Colorado, 1996

High Wind in Colorado, April 18, 1996

April 18, 1996 · NWS PUB · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

and were channeled by the Eastern San Juan Mountains across the San Luis valley. Sustained winds of 35 to 45 mph were reported, with higher gusts of over 60 mph.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.

Strong winds in the upper levels of the atmosphere worked down to ground level...and were channeled by the Eastern San Juan Mountains across the San Luis valley. Sustained winds of 35 to 45 mph were reported, with higher gusts of over 60 mph.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Ft

When
April 18, 1:30 PM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Ft forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Coordinates
38.747, -106.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Eastern Chaffee County / Western Mosquito Range Above 9000 Ft

When
April 18, 1:30 PM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Eastern Chaffee County / Western Mosquito Range Above 9000 Ft forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Coordinates
38.747, -106.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Saguache County West of Continental Divide Below 10000 Ft

When
April 18, 1:30 PM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Saguache County West of Continental Divide Below 10000 Ft forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Coordinates
38.081, -106.282 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5544218, 5544219, 5544220.