it's in effect, every vehicle needs chains or an approved alternative traction device, and that includes 4WD and AWD.
Avalanche Forecasts
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is part of the state Department of Natural Resources. It works in partnership with CDOT. It has issued public avalanche forecasts since 1973. DNR says avalanches have killed more people in Colorado than any other natural hazard since 1950. It also says Colorado accounts for one-third of all avalanche deaths.
Check the CAIC avalanche forecasts at avalanche.state.co.us before you head up. Avalanches can hit roads too. In March 2003, one closed the main access road to Eldora and stranded 270 skiers, per Storm Data.
A road closure can turn a ski day into a night away from home. A practical family disaster plan should cover who checks on the house and the pets.
Back home, heavy snow can leave you without power. Who you call depends on which utility or co-op serves your address.
Colorado Snowstorm Power Outages: Which Utility Restores Your Power
Your electricity comes from an investor-owned utility, a municipal utility, or an electric co-op, and your bill names it. Bookmark its outage page before the first storm. For a downed line or any immediate danger, call 911 first.
Xcel Energy: Public Service Company of Colorado operates as Xcel Energy. Report outages through Xcel Energy's Colorado outage page.
Black Hills Energy: Its outage page has an electric outage map and a report link.
Colorado Springs Utilities: This municipal utility sets its rates and policies locally. Check its storm center page for outage updates.
Electric co-ops: CORE Electric Cooperative (formerly IREA) and Holy Cross Energy are member-owned. Each sets policy through its own board. Check CORE's Outage Center or the Holy Cross outage map on its website.
Outage-Day Safety
During the outage, keep the fridge and freezer closed, and don't run any storm-damaged appliance until it's repaired. With a power station, plug your devices into its output ports. Never connect an output to a wall outlet, because that can send power back into your home's wiring. To recharge it, plug its AC input into a wall outlet with the charging cable that came with it, following the manufacturer's instructions.
When the lights come back after a long outage, a fridge food safety checklist helps you decide what to keep and what to toss. Go through it before you cook anything from the freezer.
Conclusion
Snow in Colorado ranges from about 19 inches a year in Grand Junction to 47 to 56 inches in Denver, depending on the record used. The mountains get much more. March upslope storms set the big records. Before the next one, bookmark your NWS office, COtrip, the CAIC, and your utility's outage page. Check your tires too, and decide whether your essentials need 120V or 240V backup. EcoFlow TITAN Classic suits lighting, refrigeration, communications, and compatible 120V heating controls or blowers. EcoFlow TITAN adds support for compatible 240V well pumps or heating equipment that need a higher-output setup. Check running and startup requirements and total simultaneous loads, and use the matching Smart Home Panel 10 installed by a licensed electrician for automatic circuit backup.
FAQs
Does it snow in Colorado?
Yes, every region gets some. The NWS lists a 1991 to 2020 normal of 47.0 inches at Denver International Airport. Colorado Springs has a 30-year average of 33.6 inches, and the mountains get far more.
When does it start snowing in Colorado?
In Denver, NWS Boulder puts the average first measurable snow on October 19. The average last snowfall is April 28, so the season covers about six months.
Is it snowing in Colorado right now?
Conditions change by the hour, so use a live source. NWS Boulder, Pueblo, and Grand Junction post alerts and storm reports, and COtrip shows current road conditions.
What was the biggest snowstorm in Colorado history?
No single snow storm in Colorado holds every record, but March 2003 ranks among the biggest. NOAA Storm Data lists 87.5 inches at Fritz Peak and Rollinsville and 31.8 inches at the former Stapleton airport.
What is the Colorado Traction Law?
It's a CDOT rule for I-70 between Dotsero and Morrison, in effect from September 1 through May 31. Your tires need at least 3/16-inch tread and a winter, all-weather, or M+S rating, even on a 4WD or AWD vehicle. If they don't qualify, you need chains or an approved traction device on two or more drive tires.
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