Snow Squall Warning Issued for Chaffee, Fremont, and Saguache Counties in Central Colorado
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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A dangerous snow squall is moving through central Colorado, bringing heavy snow and whiteout conditions to Highway 50 and surrounding areas through 5:45 PM MST.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Snow Squall Warning
- Affected area
- Central Colorado
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Pueblo CO
Winter notices differ by expected impact and timing. The original notice carries the forecast window and any travel guidance for the named area.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Central Colorado.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a Snow Squall Warning for portions of central Colorado. This alert is effective immediately following the detection of a dangerous snow squall by radar and webcams.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following geographic regions:
- Southeastern Chaffee County
- Western Fremont County
- North central Saguache County
Specific locations impacted include Salida, Poncha Springs, Bonanza, Howard, Villa Grove, Waugh Mountain, Swissvale, the Decker Burn Scar, and Poncha Pass. This weather event will directly impact travel on Highway 50.
What You Should Do
Residents and travelers in the warning area are advised to Slow Down! Rapid changes in visibility and road conditions are expected. Be alert for sudden whiteout conditions and avoid travel within the warning zone if possible. The NWS recommends a response of "Avoid" for this immediate hazard.
Expected Conditions
At 5:15 PM MST, the snow squall was located along a line extending from 6 miles northeast of Salida to near Swissvale to Bonanza, moving east at 25 mph.
Hazards include:
- Intense bursts of heavy snow
- Gusty winds up to 35 mph
- Blowing snow
- Rapidly falling visibility
Travel is expected to become difficult and potentially dangerous within minutes of the squall's arrival.
Timeline
The Snow Squall Warning is in effect from 5:15 PM MST until 5:45 PM MST on February 18, 2026. The event is characterized by its brief but intense duration.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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